The Vivitar 5600 flash has an adjustable head similar to the flash pictured here.
The Vivitar 5600 is a full featured external flash unit that can be used with other cameras as well. The Vivitar 5600 was designed to be used on film cameras. Before you use the flash on your digital camera, test the flash on a voltmeter. If the voltage is too high for your digital camera, you could damage the internal circuitry in your camera. Refer to your digital camera's owner manual for maximum voltage guidelines.
Flash Head
The flash head on the Vivitar 5600 has a number of different features that make it appealing to photographers. The flash head on the Vivitar 5600 can be tilted towards the ceiling for bounce light photography. The head can also be swiveled, allowing for bounce light photography when shooting in a vertical position. Bouncing the light off of the ceiling or a bounce card attached to the flash creates more natural looking lighting conditions. The flash head also has a built-in diffuser that diffuses the light when shooting with a wide angle lens.
Shooting Modes
The Vivitar 5600 has four different shooting modes. By adjusting a slide switch on the left of the flash you can set the flash to work in full "Auto" mode or "M/TTL," which stands for manual/through-the-lens, where the flash takes metering information from the camera. You can also set the flash to fire at 1/16 or 1/4 power. These last two settings are very useful when you are using the flash as part of a multi-flash setup and need to balance the light against other flash units.
Lens Selector
Another setting on the back of the Vivitar 5600 allows you to tell the flash the focal length of the lens you are using. Four settings exist: "W" for wide angle lenses, specific settings for 35 mm and 50 mm lenses, and a fourth setting for telephoto lenses, which is identified with the letter "T." Using these settings will help the flash create the best light for the scene you're shooting.
Tags: Vivitar 5600, your digital camera, digital camera, flash head, your digital, bounce light, bounce light photography
