Sunpak 622 Pro With Nikon D300 (or similar)

GPStu · June 9, 2009

I recently acquired a Sunpak 622 Pro with a box of goodies for my film cameras. With its power, I am curious if I can use it with my D300. I have purchased a flash voltage protector, and I can fool around with it and get a decent exposure, setting the camera on manual albeit after a lot of trial and error with the power setting etc.

I would appreciate it if anyone can share some experience in using one of these older flashes with Nikon digital slrs. I would even be happy using 622 successfully as a slave, though I love the power of the thing as a primary.

Thanks - Stu

ziggy53 · June 9, 2009

GPStu wrote:

I recently acquired a Sunpak 622 Pro with a box of goodies for my film cameras. With its power, I am curious if I can use it with my D300. I have purchased a flash voltage protector, and I can fool around with it and get a decent exposure, setting the camera on manual albeit after a lot of trial and error with the power setting etc.

I would appreciate it if anyone can share some experience in using one of these older flashes with Nikon digital slrs. I would even be happy using 622 successfully as a slave, though I love the power of the thing as a primary.

Thanks - Stu

Stu, welcome to the Digital Grin.

I use even older Sunpak 611 flashes with modern dSLRs and they work fine (although I definitely have to use voltage protection because those flashes have a trigger voltage of around 400v, if I remember correctly.)

The 622 is a fine flash and you can get TTL modules for many camera models. I do believe they work well as an "auto" flash but sometimes you have to be able to "read" the scene as an auto flash can be confused by dark backgrounds and reflective backgrounds.

As a manual flash these are pretty powerful, accurate and repeatable. Once you learn how to use the flash's guide number and distance, it is actually more accurate than the most modern TTL program flashes on the market.

The 622 Super flashes are also tilt and swivel heads and that makes them more versatile than the 611 models. Do you know if you got the 622 Auto or the 622 Super?

Enjoy and let us know how you get along with the Sunpak 622.

2tovert · September 30, 2009

D300 w/ Sunpak 622 Super
I saw your responce to a question and perhaps you can suggest a solution to my problem. I also am using a Sunpak 622 Super w/ NE-2D "hot shoe" module on Nikon D300. When the Sunpak is attached to the Nikon, the Nikon does not trigger an exposure, nor flash output. Also, the LED/info window on the Nikon does not show exposure info when attached to flash. I've tried about everything possible but no flash/exposure. Flash works perfectly on non-digital Nikons.

Any suggestions. Thanks.

Thanks

DD

ziggy53 wrote:

Stu, welcome to the Digital Grin.

I use even older Sunpak 611 flashes with modern dSLRs and they work fine (although I definitely have to use voltage protection because those flashes have a trigger voltage of around 400v, if I remember correctly.)

The 622 is a fine flash and you can get TTL modules for many camera models. I do believe they work well as an "auto" flash but sometimes you have to be able to "read" the scene as an auto flash can be confused by dark backgrounds and reflective backgrounds.

As a manual flash these are pretty powerful, accurate and repeatable. Once you learn how to use the flash's guide number and distance, it is actually more accurate than the most modern TTL program flashes on the market.

The 622 Super flashes are also tilt and swivel heads and that makes them more versatile than the 611 models. Do you know if you got the 622 Auto or the 622 Super?

Enjoy and let us know how you get along with the Sunpak 622.

ziggy53 · September 30, 2009

2tovert wrote:

I saw your responce to a question and perhaps you can suggest a solution to my problem. I also am using a Sunpak 622 Super w/ NE-2D "hot shoe" module on Nikon D300. When the Sunpak is attached to the Nikon, the Nikon does not trigger an exposure, nor flash output. Also, the LED/info window on the Nikon does not show exposure info when attached to flash. I've tried about everything possible but no flash/exposure. Flash works perfectly on non-digital Nikons.

Any suggestions. Thanks.

Thanks

DD

2tovert, welcome to the Digital Grin.

There are 3 different modules for that flash and Nikon cameras and I suspect you need a different module for the Nikon D300 digital camera.

I suggest you call B&H and they can help you sort out which module is correct for the D300. (I think it may be their model "SUDMNAF" but they should know.) There is also a standard module that should work with any hot shoe camera but will not integrate.

B&H phone numbers:

800.952.1815 / 212.444.6708

Chiriqui Charlie · October 7, 2009

If you put a piece of electrical take over all except the center contact pin, it will work fine.

2tovert wrote:

I saw your responce to a question and perhaps you can suggest a solution to my problem. I also am using a Sunpak 622 Super w/ NE-2D "hot shoe" module on Nikon D300. When the Sunpak is attached to the Nikon, the Nikon does not trigger an exposure, nor flash output. Also, the LED/info window on the Nikon does not show exposure info when attached to flash. I've tried about everything possible but no flash/exposure. Flash works perfectly on non-digital Nikons.

Any suggestions. Thanks.

Thanks

DD

4flashman · July 1, 2013

I am also trying to adapt a 622 to a D300. What exactly is a flash voltage protector? Because of the power required for the 622 I adapted a 6 volt gel cell battery about the size of 2 packs of cigarets and made connection wires out of music microphone connecters. A small 6 volt motorcycle battery charger would charge up the battery in a few minutes and I could shoot all day. I attached the 622 to a mono pod and used it for high speed racing shots.

4flashman · July 1, 2013

Here are images of the equipment. The 622 was in the place of the wooden handle on this picture.

ziggy53 · July 1, 2013

4flashman wrote: »

... What exactly is a flash voltage protector? ...

Some older electronic flash units have a high trigger voltage, potentially capable of damaging modern digital cameras with electronic flash control.

http://www.botzilla.com/photo/strobeVolts.html

From the above table, it looks like the Sunpak 622 flashes are not terrible in this regard, but you still might want to be safe. To provide voltage isolation from the flash I use, and I recommend, Wein Safe Sync products:

http://www.adorama.com/searchsite/default.aspx?searchinfo=wein+safe+sync

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=wein+safe+sync&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=

Sunpak 622 Pro With Nikon D300 (or similar)

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