Versatile auto/manual flash unit with bounce, swivel and zoom head, suitable for cameras with a hot shoe (and dedicated on many Minolta manual focus film cameras)

• Tilt & swivel for bounce
• Wide-to-tele zoom flash
• Guide number 18-24m
• 2 auto, manual modes
• Comprehensive scales
• For hot shoe cameras
• Suitable or many digital
• Dedicated for Minolta
  MC, MD manual focus
• Safe trigger voltage
• Includes AA batteries

This versatile electronic flash unit has a bounce, swivel and zoom head, with auto or manual operation. It has a low, safe trigger voltage so it's usable on many digital cameras with a standard (non-dedicated) hot shoe such as popular Fujifilm and Panasonic models - see the Compatibility section below. It also provides simple dedicated operation on many Minolta and Leica 35mm cameras - see below. The flash is in good condition and comes with a copy of the instructions, plus Alkaline batteries.

The bounce head tilts up to 90 degrees and swivels over 300 degrees for bounce flash in vertical (portrait) or horizontal (landscape) orientations. Bounce flash gives much softer, more natural lighting than direct flash. The zoom flash head adjusts for wide angle (35mm), normal (50mm) and telephoto (85mm and longer) lenses or the equivalent on other formats, giving wider coverage or greater range as appropriate. Wider lenses can be used with bounce flash.

Guide numbers are around 24m (80ft) at the tele setting, 21m (70 feet) at standard, and 18m (60 feet) at wide angle. This gives a theoretical maximum range of around 12m (40 feet) with ISO 100 and 50mm f/1.7 lens, or 17m (55 feet) with a 135mm f/2.8 lens and ISO 400. As with all flashguns, actual range will depend on the conditions. Two auto exposure modes are available, giving ranges of up to 12.2m (40 feet) at f/2, or 6.1m (20 feet) at f/4 with ISO 100 film, at the telephoto setting. Full power manual option provided.

A comprehensive control panel on the top of the flash provides distances from 1 to 15m (3 to 50 feet), apertures from f/1.4 to f/16 and film speeds from ISO 25 to 1000. Ready light, plus auto check light confirms correct exposure after the shot has been taken. Accepts 4x standard disposable alkaline AA batteries (supplied), and the battery compartment cover is captive so it can't easily be lost. This independent Centon FG30D ML flashgun is nicely made, around 140mm (5.5 inches) tall and weighs only around 210g (7.9oz) without batteries.

A nice little flash unit for many digital camera users!

Condition: Excellent++ (8/10), locking ring missing
The flash is in fully working order and good condition. It charges and fires correctly, and dedicated features have been checked on suitable cameras. Cosmetically it shows just the usual signs of use including some surface scratches and scrapes here and there in the plastic finish. The original locking ring is missing from the hot shoe, but it fits well and isn't too loose without it. The battery contacts are clean with no sign of corrosion, and the instructions are a copy but complete and legible.

No cracks or splits, and overall it's in good shape!
Pictures in this listing show the actual item offered for sale.

Includes copy of instructions, plus Alkaline batteries

Compatibility
This flash is suitable for many digital cameras with a standard (single pin) hot shoe such as that shown in the picture above, and a lens from 35mm (equivalent) upwards. Suitable models include the Fujifilm S20 Pro, S7000, S602, S602 Pro, 4900Z, 6900Z, DS-300 and DS-330, Panasonic DMC-FZ10, FZ20, FZ30 and DMC-LC5. Leica Digilux 1, Pentax EI-2000 (HP PhotoSmart C912), Ricoh GX8, GX100 and GX200, Casio EXILIM Pro EX-F1, Epson RD-1, RD-1s, 3000Z and 3100Z plus many others. The flash will not provide sufficient coverage for cameras with 28mm or 24mm zoom lenses such as the Fujifilm S9000, S9100, S9500, S9600, S100FS, S200EXR and HS10 at the wider settings, unless you use bounce flash.

NOTE: Many older flashguns have high trigger voltages - sometimes hundreds of volts - which can theoretically damage modern electronic cameras. We've tested this flash and it has a low trigger voltage of around 5.7v, which is well within the ISO 10330 standard of 24v, and even the most voltage-intolerant cameras specify up to 6v. If in doubt, check with your camera manufacturer for the safe voltage for your equipment.

This flash will provide simple dedicated features on many Minolta and Leica manual focus SLR cameras, as follows:

Dedicated automatic setting of shutter speed in appropriate modes, with flash ready signal in the viewfinder on the XG-1, XG-2, XG-7, XG-9, XG-A, XG-M, X-300 (X-370), X-300s (X-370N), X-500 (X-570), X-600, X-700, X-7A, X-9 and other XG and X models, the XD, XD-5, XD-7 and XD-11 and the CLE rangefinder camera, the 110 Zoom SLR Mark II, plus the Centon DF-300 and some recent Soligor and Seagull Minolta-mount cameras, which are clones of the Minolta X models. Works on the very early Minolta 5000 AF, 7000AF and 9000AF, but not the later 5000i, 7000i or any other Dynax or Maxxum models. Not suitable for program or TTL flash modes. Also usable on older Minolta SLR and compact cameras with a hot shoe, with auto or manual operation, and manual setting of shutter speeds and apertures. Any flash should be switched off and discharged before fitting to the CLE.

Dedicated automatic setting of shutter speed in appropriate modes, with flash ready signal in the viewfinder on the Leica R4, R4MOT, R4s, RE, R5 and R7. Viewfinder flash ready indication on the R6, R6.2 though the shutter speed is set manually, as these are mechanical cameras. Can be used on non-dedicated SLRs (such as the SL2, SL2MOT, R3 and R3MOT) plus other cameras with a hot shoe fitting, in auto or manual flash modes with shutter speed and aperture set manually. NOT suitable for the Leica R8 or R9, which use a slightly different dedicated flash system.

This flash is NOT suitable for Minolta Dynax/Maxxum AF, Vectis, Dimage or Konica Minolta/Sony digital cameras with the new type of flash shoe, though an adapter was available (not included) for use with some of these models. Not recommended for other makes of camera with dedicated hot shoe connections.