Bounce Swivel Speedlight DSLR Flash INSTRUCTION MANUAL VIV-DF-186
Limited One Year Warranty Vivitar warrants this quality product to be free of defects in material and workmanship for a period of one year from the date of purchase. During the period, Vivitar will repair or replace the product at no charge for parts or labor. TIME PERIOD OF THIS WARRANTY The time period of this warranty starts from the date of the original purchase and expires on the first anniversary date of purchase.
WHAT TO DO WHEN SERVICE IS NEEDED STEP 1. Package the product and relevant accessories carefully, using ample padding materials and a sturdy mailing container to prevent damage in transit. STEP 2. Include in package: a) Evidence of date and place of original purchase (for example, a copy of your sales receipt). b) Detailed description of your problem. c) When possible, a sample evidencing the problem. STEP 3. Return item (insured) to: (in the U.S.): (in the U.K.
Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of the Vivitar VIV-DF-186 flash unit. This electronic flash is innovatively designed for both digital cameras, with advanced technology used to control the correct amount of light output. Please kindly take a few minutes to read this instruction manual before using. Compatibility The VIV-DF-186 flash comes in three different varieties, each compatible with different cameras. Check to make sure the flash that you have is compatible with your camera.
Important Notes for Flash Photography and Maintenance 1. After each picture, wait for two seconds for the flash to fully recharge before taking the next shot, even when the ready light is on. This will help to prolong the lifespan of the flash tube. It will also allow you to attain the full charging capacity of the flash capacitor for precise flash photography. 2. For best results, keep your flash at least at about six feet away from the subject you are photographing. 3.
Important Notes for Flash Photography and Maintenance (cont.) 6. Always use a fresh set of 4 AA batteries of the same brand and type when old batteries are depleted. Mixing and matching batteries of different types or brands will greatly deteriorate the flash’s performance. 7. When the flash is not being used for extended period of time (>2 weeks), remove the batteries in order to prevent battery leakage.
Installing Batteries In order to power on your flash, you will first need to install batteries. To do so, first ensure that the ON/OFF switch is in the OFF position. Next, open the battery compartment, and insert 4 new AA batteries with the correct polarity (+,-) as indicated inside the battery compartment. Top View of Your Flash You can place the included diffuser over your flash in order to soften the light emitted. Slide open the battery compartment door to access the battery compartment.
Mounting the Flash Onto Your Camera Once batteries are inserted into your flash, you can proceed to mount it onto your camera. To do so, first ensure that the ON/OFF swtch is in the OFF position. Next, slide the flash’s hotshoe base onto the camera’s hot shoe then rotate the lock ring until it is fastened securely. Slide the ON/OFF Switch to the ON position. When the Ready Light illuminates, the flash is ready to fire. Pressing the Test Button will test fire the unit.
Auto Check Light The Green Auto Check Light (OK) located on the back of the flash is used to confirm that your subject is within the effective TTL range of the flash unit. If your subject is within the effective TTL flash range after shooting, the green Auto Check Light will illuminate for approximately 2 seconds. Power Saving Function In order to save battery life, your flash will automatically turn off if left idle for more than one minute.
PROGRAM TTL (P) / AUTO MODE This flash unit provides automatic Through-The-Lens (TTL) control of the flash exposure when used with dedicated digital cameras. When using this mode, the flash unit will automatically emit the flash output for a balanced illumination of the subject and background. The inbuilt AF infra-red assistance beam will turn on automatically to assist the camera to focus in low lighting conditions.
TTL AV, TV AND M MODES When this flash unit is used with your camera set to AV, TV or M modes, the flash exposure will be automatically controlled by the camera based on the combination of shutter speed and aperture value. *For TV mode, do not exceed the camera’s maximum flash synchronization speed. In AV mode, setting at a slow speed will usually result in blurry pictures caused by the shaking of one’s hand. In such situations, the use of tripod is recommended.
SECOND/REAR CURTAIN SYNCHRONIZATION This mode permits you to fire the flash just before your camera’s shutter closes during slow shutter speed shooting. This will create a trail of lighting that will be appear behind the main subject when a slow shutter speed is being used. *For more information on rear curtain synchronization settings, refer to your camera’s instruction manual.
RED EYE REDUCTION When red eye reduction is activated on the DSLR body, the flash unit will activate a series of preflashes before the main flash to reduce the possibility of red eye occurrence during shooting.
USING THE BOUNCE HEAD USING THE SWIVEL HEAD Various combinations of bounce angles can be used to cut off unwanted shadows or for special soft effect purposes. Once the flash is attached to your camera you can use the swivel head to aim the light in different directions, allowing you to get a variety of different effects.
SPECIFICATIONS FEATURES Guide Number: 30m/ 99ft Circuitry: IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) Automatic TTL Range: 15m / 50ft (F2.0) AF Illumination: 8m / 26ft Dedication: - For Canon (model VIV-DF-186-CAN): E-TTL/E-TTL II - For Nikon (model VIV-DF-186-NIK): iTTL - For Sony (model VIV-DF-186-SON): A-Mount Exposure check: Green Auto Check Light Color Temperature: 5600K Bounce Angle: Up 30-45-60-75-90 Swivel Position: left 45° / right 45° Flash Duration: 1/700 sec. (Full power) Recycling Time: 0.
