Sunpak Flash Question

[dynachrome]

I enjoy using the Sunpak 411 flash and have a few of them. I recently saw a Sunpak 421 online. It looks exactly like a 411. I bought it and I am waiting for it to arrive. Is 421 the model number used in markets outside of the U.S.?

 

[AgX]

I am mad about electronic flashes... but so far I only came across 2 models in the wild here. The seem to have got only a small market share.

Seen the way Sunpak designated their flashes I guess that they are different indeed. For instance, the 411 got an optical switch for the auto-apertures, at the front, under the sensor. A more modern 420 model might have got instead an electrical switch at the rear.

 

[wiltw]

Butkus lists many different Sunpak flash units among the many user manuals available at his website. About 3 dozen different Sunpak products are listed. https://www.butkus.org/chinon/flashes_meters.htm
Terrific resource, and contributions for his web site maintenance are absolutely deserved!

 

[AgX]

But Butkus does not help in this case.


By the way, he does not react by any means on contributions by reporting/correcting errors on his site. And our forum is a great resource too.

 

[wiltw]

But Butkus does not help in this case.

Indeed, no information about a Sunpak 420. Found one on eBay, But precious little information about the existence of that model on the web even.

But I thought merely the variety of products listed on Butkus site could be informative. I did find that a power adapter 'for 420' revealed it used power adapter listing other models compatible with the power adapter (including 420) and the voltage range was standard 100-240V, somewhat indicative of it being a 'world market' product and not a limited geographic distribution product.

 

[AgX]

Yes, his archive is growing, so it makes sense to have a look around there.

In those days flashes most likely had same name, and just mains units with other cords or voltages were put into the package going to the respective importer.

 

[John Koehrer]

FWIW, I believe the site is now handled by his wife? sister? Anyway he has passed on to a better place. We hope.

 

[dynachrome]

The Sunpak 421 arrived today so my questions are answered. The 421 looks like a 411 and I believe it came before the 411. The differences are: the 421 does not accept a remote sensor, the 421 does not have variable power settings and perhaps most important, the 421 has no thyristor circuit. Flash duration will vary, on Auto, with subject distance but the recycle time will be the same regardless of subject distance. In that way it's a little old fashioned but batteries have improved since it was made. When was it made? The manual which came with the flash has a copyright date of 1978. I was still in college then and the flash I used was a Vivitar 292. My 421 seems to be in nice condition and I might use it with rechargeable AAs.

 

[mshchem]

FWIW, I believe the site is now handled by his wife? sister? Anyway he has passed on to a better place. We hope.

I didn't know he passed. His wife, I think, always sends me a nice thanks when I contribute, what an amazing resource, we are lucky.

 

[AgX]

Most important, the 421 has no thyristor circuit. Flash duration will vary, on Auto, with subject distance but the recycle time will be the same regardless of subject distance. In that way it's a little old fashioned...

Yes oldfashioned indeed, but one might assume that as designed for a budget they left out the Thyristor. I am not sure though that such actually meant a saving, but still leaving it out could have been a marketing idea to widen the gap to the 411.
Have you checked it got no Thyristor? I read you this way.