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Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras
- Price: $69.00
- Free Shipping (USA)
- In Stock
- B&H # VIDF286C
- Mfr# VIV-DF-286-CAN
Product Highlights
- Guide No.193' (59 m) ISO 100 @ 85mm
- Auto Focus / TTL Metering
- DSLR Auto Focus
- Automatic Shutter Speed Setting
- Focus Assist Beam for Low Light
- Runs on 4x AA Batteries
- Built-In Slave Function
- Recycle Time: 0.3-10 Sec.
Remember the Essentials
Batteries are required but not included with this item. Please be sure to purchase batteries for this item.
The Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras is a powerful dedicated shoe-mount flash with full TTL support for Canon cameras. It's got a guide number of 193' (59 m) ISO 100 @ 85mm setting. The flash head can bounce, swivel, and zoom. The zoom head can be set to bounce at 0°, 45°, 60°, 75° and 90°. It also swivels 270°. There's a focus-assist beam for working in low light, and a flash-ready indicator appears in the camera viewfinder. A built-in slave and red-eye reduction are also included. Recycle time is between 0.3 and 10.0 seconds. The DF-286 operates on 4x AA batteries.
- Guide number 193', ISO 100 @ 85mm
- Autofocus/TTL metering
- Automatic shutter speed setting
- Flash head has bounce settings for 0°, 45°, 60°, 75°, and 90°
- Built-in vari-power for convenient fill-flash and rapid sequence photography
- Red focus beam to assist in low light conditions
- Reflecting plate and wide-angle diffuser are included
- Red-eye reduction
- Flash readiness indication in viewfinder
| Mount | Shoe |
| Guide No. | 193.57' (59 m) ISO100 at 50 mm position |
| Angle of Coverage | 70° |
| TTL Dedication | Yes |
| Bounce Head | Yes, +0° to +90° |
| Swivel Head | Yes, 270° |
| Off Camera Terminal | PC |
| Recycle Time | Approximately 0.3 - 10 seconds |
| Power Source | 4x AA Alkaline Batteries |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 6.69 x 2.76 x 1.57" / 170 x 70 x 40 mm |
| Weight | 12.35 oz / 350 g Without batteries |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 18 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
69%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Easy to use (11)
- Consistent output (6)
- Fast recycling (6)
- Lightweight (5)
- Good power output (4)
Cons
- Slow recycling (5)
- Heavy (4)
Best Uses
- General purpose (11)
- Portraits (7)
- Fill flash (6)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Semi-pro photographer (8), Casual photographer (4), Photo enthusiast (4)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (16)
Most Liked Positive Review
Excellent flash for the price!
I got this flash for my backup camera, It worked great right out the box. It's a lot of flash for the price, even came with a bonus diffuser. It does give off ...Read complete review
I got this flash for my backup camera, It worked great right out the box. It's a lot of flash for the price, even came with a bonus diffuser. It does give off a pretty noticable whine, but overall, it's an excellent flash for the money.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Stopped working..
I used the product on 2 different occasions after purchasing and it worked great. I got it out a 3rd time to use it and it stopped working all together. The product would turn ...Read complete review
I used the product on 2 different occasions after purchasing and it worked great. I got it out a 3rd time to use it and it stopped working all together. The product would turn on but would not flash. I replaced the batteries about 4-5 times and cleaned the hotshoe and still nothing. I contacted Vivitar and they gave me some "troubleshooting" which was exactly what I had already did and still nothing. I contacted them again to have it replaced, because it was still under warranty. They informed me that I had to pay to send the product back to them and they would "check it out" to see if it was really faulty and then they would send me a new one. They refused to pay may shipping charges to send the product back. I will never again buy a Vivitar product :(
REVIEWS
Reviewed by 18 customers
Sort by
Displaying reviews 1-18
Pros
Cons
- Stops Working
Best Uses
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
I used the product on 2 different occasions after purchasing and it worked great. I got it out a 3rd time to use it and it stopped working all together. The product would turn on but would not flash. I replaced the batteries about 4-5 times and cleaned the hotshoe and still nothing. I contacted Vivitar and they gave me some "troubleshooting" which was exactly what I had already did and still nothing. I contacted them again to have it replaced, because it was still under warranty. They informed me that I had to pay to send the product back to them and they would "check it out" to see if it was really faulty and then they would send me a new one. They refused to pay may shipping charges to send the product back. I will never again buy a Vivitar product :(
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
Cons
- Slow Recycling
Best Uses
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
i wasn't wowed. I got what I paid for
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
Cons
- Heavy
- Slow Recycling
Best Uses
- General Use
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
For the price this is a great flash.
These are some of the issues I have found with it:
Goes through batteries very fast.
Battery compartment closure is flimsy and can break easily.
Twist lock always jams.
Does not reload fast enough for continuous shooting (really slow).
It has no auto shut off, so if you forget it on it will drain the batteries. (very easy to do).
Save your money and buy a better one.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
Cons
- Buttons Are Loose
- Cheap plastic
- Slow Recycling
- Weak Output
Best Uses
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
I don't use this flash daily. I'm just an amateur photographer who needed an extra flash for fill in light. It lasted about 4 months and then stopped working. Don't waste your money on this.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
This product was not good. It didn't even work when I put in the batteries and it also didn't have a dimmer control. You get what you pay for!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
Cons
- Bulky
- Weak Output
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
Bought this for a family wedding, performed well. Had an triggering issue but B&H took care of that for me.
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- Night Photography
- Portraits
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
It goes through batteries fast but that is to be expected. I works great with my Canon T2I
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
- Powerful Output
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Portraits
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
A great slave flash and a good backup flash to my 580ex II's.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Lightweight
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- General Use
- Portraits
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
Haven't used it yet. But I had a similar Vivitar flash in the era of film.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easy To Use
Cons
- Bulky
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Portraits
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
This is just what the description says it is. Nothing fancy, but great for beginner photographer.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Lightweight
- Powerful Output
Cons
- No Adjustments Off Camera
- Slow Recycling
Best Uses
- General Use
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
I bought this flash to use as a slave for when I wanted additional light, without the expense of a Canon flash. So far the flash seems to be pretty good, and works as expected. The one thing that this flash doesn't have that I wish it did, is a way to adjust the output of the flash, when it's not mounted on the camera. It seems that in order for me to use it as an off camera slave, it fires at 100% and there isn't a way to adjust this, other than to diffuse the flash with something.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
Cons
Best Uses
- Night Photography
- Photojournalism
- Portraits
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
Quick recycling of flash. Powerful flash that works extremely well.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
- Powerful Output
Cons
- Mount Is Plastic
- Poor instructions
Best Uses
- General Use
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
Bought this to go with a new Rebel T4i to shoot school sports and activities. So far the flash seems to do very well for shots up to 40 ft away. Actually was able to illuminate objects 150 ft away - dim but visible. Tried it with rechargable batteries and got 70 - 80 flashes before it seemed to slow down, so I was impressed. Seems to recharge rapidly enough = can't keep up with 5 fps, but did well in single shot mode. I was a little dissapointed in the lack of instructions, and what was in the manual was in very small print and hard to read without a magnifier. Mount seems secure enough, but I'm a little worried about the plastic shoe not holding up - time will tell. Overall it seems to be a good value for the price.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
Good product, best price! Small, rugged, handy and functional, so far working perfectly. I highly recommend it.
Pros
- Good price
Cons
- Heavy
- Slow Recycling
Best Uses
- General Use
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
I knew that Vivitar flashes had some problems but I had hoped it wouldn't happen to me. I didn't even get the chance to use it. Customer service at B&H was very helpful in helping me return it.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Powerful Output
Cons
- Noisy
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Portraits
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
I got this flash for my backup camera, It worked great right out the box. It's a lot of flash for the price, even came with a bonus diffuser. It does give off a pretty noticable whine, but overall, it's an excellent flash for the money.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Versatile
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Portraits
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
Very happy with this flash, worked great for what I needed, which was shooting inside a church and reception hall. Used it for almost 5 hours and battery's never died. Very happy with this purchase.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
Cons
Best Uses
- General Use
Comments about Vivitar DF-286 DSLR AF Flash for Canon Cameras:
For the price, this little gem works well in low light. I am starting a pet photography business and needed something to help light up indoor shots. This flash works well!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Displaying reviews 1-18
Batteries & Power
Show more >Required item:
- Price: $1.23
- Price: $14.50
Flash Diffusers
Show more >
- Price: $9.95
Softboxes
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- Price: $22.50
Bouncers
Show more >
- Price: $14.95
Reflectors
Show more >
- Price: $24.95
Flash Mounting
- Price: $7.95
Sync Cords & Flash Remotes
Show more >
- Price: $14.99
- Price: $14.50
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