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I have a Nikon D3200 and an old Yahica Branded Flash that came with an old Zenit ET. I searched for the instructions for using old flashes with new cameras and found out that excessive voltages could fry my (new digital) camera circuits.

Hence, I tried to look for the model of my Yashica branded flash, but couldn't find it. So I am not sure how much voltage it requires.

What I need to know is the voltage that this flash requires to fire up. If it is something that my Nikon D3200 could handle, I will use it, otherwise NO.

How can I determine the voltage when I don't have any metering device?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Without the flash in hand and a way to measure the voltage or the model ID there's no way to tell. Buy a voltmeter, maybe? A basic one will probably cost a lot less than a new flash. If you're really reluctant to do this, maybe it's just best to get a new Nikon SB or other digital-era speedlight you know is safe or buy a Wein SafeSync. \$\endgroup\$
    – inkista
    Dec 19, 2014 at 19:48

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This site may help answer your question conclusively: http://www.botzilla.com/photo/strobeVolts.html

...however, in my experience most hand flashes powered by AA batteries and using a single x-sync flash shoe (as opposed to multi-pin proprietary flash shoes) will be safe to use. I have used half a dozen random flashes from the 1970s and 1980s on my D700 and Canon 1Ds without any problems.

Disabling eTTL pre-flashes on your D3200 and getting the flash to sync correctly with your shutter is another question though.

Caveat: If you're unsure about frying your camera, don't risk it. The flash is worth $5 and the camera is worth $xxxx.

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