Product ReviewsVivitar SF-4000 Shoe Mount Flash

TREMENDOUS VALUE FOR THE MONEY

I've worked with various flash units over the years, and found this to be more than adequate for indoor photos. I actually use a Nikon that has a built in pop up flash which is strong enough, but doesn't have a hot shoe to attach an additional flash. this unit works GREAT as a slave unit, and fired from any position I placed it in the room. Actually the combination of using both flashes at the same time actually was less intense than my main flash only; and tended to provide a more even light distribution to bring out details that could be washed out. I've been doing photography for over 60 years, and have found Vivitar to be an extremely reliable, dependable, and well priced brand. Newer flash units are VERY expensive, and honestly I haven't found all the extras worth the price. It's the person behind the camera that is most important. I highly recommend this unit to anyone on any level of photography.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: theimagingworld

Very cheaply made, you won't believe how cheap it is

First I would like to say the flash works as advertised. The only glitch I've had is it going off in bright sunlight randomly, since I don't use a flash on daylight this isn't an issue.

Build quality, I had to glue the hingr together right out of the box. It's held together with a couple stickers with metal brackets stuck to them. I feel as though this thing will fall apart at any moment. I do not believe this flash will not last more than a few months in my camera bag, let alone use. Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: vstarsales

This unit is great for starting photographers.

If you are looking for a budget flash to use then this flash could help you out till you get the money for that name brand flash unit.
This unit has no Through The Lens system for use with most DSLR that are on the market today, the build quality isn't the greatest as I have an older model vivitar flash from tho 80's and a side by side comparision shows the older model to be superior in fit and finish in construction.
In conclusion if you are new to photography and want to experiment with off the camera flashes this will work if you are looking for a flash that will work with your camera stick with the manufacturer brand of flash units.
Last but not least this unit would be great with a small point and shoot digital camera as their flashes are not that big.Read full review...

Light weight, perfect size, easy to use,very affordable, great for practice

Okay, so this is not the best flash kit in the world. but for the money? It is a well balanced product! If you are in unfamiliar with flash kits this is prob a great start because of its weight and fast recycle time. Awesome product for first time users. I'm a first time user with flash kits too and I've already had a lot of fun using it after a day. I recommend getting rechargeable alkaline batteries it will drain your batteries.Read full review...

So far so good

First off let me say this, I have not had a lot of chances to use it but the few times I have it has worked fine.
That aside I was some what leery of buying it after I had read a number of negative reviews on Amazon but I decided to take a chance on it. One of the reasons is the name (Vivitar) and the price.
Some of the negative reviews were complaints about the battery cover coming off or not holding the batteries in place preventing the flash not to function properly. I do not know what those reviewers are doing if they are tossing the flash into the Grand Canyon or what but I have had no problems with the battery cover.
The only thing I have done was to remove the rubber strip from the flash bracket but that is all I have done.
As for batteries I use duracell quantum batteries because they are the highest rated of all the AA batteries on the market.
The instructions leave a lot to be desired but if this 63 year old crazy cat lady can figure it out then anyone should be able to.
I am planning to buy a flash diffuser for it and then I am going to buy some colored sheets of cellophane so I can have different colored flash diffusers, I love to experimentwith different lighting and flash colors.
The one other thing I am going to buy for the flash is a 6 foot flash cord which will give me more freedom to move it around.
The bottom line for me is this, for the money this flash seems to be a very good deal and so far I am happy with it.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: digitalgoja

Cheaply made junk that people should know better NOT to sell. Disappointed!

I bought this product intending to learn more about using an attachable hotshoe flash. As soon and I removed it from the packaging, immediately noticing how cheap it felt. I knew this thing, for lack of a better term, was a piece of crap. The extender would stick, not extend straight, it would catch and then when it was fully extended, it was crooked. I put it in my camera and it didn't even work, (and I made sure it was the right type of flash for my camera with batteries in the flash). The plastic was cheap and thin like paper. Overall it was just very low quality, made-in-China junk. This is why I typically buy things from the US because they are better quality.Read full review...

Three are great, one is not

One of the flashes has a hard time reacting to other flashes, as a slave flash. I ordered four; three are perfectly responsive, one is not.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: buydig

Just what I was looking for

I'm just getting into photography as a hobby. I was looking for an inexpensive flash and this looked like a good starter. So far it does everything I wanted it to. Cycle time is really fast like a couple of seconds.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: vcc113

Great product to own and a really good price tag also.

I purchased the Vivitar SF-4000 for extra light as a slave flash and I have tested it with my Nikon Coolpix S9100 point and shoot camera and it works well, once you get the proper settings. There's nothing that I dis-like about the Vivitar SF-4000. It lights up the subject very well and using it as a slave flash you can place it pretty much where you want the extra light on subject, also it helps with shadows on subject. Yes I would buy it again.Read full review...

Flash postion ratchet broke in 30 minutes use.

Took great shots but after 30 minutes use, the ratchet that holds the flash head up or at a angle broke and it just flops around making bounce flash useless. A half hour useage was not worth the purchase price. I have been shooting a long time and wanted a smaller lighter flash for close shots and now will have to use the big one again and this new flash is pointless now.Read full review...