Sunpak PZ42X Power Zoom Flashgun for Sony Alpha Minolta ADI PTTL Flash - Answered Questions & Fixed issues

You can download the manual from the manufacturer's web site at
http://www.sunpak.jp/english/support/download/pdf/pz42x_eng.pdf

This is the web site http://www.sunpak.jp/english/ it has support, PDF manual downloads and contact information. I would suggest contacting them and finding where the repair/warranty depot is closest to your location. I would think that if you still have the bill of sale that's is all you need.
Best of luck with it. In closing in all the Sunpak flash units I've used for both film and digital only one gave problems and only after it was dropped from the umbrella mount.

http://www.sunpak.jp/english/support/download/pdf/pz42x_eng.pdf

Hey there, I had one a couple of months back, but unfortunately I got rid of it since I no longer use it. But, you can certainly buy one online. Check out Amazon or Newegg. Good luck!

When it is not triggering either Tube is dead or Trigger circuit has a problem. You can get junk flash from Ebay.

This should be covered in the manual - it is probably an error message of some description.

Sevice.

Look on Ebay

Have you tried other flashguns ? Does this unit work on test ?

I think you would need to send it for repair but be aware of the cost of repair as apposed to a new unit.

Yes you can. All you need is a small inexpensive slave unit.

I found this for a Sunpak flash which is similar to the G4500dx: Reading from the "auto555/G4500DX" Manual, you need to: 1. Slide the Film Selector to desired ISO - (that is the same as your camera ISO used - so, make sure you turn Off the Auto ISO feature if your camera has one). 2. Slide the Mode Selector to "A" (Auto position). This will be Auto Thyristor mode on the flash. 3. Slide the Auto F/stop Selecct Know to desired lens openning - ( so use your camera in Aperture priority mode, more in Manual to prevent changes in the camera aperture value during shooting) Shoot, and be happy with well exposed pictures by the Auto Thyristor features of the Sunpak 555 flash. The Sunpak 555 works great with Nikon D50, D70 cameras, as you can synchrinize flash practically at all shutter speeds. Excellent for sunny days to get narrow DOF, yet get any ambient light level contribution as desired. For other cameras, make sure (watch out for) that Aperture Priority mode does not use shutter faster than the camera max X-sync speed - so Manual camera mode could be a better choice for a novice photographer. In the manual there is also a list of accessories for various brand cameras, How to use Power Ratio in Manual mode, some advice on using wide lenses, how to care of your 555, and Specification section. Minimal flash duration is 1/450 at full power, so you can safely use Auto Aperture up to 1/500 sec. Flash duration decreases with lower power setting, or lower auto mode need for poser, and the shortest flash duration is 1/17000th sec.

These are not that expensive to buy, the problem is that the parts and service are more than a new one. In any case they use high voltage and you have to use special tools to measure and service the flash circuit. IT might be the flash tube is bad, the trigger circuit is bad, the capacitor is bad etc.

My sunpak digiflash 3000 will not flash at all even when pushing test button. It warms up, ready light comes on but no flash.

Sunpak uses different power sources on their high-power handle mount (a.k.a. hammerhead) flash guns. The most common is the battery basket that holds 4 or 6 AA or C batteries depending on the type of the unit. One can insert Nickel-Cadmium or Nickel-Metal-Hydride rechargeable batteries instead of the primary cells, this way reducing the "consumables" costs at the expense of the smaller number of flashes per battery set. (Actually, NiCd or NiMH cells would probably give smaller number of flashes compared with the alkaline cells, but the recycle time between the flashes can be shorter. The reason is that at charging the flash capacitor inside the flash current counts more than voltage. Sunpak sells Ni-Cd battery packs named CL-2 for their flashes that utilize 6 AA-cells, and CL-3 for their 622 series (4 C-cells). The charger for these is the QBC-5. It recharges the exhausted batteries in 3 hours. As a solution assuring the shortest duration between flashes Sunpak offered the Powerpak, a shoulder holster that held a dry (non-rechargeable) battery of 510V, it charged the flash capacitor directly, omitting the transistor inverter in the flash body. As such battery became obsolete, the Poverpak has been superseded with the NC510 and later the TR-II PAK, which utilizes 10 Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries as a power source, and a powerful (more capable than the one in the flash) transistor inverter. NC510 and TR-II PAK use the same connection to the flash and the same outlook as the original Powerpak but, being rechargeable, are more economical. QBC-5 also serves a charger for the NC510 and TR-II PAK. You may ask, how the same charger can be used for 4, 6 and 10 cell NiCd packs. Well, the charger is specially designed for that, although charging time differs at the different battery packs. The NC510 and the TR-II PAK needs 10 hours to be recharged, when exhausted. The best way to avoid damages (overcharging degrades NiCd and NiMH cells) is to check temperature of the batteries. Charging must be cut off if the battery becomes hotter than 45 ?C (115 ?F). If after 10 hours of charge the NC510 does not power (the otherwise working) flash, then it must be serviced. Replacing the batteries is an easy job that can be done at home, with some soldering skills; NiMH cells with solder tabs are available at many web-based supplyers. Don't solder the cells directly, heat damages them. Avoid touching parts inside, when the pack is turned on: electrocuting is fully possible. Better find a professional, if you are not familiar with the electronics.

Hi, Sunpak uses different power sources on their high-power handle mount (a.k.a. hammerhead) flash guns. The most common is the battery basket that holds 4 or 6 AA or C batteries depending on the type of the unit. One can insert Nickel-Cadmium or Nickel-Metal-Hydride rechargeable batteries instead of the primary cells, this way reducing the "consumables" costs at the expense of the smaller number of flashes per battery set. (Actually, NiCd or NiMH cells would probably give smaller number of flashes compared with the alkaline cells, but the recycle time between the flashes can be shorter. The reason is that at charging the flash capacitor inside the flash current counts more than voltage. Sunpak sells Ni-Cd battery packs named CL-2 for their flashes that utilize 6 AA-cells, and CL-3 for their 622 series (4 C-cells). The charger for these is the QBC-5. It recharges the exhausted batteries in 3 hours. As a solution assuring the shortest duration between flashes Sunpak offered the Powerpak, a shoulder holster that held a dry (non-rechargeable) battery of 510V, it charged the flash capacitor directly, omitting the transistor inverter in the flash body. As such battery became obsolete, the Poverpak has been superseded with the NC510 and later the TR-II PAK, which utilizes 10 Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries as a power source, and a powerful (more capable than the one in the flash) transistor inverter. NC510 and TR-II PAK use the same connection to the flash and the same outlook as the original Powerpak but, being rechargeable, are more economical. QBC-5 also serves a charger for the NC510 and TR-II PAK. You may ask, how the same charger can be used for 4, 6 and 10 cell NiCd packs. Well, the charger is specially designed for that, although charging time differs at the different battery packs. The NC510 and the TR-II PAK needs 10 hours to be recharged, when exhausted. The best way to avoid damages (overcharging degrades NiCd and NiMH cells) is to check temperature of the batteries. Charging must be cut off if the battery becomes hotter than 45 ?C (115 ?F). If after 10 hours of charge the NC510 does not power (the otherwise working) flash, then it must be serviced. Replacing the batteries is an easy job that can be done at home, with some soldering skills; NiMH cells with solder tabs are available at many web-based supplyers. Don't solder the cells directly, heat damages them. Avoid touching parts inside, when the pack is turned on: electrocuting is fully possible. Better find a professional, if you are not familiar with the electronics.

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I wonder if a little sand got into the threads... If you simply cannot get it to loosen, have someone try CAREFULLY with a pair of ChanNelLock (brand name) or other brand "water pump pliers", Dorothy. Ordinary slipjoint pliers (the kind that look like two little opposing thumbs) are generally useless for things like this, but parallel-jaw pliers ("water pump pliers") might be able to get in to that little plastic thumbwheel to loosen it far enough to remove. Really - GENTLY is the keyword here. If they grip the thumbwheel too tightly, it'll distort the plastic and the thumbwheel will never feel the same again. Once the flash is off the camera, use some aerosol cleaner spray to clean the threads while you work that thumbwheel back & forth. Don't use anything with any lubricant in it, but Freon or plain-air "spray" works well. Whatever you use, it MUST evaporate COMPLETELY and not attack plastic.

Yes, though you won't get all the features you would with a Nikon flash unit.

Most Sunpak flashes use a standard PC sync cord (in this context, PC has nothing to do with Personal Computers). These cords should be available in a variety of lengths at any well-stocked camera store. If there are no such stores in your neighborhood, two possible online sources are http://www.adorama.com/searchsite/default.aspx?searchinfo=pc-sync+cord+sunpak and http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=pc-sync+cord+sunpak&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=