2026-04-21 Starblitz 2800-DFM Flash

Minolta made four electronic flash for the just introduced autofocus Maxxum cameras (the 5000, 7000 and 9000 in order of complexity). The flash were called the Macro flash 1200AF, the Maxxum flash 1800F, 2800F and the 4000F. Around the same time Nikon introduced an autofocus camera designated the Nikon F-501. Both the Maxxum three models and the single Nikon camera evidentially shared—

requiring a focus illuminator in dim conditions (both infrared)
specific dedicated contacts for setting the cameras up for coupling with flash

Manufacturer’s flash tended to be expensive. So Vivitar used Starblitz—a registered brand name of their’s—and the designation 2800-DFM for their Maxxum dedicated flash and 2800-DFNi for the Nikon version. Both versions were made by Fuji Koeki Corporation in Tokyo, Japan.

Then Starblitz made an instruction book shared by both versions—the Maxxum and Nikon cameras.

Needless to say this makes a slightly different instruction book. Since I had just collected the Maxxum camera and it came with this Starblitz flash I decided to try to just give you the Maxxum oriented instructions. This turned out to be a bit of a mistake. There were times the Nikon instructions were intermarried with the Maxxum instructions. Then there was at least one time the Starblitz instructions referred to the Maxxum camera’s instructions. Anyway, hopefully you will enjoy seeing how flash and camera could work together.

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