Flash Equipment

[jason_strat]

<p>I am just starting out taking portraits inside and out. i have done what i could with the pop up flash and making due with alternative lighting sources but have finally decided i cannot stand it and if i want to jump to the next level, to get 1-2 flashes. any suggestions for inexpensive flashes that i can use 1 mounted on the camera, one off. i was considering the hvl-f42 and one of the off brands. any opinions? I currently use an Alpha 350 dslr</p>

[gregory_king1]

<p>There isn't an easy way to do what you want. The 42 is decent, but won't control another flash off camera easily. It won't be metered...everything will be manual, and you will have to deal with pre-flash triggering and other issues. </p>

<p>Only the on-board flash can control other flashes with automatic metering, so perhaps you could put one flash CLOSE to the camera.</p>

<p>You could look at the Metz flashes, which have a front fill flash which is great for indoors. The MZ models will also control other MZ flashes off-camera, but you have to buy the correct modules for both flashes. The dedicated AF flashes are cheaper, but have no wireless controller capability.</p>

[isaac_leung]

<p>Your arrangements will depend on what you want to do with your flashes, and what wireless system you want to use.<br>

If you want to use Sony's wireless system, both your flashes need to be Sony's units, and off your camera, since with the A350 only the onboard flash will provide the wireless signals required. Fitting a HVL-F42AM (or even an F58AM) to the hotshoe on the camera will only allow you to use that flash, and not fire the other Sony flash.<br>

However, I have found the Sony system to be less than reliable in certain situations.<br>

Another option is to use the HVL-F42, and like you said, have the other one being some other brand (I actually recommend something like the cheap YongNuo YN460-II units from ebay). This is advantageous as in you can start to grow your Sony flash configuration in case you want to adopt the Sony wireless system in a large way some time down the track.<br>

In this case, I suggest using the HVL-F42 on your camera and setting the other flash as an optical slave (check the feature list on the flash before you buy -- not all flashes have this mode). The HVL-F42 will then trigger the other flash when it goes off, and you can rotate it depending whether you want light falling on the subject from your camera.<br>

Advantages:<br>

- No need for additional equipment other than your flashes<br>

- Flexible to a degree<br>

Disadvantages:<br>

- In many cases you might be looking at one effective flash lighting your subject only if like me, you prefer to not have visible flash coming from the camera. <br>

- Line of sight considerations still need to be made with optical slave mode.<br>

The third option is to go with radio triggering. Current generation ebay radio triggers (PT-04 V2S: the more compact type, not the long type) are generally reliable and well-built, in addition to being reasonably priced.<br>

You will need a hotshoe adapter to get the transmitter working on your Alpha, but once that's done, you can then fit the receivers with normal cheap flashes which have the standard ISO feet (if you wish to use Sony flashes on them you will need additional hotshoe adapters).<br>

This configuration could well be the cheapest way of getting a two-light wireless flash working on the Alpha system:<br>

- 1 x hotshoe adapter for the camera<br>

- 1 x wireless transmitter fitted onto the adapter on the camera<br>

- 2 x wireless receivers<br>

- 2 x cheap YongNuo flashes set to manual mode, mounted on the receivers<br>

If you want, you can even use one of the YongNuo flashes on the camera (because of the hotshoe adapter), and set the other to optical mode like mentioned above.<br>

Caveats:<br>

- 1/160 sync times only -- no HSS support<br>

- Not Sony flashes: adapter needed to use them on the camera, or need to get an additional Sony flash if you want a flash on your camera.</p>

[parv]

For some of flash choices, see ...

 

- Metz vs. Sony flashes, http://photo.net/sony-minolta-slr-system-forum/00UwgH ;

 

- Good "value" flash for A200? http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/good-value-flash-for-a200_topic65160.html .

 

... I personally favor a flash with manual power & zoom controls with the ability to tilt|rotate the head up & down, right & left.

 

For a general overview of wireless flash firing, see ...

 

- Need to fire 2 Sonys wirelessly, help please? http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/need-to-fire-2-sonys-wirelessly-help-please_topic64807.html ;

 

.. and for adapter-less flash firing with radio triggers (while losing TTL, thus using flash in manual mode, in most cases) ...

 

- PT-04 apparently also comes with iISO shoes on both receiver & transmitter (search EBay|Google); CTR-301P certainly does, but then I keep finding that some people needed to modify it;

 

- Pixel Pawn Soldier TF-373 for Sony (TTL version), http://www.flickr.com/groups/sony_alpha/discuss/72157624682749500/ ;

 

- Photos of Pixel TF-363 Flash Trigger (non-TTL version), http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/topic63451&OB=ASC.html .

[jason_strat]

<p>you were all a great help. i have to do some more research to determine how i want to do this now... any other ideas, i am all ears!! <br>

i was considering rushing out to get a flash because of a outdoor shoot i am doing to help balance out the sunlight if it were to be too sunny. </p>

[jason_strat]

<p>i just looked up some YongNuo's for sale and they state that they work with all camera's except the Sony. would this just be for being attached? or are we talking even using the wireless?</p>

[isaac_leung]

<p>Well if you are using simple radio triggered wireless, the type of flash used at the other end doesn't really matter since they are just triggered (no HSS/TTL considerations here, so manual power adjustments).<br>

So yes, YongNuos don't directly work with Sony cameras if you want to attach them (you need a hotshoe adapter), but with radio triggers, a non-issue. The advantage of having at least one Sony flash is that you can just quickly snap it on if you want a flash on your camera sometimes.</p>

[parv]

"Pixel Pawn Soldier TF-373 for Sony (TTL version) ..." -- parv.

 

Correction: Above listed transmitter (& receiver) does NOT support TTL. Try Pixel King instead.