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On Camera Flash Recommendation for Sony A7?

jaree

Member
Would appreciate any pointers for on-camera flash for the A7. To be used for portraits / fill-flash in sunlight. Metz, Sony, Yonghuo or some other brand?

-- R
 
Phottix Mitros+ looks good if you plan on a wireless setup down the road. fotografz hopefully will see this thread.
 

ZoranC

New member
Can you do HSS? Looks like a great price.
From what I know you can do HSS with it and Canon/Nikon but I don't know about Sony, I haven't tried, using ND filter instead. If you shoot CheetahStand an e-mail they should be able to tell you.
 

douglaspboyd

New member
Metz 20 C-2

I recommend the Metz 20 C-2 which is an inexpensive compact flash that uses the Auto-Thyristor exposure mode, not TTL. Therefore, the shutter lag is about 150 msec shorter than when Sony TTL flashes are used. I find shutter lag a huge problem with my A7r and using an auto flash solves part of this problem. With Sony TTL expect a lot of closed eyes and "sleepy" eyes, and expect to miss the peak action.
--Doug
 

fotografz

Well-known member
"On-camera" is the issue. All compatible speed-lights are way to big for this camera.

With the introduction of the A99, Sony abandoned the proprietary hot-shoe inherited from Minolta … so to use any speed-light or radio system that fit the previous cameras, you have to use an adapter. Sony provided one with the A99, but not with the A7/A7R. To avoid that, I had to buy a HVL-F60 for the A99

These adapters are a weak point between the camera and flash, and on the A7/A7R I'd say it's even weaker because of the top heavy nature of the flash to camera.

It isn't easy finding a small but powerful speed-light with swivel/bounce that could be used set to A or manual.

I'm currently using the older HVL F20M on my A7R for a puff of outdoor fill, but it is hardly a capable solution for much more, is difficult to modify, and requires the adapter.

Sony needs to address this in a swift manner IMO. Small, powerful and fully articulated … just like the camera.:clap:

For me it cripples the system for paid work.


- marc
 

douglaspboyd

New member
"On-camera"
It isn't easy finding a small but powerful speed-light with swivel/bounce that could be used set to A or manual.

- marc
Marc,
See my comment above about Metz 20 C-2 which is small, powerful, with swivel/bounce, A-mode, and manual. The only thing missing is HSS.
==Doug
 

fotografz

Well-known member
This is GREAT news!

This i40 flash sounds perfect. It is half the weight and @ 85mm tall, under 2/3rds the height of the Sony 43.

What is especially impressive are the analog dial controls for functions, manual settings and TTL +/- compensation … Brilliant!

Metal hotshoe design … excellent!

Hope the Sony hotshoe is the newer one.

If it is … this is the answer I'm looking for … unless Sony wakes up and introduces one for their little cameras.

- Marc
 
From what I know you can do HSS with it and Canon/Nikon but I don't know about Sony, I haven't tried, using ND filter instead. If you shoot CheetahStand an e-mail they should be able to tell you.
Sent them a tweet no response, can you test hss please?

It looks like pixel kings will do hss wireless.
 

ZoranC

New member
Sent them a tweet no response, can you test hss please?
I don't know how good they are with tweets but I know they are very good answering phone calls and e-mails, maybe you should try first calling them.

Unfortunately right now I am not in position to do testing.
 
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