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Questions about the Sony HVL-F28RM speedlight.

Alejandro
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Alejandro Contributor

Alejandro

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I have bought a Sony a7 ii camera. Also, a speedlight’s ADP-MAA shoe adapter (from the shoes that Sony is using now to the older inverted shoe system), as I have a few of those older flashes. Among the ones I have are the Sony HVL-F43AM and the HVL-F58AM. They all wok fine, and I can perfectly use (mounted on the adapter) the HVL-F43AM as a controller of the HVL-F58AM (acting as slave).

I’m interested in buying a smaller and more portable speedlight, so I was looking at the HVL-F28RM. But I have some doubts.

In Sony’s web page where the HVL-F28RM is shown, it says (at least in the Spanish version of this page), that this flash can be used as a controller of other HVL-F28RM flashes. It doesn’t say that it can work as a controller of other Sony flashes (in general). If it would only work with other HVL-F28RM, it wouldn’t make much cense for me, but who knows.

My questions are: Does the Sony HVL-F28RM can act as a controller of other Sony and Sony compatible speedlights apart from HVL-F28RMs?
And (most important), if so, would it work as a controller of the HVL-F43AM and the HVL-F58AM?

Does anybody know?

I have tried to find googleing, if any article would deal with the subject and tried to find if anybody said anything about it on YouTube, with no luck.

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michelb Community Regular

michelb

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I don't yet have the HVL-F28RM ( the only Sony/Minolta flash i don't yet own) and before you get into WL with this unit, you need to know the following:

- After reviewing the online manual, it appears this unit will only work in the WL Radio protocol which is a totally different matter than the Optical WL that your HVL-F43AM and F58AM are designed for.

- From what i can understand from that manual, only flash units that have their model number ending with RM will work in WL with this unit and as a WL remote will only work with either the HVL-F45RM or 60RM unis or M units mounted of the the Sony Radio controllers FA-WRC1M and receivers FA-WRR1 which is not the case with your present units.

- As a controller on your body, the HVL-F32M would be just fine with your present units. Or HVL-F43M or HVL-F60M. HVL-F45RM and 60RM can also work but some fiddling in the custom menus of your actual units will be necessary.

- Should you go out and buy this unit, i have one worry in that the size of this flash is very small and its flash head is much closer to the lens axis which could end-up generating a lot of red eyes in the pictures of people and this is why i did not rush to get it (awaiting to find a less expensive used one to try) a bit like the flash shown on the left of the following pic (Meike 320s) that was so close to the lens axis that anything with eyes would get weird color/artefacts in the eyes.

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Alejandro Contributor

Alejandro

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Thank you michelb for all the information, really useful.

I wanted a smaller flash, but was not taking into account the red eyes issue. If I use a flash mounted on the camera, I usually bounce the light, though I already knew that the HVL-F28RM has limited rotation capabilities.

The HVL-F43AM is not that big, but I wanted something even smaller and lighter to carry around.

I think I might then go for a Godox Tt350 just to carry around and use as a simple flash on the camera (which light I will be able to bounce on any direction) and if wanting to shoot off camera (when not choosing to travel light-weighted), I can still use one of the Sony flashes I have as a controller (mounted on the shoe adapter) or the King wireless trigger (mounted on the adapter) and King receptors that I also have from before.

Thanks again.

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Alejandro Contributor

Alejandro

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On 8/28/2021 at 10:22 AM, michelb said:

As a controller on your body, the HVL-F32M would be just fine with your present units.

The Sony HVL-32M flash is not being sold in my country by Sony, but I found one (second hand) that is being sold through our local equivalent to e-bay. I read the specifications for this flash, and it would fulfil all my needs and expectations. I’ll try to buy it.
Thanks again.

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