Questions about the Sony HVL-F28RM speedlight.

[Alejandro]

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.

Edited August 28, 2021 by Alejandro

[michelb]

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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Edited August 28, 2021 by michelb

[Alejandro]

 

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.

[Alejandro]

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.