Advice on flash

[k12pfc]

Confused as to the best flash for the Sony A7, what do you use? There doesn't seen to be a huge choice so I'm looking at a nissin Di700, any thoughts?

[Guest Peter Kelly]

The Di700 is very good and can be used for off-camera flash with the 'Air commander'.

 

However, for a lighter, simpler, and more balanced flash on the A7, I can't recommend too highly the Nissin i40. It can't be used off-camera without third party triggers (and won't do HSS/TTL in that case), but it really does work very well and suits the size of the A7 perfectly. If you do go for the Di700 I would certainly get the Air commander kit, as it isn't much more expensive than the flash on its own and gives you the flexibility, which can be expanded with more flashes later.

 

The bottom line is that both Nissin units are much better value than anything from Sony, even though the Sony are very capable and well made.

[oneand0]

I recently bought a Di700 kit and had to return it through B&H for not firing after a few shots. The second unit they shipped to me works very well, with no flaws.

[steve of stonehenge]

I have two Sony flashes (HVL 20 & 43) and a Phottix Mitros + along with a separate Phottix Odin for a two flash off camera setup.  Just getting into off camera flash so I still have a lot to learn.  But I know the Sony flashes work well and are durable.  I was moving the HVL-43 down the stairs and it fell off a light stand a distance of almost 2 meters.  No damage and working perfectly.  As for the HVL 20, this is really my favorite flash for travel.  I have fast primes and rarely even need flash so the HVL 20 is usually all I need.  Of course it does not do high speed sync.  But it is really small and light...great for travel.

[tarkane]

I agree with Steve regarding Sony Flashes.

[boojoo007]

I have two Sony flashes (HVL 20 & 43) and a Phottix Mitros + along with a separate Phottix Odin for a two flash off camera setup.  Just getting into off camera flash so I still have a lot to learn.  But I know the Sony flashes work well and are durable.  I was moving the HVL-43 down the stairs and it fell off a light stand a distance of almost 2 meters.  No damage and working perfectly.  As for the HVL 20, this is really my favorite flash for travel.  I have fast primes and rarely even need flash so the HVL 20 is usually all I need.  Of course it does not do high speed sync.  But it is really small and light...great for travel.

Do you experience much overheating with your Sony flashes? HVL-43? The overheating issues scare me a bit

[michelb]

I have ALL the Minolta (D) and HS(D) flashes from 2001 up and ALL the Sony flash models for A-Mount (AM suffix) and with MIS shoe (M suffix)

 

ALL flashes can overheat and this kills them prematurely. Normally it does not die on you the day it overheated but on the next outing when you don't expect it. My older Minolta and Sony Flash units (3600/5600 Minolta's and Sony HVL-F36AM and 56AM did not have any protection) have probably survived because they were never abused over and over and since most of them were purchased used, i live a happy life.

 

Newer and higher-end flash models now have this overheat protection that kicks in if the flash detects a certain temperature. This heat is usually caused by 2 parallel phenomenons only when there is a long sequence of quickly taken pictures ( 10 pictures a minute for 3 minutes or more for example) :

- the batteries trying to provide a lot of power quickly to recycle the capacitors generate heat

- the capacitors releasing their energy and being recycled over and over generate heat 2 times

 

The fact that both the batteries and the capacitors are so close in an enclosed housing ( your flash), makes heat dissipation difficult and the overheat you are afraid of will only occur under these extreme conditions. I hear but can not confirm that Canon has a menu item in some of its flashes that can disengage the overheat protection but i am sure their warranty is finished the minute that option is chosen by the user.

 

I did overheat my HVL-F43M once taking about 40 high power pictures in succession. It stopped working for a few minutes and since i had others on hand, i just switched to another one. However, i an sure it will last long in spite of this isolated event

 

By the way, over and above overheat, the other 2 things that kills flashes prematurely:

 

- Leaving the batteries in when you don't know when you will use it next (leaked batteries probably killed more electronic flash units over the years than any other cause)

 

- Not using the flash for an extended period of time ( it is in the owner's manual of every flash i own that they should be recycled and powered off 2-3 times every 3 months or so and left on for 30-60 seconds after the flash-ready light is on to give some exercise to the capacitors which are electro chemical components that need this kind of regular use otherwise they dry up )

[Cheatah]

I would recommend the tiny but powerful NISSIN i40 flash! Beginning of 2016 NISSIN will offer an fair prized wireless system for almost any flash light!

[boojoo007]

Wow this one looks nice! 

 

Nissin Di700a

http://www.amazon.com/Nissin-Di700A-Flash-Cameras-Interface/dp/B011J6KW4M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1449769246&sr=8-2&keywords=nissin+di700a

[steve of stonehenge]

Do you experience much overheating with your Sony flashes? HVL-43? The overheating issues scare me a bit

 

No problems with overheating.  Of course I'm an amateur and don't stress them much.  I did a charity event recently and shot over 300 images (all flash) and never had to slow down.

[Golem]

I just use any old flash, as long as it has low trigger voltage.

 

My old 283 tested at over 100 volts, so it's useful only as a

slave flash, but my 285 trigger runs about 12v, and an old

Nikon flash is only 7v, so I use those and other oldies such  

as Minolta Maxxum flashes.

  

Such flashes use aperture dependent exposure automation

and you hafta monitor your own shutter speed for synch. A

major advantage of the simple flashes is the lack of delay. 

   

Whatever your camera's best [aka minimum] delay is, from 

tripping the shutter button to actual image capture, it fully

remains that fast. Exposure is governed in real time, during

image capture. Off-the-film flash automation had the same

speedy action. But there is no off-the-sensor version of that.

  

Digital flash exposures are calculated from test pulses prior

to the actual image capturing exposure, then that calculation

is transferred to the flash-and-camera for use during actual

image capture. Two steps vs one step. Less is more here.  

  

`

[rollsman4]

 What do you use for HSS with OCF ?   

[Golem]

What do you use for HSS with OCF ?

Nothing.

 

I avoid nonspecific acronyms.

 

"Off" and "On" both begin with "O".

 

`

[pilsburypie]

Nothing.

 

I avoid nonspecific acronyms.

 

"Off" and "On" both begin with "O".

 

`

I look forward to your replies Golem - part wit and part vemon.....

[boojoo007]

my brain hurts trying to figure out the best flash!

[boojoo007]

I recently bought a Di700 kit and had to return it through B&H for not firing after a few shots. The second unit they shipped to me works very well, with no flaws.

seems like a lot of Di700's are failing on people! I have decided not to get one of these for now.

[michelb]

my brain hurts trying to figure out the best flash!

There is no such thing as the best of anything

 

depends on what you intend to use it for.

 

Always on camera ?

Need power for bounce off ceilings or others ?

Need for WL TTL ?

If so how sophisticated will the system expand to ?

Need for Manual TTL ?

Using a lot of adapted vintage lenses ?

Use outdoors in WL ?

 

I could go on and on since every flash has its compromises and can fit some needs but may be overkill for others