Comments on: A flash ‘revolution’ - the Sony HVL-F58AM http://www.photoclubalpha.com/2008/06/19/sonys-flash-revolution-the-hvl-f58am/ Search this site - over 170 articles on Alpha system topics! Subscribe to our magazine too! Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:57:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: pakodominguez http://www.photoclubalpha.com/2008/06/19/sonys-flash-revolution-the-hvl-f58am/#comment-996 pakodominguez Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:12:31 +0000 http://www.photoclubalpha.com/?p=773#comment-996 I was trying to find more information about the Channels/Groups functions, but actually what I found from Sony mention only Groups, no Channels.I still don't understand the idea of having both -variation on the power can be done using the Ratio function or working on Manual. Anyway, it is a exciting new flash, the pivotal head is a smart solution, but if only the 42 and the 58 are compatibles, we will have to broke the piggy-bank in order to re-build the flash system at home... I was trying to find more information about the Channels/Groups functions, but actually what I found from Sony mention only Groups, no Channels.I still don’t understand the idea of having both -variation on the power can be done using the Ratio function or working on Manual.
Anyway, it is a exciting new flash, the pivotal head is a smart solution, but if only the 42 and the 58 are compatibles, we will have to broke the piggy-bank in order to re-build the flash system at home…

]]> By: admin http://www.photoclubalpha.com/2008/06/19/sonys-flash-revolution-the-hvl-f58am/#comment-990 admin Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:19:40 +0000 http://www.photoclubalpha.com/?p=773#comment-990 The assignment of 'Groups' is done from the control panel of the HVL-F58AM, just as Channels were/are assigned from the flash itself. No firmware upgrade should be needed to the camera, but the flash used must be compatible with groups. I checked this with Sony UK and the 42 model is compatible despite having no reference in the manual; the older models are not, and can only be assigned Channels, not Groups. The 58 is a master controller, the 42 is not. Remote and Remote2 are Groups, not Channels. You can have one camera using Channel 1 with two groups of remote heads, and varying the power from each group, without affecting another camera using Ch 2 (etc). It may be impossible for third party makers to implement Groups, we don't know yet. David The assignment of ‘Groups’ is done from the control panel of the HVL-F58AM, just as Channels were/are assigned from the flash itself. No firmware upgrade should be needed to the camera, but the flash used must be compatible with groups. I checked this with Sony UK and the 42 model is compatible despite having no reference in the manual; the older models are not, and can only be assigned Channels, not Groups. The 58 is a master controller, the 42 is not. Remote and Remote2 are Groups, not Channels. You can have one camera using Channel 1 with two groups of remote heads, and varying the power from each group, without affecting another camera using Ch 2 (etc).

It may be impossible for third party makers to implement Groups, we don’t know yet.

David

]]> By: pakodominguez http://www.photoclubalpha.com/2008/06/19/sonys-flash-revolution-the-hvl-f58am/#comment-984 pakodominguez Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:01:09 +0000 http://www.photoclubalpha.com/?p=773#comment-984 Hi David, This new flash will need a firmware upgrade for cameras already in the market? The A700 Flash menu doesn't have any option for "controller" or channels/groups -ergonomics on the Maxxum 7D or even the Maxxum 7 will be better than getting in the menus in order to change all this settings. And, how about Maxxums 7D and 5D? I understand that Sony keapt the same OS from the Maxxum 7D/5D, this will probably make that update easier? or we have to forget about this new functionalities in the older cameras? Regards Pako Hi David,
This new flash will need a firmware upgrade for cameras already in the market? The A700 Flash menu doesn’t have any option for “controller” or channels/groups -ergonomics on the Maxxum 7D or even the Maxxum 7 will be better than getting in the menus in order to change all this settings.

And, how about Maxxums 7D and 5D? I understand that Sony keapt the same OS from the Maxxum 7D/5D, this will probably make that update easier? or we have to forget about this new functionalities in the older cameras?
Regards
Pako

]]> By: colmo http://www.photoclubalpha.com/2008/06/19/sonys-flash-revolution-the-hvl-f58am/#comment-975 colmo Sat, 21 Jun 2008 12:42:35 +0000 http://www.photoclubalpha.com/?p=773#comment-975 Thanks David, "However, to use this function you must have more HVL-F58AM or HVL-F42AM guns. There is no provision on the older units (HVL-F36AM, HVL-F56AM, 3600HS-D, 5600HS-D) to define the flash in groups. It looks as if an on-camera HVL-F58M flash is classed as one group, with Remote and Remote2 as the other groups" Can we take this to mean that Remote and Remote2 are unrelated to the original wireless channels? If so, it'll certainly (as you say) eliminate the current third-party flashes for now, though Metz might be able to add support via their new USB firmware facility in the 48 and 58 AF-1. Thanks David,

“However, to use this function you must have more HVL-F58AM or HVL-F42AM guns. There is no provision on the older units (HVL-F36AM, HVL-F56AM, 3600HS-D, 5600HS-D) to define the flash in groups. It looks as if an on-camera HVL-F58M flash is classed as one group, with Remote and Remote2 as the other groups”

Can we take this to mean that Remote and Remote2 are unrelated to the original wireless channels?

If so, it’ll certainly (as you say) eliminate the current third-party flashes for now, though Metz might be able to add support via their new USB firmware facility in the 48 and 58 AF-1.

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