Contact us

[Greg Beetham]

Just to see what response (if any) I would get from Sony about their Ring Light thingy they call a Ring Flash. http://www.sony.com.au/product/hvl-rlam

I originally sent them a message via the 'contact us' about their HVLRLAM Ring Light on the Australian web site, about how them calling it a 'Ring Flash' is false and missleading advertising, about which there are laws against in Australia. (I think their web site content is composed in Aisia somewhere).
Sony's initial reply: ***** CONFIRMATION ONLY – PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL ****

Thank you for your enquiry. We will endeavour to reply within two (2) working days. If your enquiry requires a more urgent response, please call the Sony customer contact centre on 1300 13 7669.

Followed by:Dear Mr Gregory Beetham,

Thank you for taking time to advise us of your Sony Australia experience and feedback. Your feedback is extremely important to us because it allows us to serve and assist you more effectively.

Upon reviewing your enquiry and the link that you have been supplied I have consulted with our second tier support team. One of the members of the support team has extensive photography knowledge.

The product information has not come across as misleading due to being advertising as a Ring Flash Kit not a Ring Light. This accessory is mainly ideal for Marco photography and can be used for another forms of photography depending on its application.

If you have any further questions, I recommend that you contact our Customer Infoline on 1300 13 7669 (Mon - Fri 8am-6pm. EST), with your CASE #827198. This service is designed for certain types of enquiries that can be resolved more effectively and efficiently in conversation with one of our trained specialists.

Regards,

Scott
Sony Australia
Customer Contact Centre

As you can see I don't think they quite 'got it'
Greg

[Greg Beetham]

Anyway I sent the following reply (too their last message), so far no reply from Sony.
Greg

Thanks for the reply Scott,
the thing is I've been doing photography for 40 years and Macro photography
for at least 30 years, and the Ring Light Sony has listed and described as a
Ring Flash is misleading, the problem is basically the light does not flash
so how can it possibly not be misleading to claim that it does. There is no
GN listed for it therefore it is not possible to calculate what possible
operating distances and motion freezing durations of pulse it might posess
at any particular ISO value and f-stop as you could with the Minolta Ring
Flash Sony discontinued and replaced with this Ring Light. The Ring Flash
I'm referring too is the other half of the Twin Flash and controller that
Minolta originally designed, now Sony only make the twin flash and have
removed the socket for the Ring Flash from the controller and in it's place
are offering this LED Ring Light that you turn on or off, with no motion
freezing flash pulse whatsoever.
So I would appreciate it if you could advise me what product Sony offers
that has equivalent performance to the original Minolta Ring Flash for the
A-mount system, I haven't been able to find one and that Ring Light that
Sony advertises as a Ring Flash is definitely not it. The Macro Twin Flash
and controller would have the necessary performance of course but is
unsuitable for operating in the field in dense foliage with it's flash heads
on the end of stalks, it's quite ok in the studio, operating theatre,
forenzic lab etc. but unsuited too places where it could easily get tangled
in obstuctions, and that's why Minolta made the Macro flash set the way they
did originally, one controller with the option of using two different types
of flash head systems on it.
Regards
Greg

[WaltKnapp]

Anyway I sent the following reply (too their last message), so far no reply from Sony.
Greg

Thanks for the reply Scott,
the thing is I've been doing photography for 40 years and Macro photography
for at least 30 years, and the Ring Light Sony has listed and described as a
Ring Flash is misleading, the problem is basically the light does not flash
so how can it possibly not be misleading to claim that it does. There is no
GN listed for it therefore it is not possible to calculate what possible
operating distances and motion freezing durations of pulse it might posess
at any particular ISO value and f-stop as you could with the Minolta Ring
Flash Sony discontinued and replaced with this Ring Light. The Ring Flash
I'm referring too is the other half of the Twin Flash and controller that
Minolta originally designed, now Sony only make the twin flash and have
removed the socket for the Ring Flash from the controller and in it's place
are offering this LED Ring Light that you turn on or off, with no motion
freezing flash pulse whatsoever.
So I would appreciate it if you could advise me what product Sony offers
that has equivalent performance to the original Minolta Ring Flash for the
A-mount system, I haven't been able to find one and that Ring Light that
Sony advertises as a Ring Flash is definitely not it. The Macro Twin Flash
and controller would have the necessary performance of course but is
unsuitable for operating in the field in dense foliage with it's flash heads
on the end of stalks, it's quite ok in the studio, operating theatre,
forenzic lab etc. but unsuited too places where it could easily get tangled
in obstuctions, and that's why Minolta made the Macro flash set the way they
did originally, one controller with the option of using two different types
of flash head systems on it.
Regards
Greg

I should note another problem with the twin macro flash in addition to it's delicate and brush grabbing nature is it's large adapter circle. This places the flash heads too far out and at the wrong angle for much true macro work. It's really only designed for closeup work at greater working distances.

There are also some differences in what one can do with a two flash system compared to the Minolta 1200 macro ringflash which has four individually switchable flash tubes around the circle.

The Minolta 1200 macro ringflash also has four focus lights. Very important in my night macro shooting out in the field. Those lights are the one thing that could use modernization from filament lights to LED focus lights.

The Minolta 1200 macro ringflash is capable of extreme close to subject use in high magnification macro. I've used it inside a 1CM working distance with macro magnification way greater than 1:1 and with the very short flash durations out to as short as 1/56,000th of a second. Ideal for minimizing micro movement in this work. ( a lot of that movement is mistaken for diffusion blur by those without that capability )

Walt

[Greg Beetham]

Yeah sure Walt I 'could' have included all those extra details of course, but I had a mental assessment happening of the capabilities of the recipients that made me think their eyes had already glazed over from the details I did give them.
Greg