HVL-F58AM flash gun

[Jonathan K]

Hi all,

Just one question:
Does the HVL-F58AM have the same 4-pin-connector than the 5600HS? So can I use the OC-1100 cable with it?

Thanks

Jonathan

[David Kilpatrick]

It does not seem to have from photos, and I can't remember seeing one when handling it. The 42 definitely does not. You have to use the OC shoe, no direct connections.

David

[Jonathan K]

Thanks. I am just wondering: What is their solution? They sell the

FA-CS1AM
("Blitzschuh für externen Blitz HVL-F36AM", sorry I checked the German page)

especially for the ols HVL-F36 flashgun, but there is no indication how they expect to connect the

FA-CC1AM
("Kabel für externen Blitz")

cable to the flash unit... Maybe it is only unclear on the german page, I did not check the others yet. So what is their suggestion? I suppose they have an idea when offering these items.

I got myself a little softbox which I want to mount on the left side of the camera, so I need a way to connect the flash to the camera. But I intend to get one or two HVL-F58AM real soon, for wireless work, and it would be stupid to start all over again whith cables and flash shoes...

A bit annoying...

Thanks

Jonathan

[David Kilpatrick]

The shoe has a socket just like the flash's four-pin socket, in the back of it, and a tripod bush in the bottom. You just connect the shoe to the cable, and the flash to the shoe. The old Minolta equivalent is the OS-1100, and the cable to connect is the OC-1100 - you may also find these around for sale or on eBay. They work just the same.

David

[Javelin]

Actually it does have this connector. it's right on the bottom of the flash and it looks like the foot stand can't be used with it at the same time or maybe not even be able to have it mounted to a camera. if you were looking at the flash foot the conntector is right beside the foot. This phot shows it next to the 56AM. It certainly is well hidden though


Alphastrobist

Hi all,

Just one question:
Does the HVL-F58AM have the same 4-pin-connector than the 5600HS? So can I use the OC-1100 cable with it?

Thanks

Jonathan

[Mike-Photos]

I don't know what the connector looks like, but if it helps there's a 1cm gap between the connector and the foot stand.

[David Kilpatrick]

That's good news - I had not seen this photo and certainly on examining the shown sample 58 (or rather, handling it) I didn't see them. The early Sony samples seem to have lacked these, and the brochure photographs either don't show them, or the bumps they should make in the profile of the base have been retouched out: see

http://www.photoclubalpha.com/2008/06/1 ... hvl-f58am/

It looks like the whole lower part of the flash was a different shape, more curved (the sockets are on the left side, there is a sign of a small moulding on the right side, but the left side looks completely clear of anything like this).

I guess the final product was changed to include them, probably at the request of beta testers. The connector uses a L-angle which needs about 25mm of clearance to insert easily, and is 18mm long when fitted. It looks as if the foot is shaped to be cut away where the cable would be.

David

[Jonathan K]

Well that is good news indeed. It is so weird that I have to ask these questions after having handled the flash in Cologne on the Alpha 900.

Here is a picture of the connector:
http://www.sony.de/product/dsa-flashes- ... s/fa-cc1am
I believe it might work, since it is angled.

Thanks Javelin for providing the pictures.

Cheers Jonathan

[Mike-Photos]

That's good news - I had not seen this photo and certainly on examining the shown sample 58 (or rather, handling it) I didn't see them. The early Sony samples seem to have lacked these, and the brochure photographs either don't show them, or the bumps they should make in the profile of the base have been retouched out: see

http://www.photoclubalpha.com/2008/06/1 ... hvl-f58am/

It looks like the whole lower part of the flash was a different shape, more curved (the sockets are on the left side, there is a sign of a small moulding on the right side, but the left side looks completely clear of anything like this).

I guess the final product was changed to include them, probably at the request of beta testers. The connector uses a L-angle which needs about 25mm of clearance to insert easily, and is 18mm long when fitted. It looks as if the foot is shaped to be cut away where the cable would be.

David

The foot folds into half for easy storage, but there's no real cutaway. If you only need 25mm, there's plenty space.

[Javelin]

David in one of your pictures it shows kind of a cover on the bottom left corner. in the above picture is that the same cover flipped open? right by the #1. I'm interest too inthe flash... this one and the macro flash (the metz I think)

[Javelin]

Also on this flash can you set crtl mode 2 while it's on the A700 ? in that mode it's supposed to be able to control the 36 and 56AM flashes wirelessly but I'm not clear on whether this in reserved only for the A900 and any other cameras that come out without a flash built in

[Jonathan K]

Appearantly the Metz 58AF-1 will be updated soon to be able to function with the A900... A very nice lady at Photokina told me that this will be done per firmware fix within the next few months... So that might be a cheaper alternative in case we actually have to buy 6 flashguns...

But that indicates that it might only work on the A900... Otherwise they would have done that before, especially since the Metz flash is supposed to work on multiple channels (Canon/Nikon models appearantly do).

Otherwise... no idea.

At least I am relieved that I can use the 5600HS in the setup... if combined with a HVL-F58AM.

Cheers Jonathan

[Jonathan K]

Also on this flash can you set crtl mode 2 while it's on the A700 ? in that mode it's supposed to be able to control the 36 and 56AM flashes wirelessly but I'm not clear on whether this in reserved only for the A900 and any other cameras that come out without a flash built in

Javelin,

here is quite an interesting thread on DPR:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read. ... e=29530022

Bottom line: Nobody knows...

Cheers

Jonathan

[David Kilpatrick]

David in one of your pictures it shows kind of a cover on the bottom left corner. in the above picture is that the same cover flipped open? right by the #1. I'm interest too inthe flash... this one and the macro flash (the metz I think)

I think you are right. It's just a very well concealed pair of sockets - so well concealed that most people have not noticed it!

I am not sure yet whether to buy a 58 or two 58s. Difficult call. I have a 56, 36 and 42.

David

[Mike-Photos]

Also on this flash can you set crtl mode 2 while it's on the A700 ? in that mode it's supposed to be able to control the 36 and 56AM flashes wirelessly but I'm not clear on whether this in reserved only for the A900 and any other cameras that come out without a flash built in

Javelin,

here is quite an interesting thread on DPR:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read. ... e=29530022

Bottom line: Nobody knows...

Cheers

Jonathan

I've read the manual and I cannot work it out. I think part of the issue is that when they wrote the manual for the 58 they didn't want to mention the A900 specifically, so it's hard to see what they are actually saying.