Adding a flash to Sony F717...ttl or only manual?

I'm looking to add a flash to my sony to extend the range and be able to
take a better picture indoors.

I just went down to my local camera shop to pick one up along with a
bracket....but they told me that any flash I put on that is going to be
manual only, that there wasn't a sync port, and that it wouldn't do ttl with
any flash other than the onboard.

Can someone help me? I don't know much at all about the technical side of
taking pictures, just the composing of the picture.

I had been looking at the vivitar 285 but that's looking like it will be
manual which I don't think I'm thrilled about...maybe the sony flash?

HELP!

 

Metz has a shoe to dedicate to the 717/828 cameras.

 

Metz has a shoe to dedicate to the 717/828 cameras.

I'm sorry...what does that mean?

 

I'm sorry...what does that mean?[/QUOTE]

That means flash units made by Metz will dedicate to Sony 717/828
cameras with the proper flash shoe on the Metz flash. Go to a Metz flash
web site and you will find descriptions of what is available.

 

That means flash units made by Metz will dedicate to Sony 717/828
cameras with the proper flash shoe on the Metz flash. Go to a Metz flash
web site and you will find descriptions of what is available.
[/QUOTE]


The Sony Cyberview 717 DOES NOT USE TTL!!!

It has a simple garden variety single center-contact hot shoe.

Even if you purchase the $ 200 flash from Sony and use the special acc. cable
the camera only uses the flash in manual.

 

The Sony Cyberview 717 DOES NOT USE TTL!!!

What if I bought one of these that say that they work with the onboard
flash...(slave flash...I know the word I know little about how it all
works)....or is the main difference not that it flashes but how much light
it will give off?

mb