SONY FLASH UNIT ... HVL-F1000

Hello everyone!

I would be grateful if anyone who has had experience using this flash unit
with a digital camera ... F-828 or F-817 (or is it F-717) ... would let me
know on its performance.

I took a photo of someone not even five feet in front of me ... and her
suntan came out looking extremely darker than it should have ... Moroccan in
fact! During the shoot with her, I took some 260 photos, and had to touch
every one up with PHOTOSHOP! Not exactly what one would expect with a
digital system!

I have since had to buy the HVL-F32X, which seems to work OK, but I now have
a redundant ... and probable incompatible ... HVL-F1000 flash unit.

I understand that the flash may not be compatible with digital cameras, even
though it is listed in the accessories book for the F-828, and would be
grateful to hear of other people's thoughts and experiences.

Much obliged

Jonathan

 

From a non-pro:

My experience is that the Sony flashes work reliably only in Program mode
for autoexposure. Although the camera is capable of amazing image quality
this is one example of how the 828 is really set up more for
non-professional users.

Non-sony flashes require trial and mostly error to get predictable
exposures. In my experience Using a non-Sony flash in auto, semi-auto or
manual is difficult because even if you set the camera to a specific ISO and
set the flash accordingly still the exposure is off. I tried Nikon, Minolta
and an old Vivitar flash, all of which work reliably with film cameras in
all modes. This suggests that the 828, or my particular camera, is not
really delivering its reported ISO setting.

If the subject and lighting environment are relatively stable you can figure
it out with a few exposures. However if you are shooting in a changing
environment you have to be lucky.

As you have learned you cannot trust the LCD image to critically judge
exposure, color or sharpness. You have to download the image to a computer
to see what it really looks like.

As you are no doubt aware there are other settings in the camera that can
affect what skin tones look like, and if your exposures were correct it may
be an issue with the color settings. As you are also no doubt aware the 828
like all digital cameras has a very narrow exposure latitude and if used in
auto mode may have decreased exposure to try to avoid blowing out highlights
too badly making the skin look relatively dark.