Customer Reviews

Sony HVL-F36AM High-Power Digital Camera Flash for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Another upgrade from the dead Konica-Minolta series, the F36AM is a capable flash that should be the first choice for most A100 users.

Although less powerful than the F56AM, it's still powerful enough for most common indoor family photography, even when using power reducing features like bounce cards, etc. Both bounce and swivel are useful, bounce is by far the more important, and best used with an effecient system such as the Lumiquest Pocket Bounce. The lack of swivel will probably not be missed by most.

The High-Speed flash synch is a blessing to anyone wishing to do outdoor portraits, and wishing to use a large aperture to put the background out of focus. Otherwise, there is often too much light, and something, ususally the aperture, must give. Note: HS flash is very inefficient, and not a real option for sports photography at any real distance.

The wireless flash system is as easy as it gets, and works very well. Although you might not use this very often, it opens up a world of possibilities.

Who should move up? Those needing more distance, or those considering an external battery pack, should look at the F56AM.

This flash is simple, versatile, and most importantly, it is giving me accurate exposures on my Konica Milolta 5D. The wireless mode is very straightforward, and opens up really unique lighting possibilities. It is powerful enough to give a perfect exposure when bounced off my 9' ceiling. I have not yet tested it in more demanding situations, but it looks like it will be all I need for 95% of my flash lighting.

Note that the HVL-F36AM is NOT just a Sony-branded KM 3600hs. It tilts vertically, but does not pivot laterally. Also, the wide-angle diffuser is not built-in (it clips on). That being said, I'm still really happy with this flash.

I'm an owner of a Minolta Maxxum 5 and a Sony Alpha A100. I enjoy both cameras quite a bit. This flash works with either of them perfectly. It has plenty of range and brightness, and syncs very well. I especially like the wireless mode, which I use almost exclusively.

If you don't need a really expensive flash, look into this unit. It is really great for the money. The higher end version (F56AM) is a bit brighter and can swivel, but this isn't necessary in my opinion.

Consider getting a diffuser to go with this flash, for softer edges.

One of the luxuries of owning a Minolta SLR (single-lens reflex) was the Minolta flash system: Minolta flashes work beautifully. The Sony Alpha DSLR's are a continuation of Konica Minolta designs (Konica Minolta sold their SLR camera technology to Sony in January 2006, and Sony Alpha cameras use the Minolta lens mount). Minolta lenses fit Sony Alpha cameras, and couple correctly to their electronic controls.

The Sony HVL-F36 AM flash is almost identical to the Konica Minolta 3600 HS flash. It's a good unit (but the battery door is difficult to open; I returned my first unit, thinking it was jammed shut. It needs force to open, which is not a good design). However, its price of around $200 will probably deter most Sony Alpha DSLR owners.

The Minolta flash unit Sony SHOULD have continued producing is the Minolta 2500 D Program Flash, an excellent simpler and less expensive ($110) flash providing ADI operation (Automatic Distance Integration, which in my experience always gives perfectly exposed pictures), an excellent focus-assist light which lights up for a fraction of a second (which I have used to make perfectly focussed photographs of subjects I couldn't even see in the dark, such as wildlife at night! It's an amazing experience). The Minolta 2500 D Program Flash is lightweight, inexpensive, extremely well made, always takes perfect pictures, and is more than adequate for at least 90 percent of home photography.

The main feature missing in the 2500 D flash unit is the zoom head (for 24 mm to 85 mm focal lengths) found in the Sony HVL-F36 and Minolta 3600HS flash units, but this isn't a major handicap. Owning both units, I actually use the 2500 D flash more often.

Competition: Sigma now offers an updated flash unit, the Sigma EF 530 DG ST, which has been updated to give an auto zoom range of 24 - 105mm (the earlier Sigma EF 500 DG ST only covered 28mm at wide angle), and provides ADI (Automatic Distance Integration) in the Sony/Minolta version. Sunpak offers the more modest Sunpak PZ40x II with an auto zoom range of 24 - 80mm and weaker light output.

Canon is probably the industry leader in digital cameras including digital SLR's, which Canon has been making for at least seven years compared with Sony's recent entry into this field, and one result is that Canon buyers have a far better choice of flash units than Sony offers. Canon owners can also choose flashes made by Sigma and Sunpak, but these makers have updated few of their flashes (for Minolta) to work with Sony Alpha cameras. The Canon 430 EX Speedlite costing $240 outclasses the Sony HVL-F36 AM, and in several respects even outperforms the Sony HVL-F56 AM (price $310). Canon buyers also have a choice of more modestly-priced Canon flash units down to $120, but Sony offers none.

In my opinion, Sony would be well advised to put the Minolta 2500 D Program Flash back into their line, as a very high-quality $110 flash unit, if they want to compete with Nikon and Canon.

I can not say enough positives about this flash unit. I got it, placed it on my camera for a few days of fill flash outdoor shooting. It may be a coincidence but the image that won a 2nd place cash prize for me, was a fill flash photograph. Also, the two images that sold from a set of five hung in a month long gallery exhibit where also outdoor fill flash photographs. The lighting is beautiful and quite natural.

It is interesting to observe the flash match with the camera & lens as I focus and zoom the flash mirrors my actions to insure the exposure setting is correct.

If you need a flash and do not need the highest power rating this one is a fantastic choice that I will highly recommend.

I recently purchased this flash for my Konica/Minolta Maxxum 5D. This flash is very fast and has high speed sync. It works great with this camera and is compatible with my AF DT 18-70 lens. Very nice indeed.

Overall I have been pleased with this flash. It suits its purpose indoors when indoor lighting is low or when the existing lighting is of the wrong color temperature and hard to get a good white balance from. Outdoors it has served its purpose quite well as fill flash although most of my photographs are of landscapes or animals at a distance (or too close for flash).

I was irked by a couple of things. The minor issue is that Sony seems to have made this flash of a lighter plastic than the earlier Minolta flashes (although this doesn have one major advantage: it cuts down on the amount of weight I have to carry around which is a big issue with me). My cameras and related equipment do get a fairly good workout but so far this flash has held up (and I've been careful in handling it). But if anything really got under my skin it was the fact that Sony seems to have changed the flash circutry. I still have my Minolta 5400HS flash that I used with my Maxxum 9 and 7. That flash will not work on the Sony Alpha cameras. The hot shoe remained the same (not a standard hot shoe) but the Minolta flashes will not work on the Sony digital cameras. I am self employed and money does not come easily and sometimes not very often. So I was forced to buy Sony's flash unit. The built-in flash on the Sony digital cameras, like Minolta's, is hardly worth mentioning. Also, the wireless off-camera feature is something I am very glad that Sony retained; I only wish they had also retained the ability to shoot at a 2:1 flash ratio. The built-in flash on the camera can only be used to trip the off-camera flash. You have to use one flash or the other but not both (one as a key light and the other as a fill light). This was a feature I appreciated on Minolta's 5400HS.

That being said I would be inclined to encourage others to buy this flash. The output is sufficient for all but the largest of rooms or objects at a good distance. This flash is light-weight, not terribly expensive, doesn't eat up batteries like my 5400HS flash did, and mounts well to the camera. I would have given it a 5-star rating if only Sony had retained the original circutry.

I like this flash. It is more than adequate for my Sony Alpha camera. I am glad I did not spend more money and get the HVL- F56 AM flash.

I have already found that I would have liked a little more power... and depower. The digital display on the 56 gives more information and adjustment. There is nothing wrong with this flash... and the wireless off camera flash allows terrific lighting of scenes and people but the more options of the 56 would have been nice. Would it have been worth another $140.00 for the HVL-56. I have not used the 56, so I cannot tell.

This is my first DLSR Camera and this is my first flash for a DLSR. I have not used other flashes, but I can tell you that this flash works very well for me. It provides excellent light and many times better lighting than the built-in camera flash. It is not an energy hog as you would expect. I keep rechargable batteries on hand (uses four AA's) but even with the use of those batteries, it still is pretty efficient from what I can tell. Again, nothing to compare it to, but I am very pleased with it.