Sony HVLFSL1B External Slave Flash with Bracket for Compatible Cybershot Digital Cameras

by Sony

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 4.5 x 2 inches ; 6.1 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00022VZ28
• Item model number: HVLFSL1B
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #94 in Camera & Photo > Accessories > Flash Accessories > Camera Brackets
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 15, 2004

Product Description

Sony HVL FSL1B - Detachable flash

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

78 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Works for any camera with a built-in flash, December 14, 2004

By 

DarthRad (United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sony HVLFSL1B External Slave Flash with Bracket for Compatible Cybershot Digital Cameras (Electronics)

I got this flash for my Sony DSCW1 camera because the one criticism of this camera was that the built-in flash was weak and had a limited range of about 10-12 feet.

This external flash certainly does work to augment the flash capabilites of the DSCW1. In my tests, it appears to be effective outdoors at night at distances of up to about 50-60 feet.

The HVLFSL1B is NOT controlled directly by the camera - there are no electrical connections whatsoever. Instead, there is a light sensor on the HVLFSL1B which senses the light of the DSCW1's built in flash and this triggers the HVLFSL1B.

And so, in fact, this External Slave Flash will work for practically any camera, whether they have a hotshoe or not, as long as they have a built-in flash (the DSCW1 does not have a hotshoe - the mounting bracket of the HVLFSL1B is attached to the tripod screwhole of the DSCW1).

Furthermore, one does not even have to mount the HVLFSL1B to a camera, or even have it pointing in the same direction as the camera. It is possible to use the HVLFSL1B as a bounce flash, pointing it at a side wall or the ceiling. As long as the flash of your camera reflects off whatever the HVLFSL1B is pointed at, it will fire.

So this is great! At last, a bounce flash that will work for practically any point and shoot camera that has a built in flash!

The only downside of the HVLFSL1B is that instead of regular AA batteries, it uses these non-rechargable lithium CR123 batteries (the same battery used in many point and shoot 35mm film cameras). ARGH! Anyway, that's why I took off one star.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Worked Great!...Until It Didn't, May 15, 2006

By 

N. Harrison - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony HVLFSL1B External Slave Flash with Bracket for Compatible Cybershot Digital Cameras (Electronics)

Purchased this Sony Slave Flash as an accessory to my Sony digital camera. Right before the warranty expired it quit working. Assuming it needed a new battery, I replaced it, only to have it quit again after a few light ups. By the time I realized the Slave Flash (and not the batteries) was at fault, the warranty had expired. I contacted Sony, explained that I had given their Slave Flash the benefit of the doubt by replacing batteries instead of contacting them, but they wouldn't help me a bit - no replacement and no repairs. In fact, they said it couldn't be repaired at all. I was advised to purchase a replacement Slave Flash. No thanks.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Better as a hockey puck...great flash (if you're prepared for the footnotes), April 26, 2006

By 

Matthew Torch "Mateo Feo" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony HVLFSL1B External Slave Flash with Bracket for Compatible Cybershot Digital Cameras (Electronics)

So, I'd read a few reviews and finally caved in and bought the flash. My Sony Cybershot DSC-P73 was on the list of compatible cameras and the price seemed reasonable.
But what I got for my money was disappointing. Okay...virtually useless.
Tucked away in the notes for the Flash (and nowhere on eBay ro the Sony site that I could see) is a "note" that, hey, this won't work outdoors and it won't work indoors either unless you're pointing it at a shiny surface.
Now I ask you: who wants to be pointing their uber-flash at a "shiny" surface while taking a picture?! Think you'll be seeing great results?
Not likely. Not from this "flash" anyway. If you can even get it to fire. Preliminary tests have proven the "note" to be true. It don't work. I did however get it to fire when I took the flash off and physically pointed the camera at the flash when taking the picture...so nice.