Sony HVL-F42AM High Power Digital Flash for Sony Alpha DSLR Cameras

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Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.9 x 2.9 x 4.8 inches ; 2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0013IL8GI
• Item model number: HVL-F42AM
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank

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  Electronics > Camera & Photo > Flashes

• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 18, 2005

Product Description

Product Description

Powerful Flash for More Creative Freedom. The HVL-F42AM Flash Unit gives Sony ¿ system photographers more illumination power for every shooting opportunity, with effective range greater than 30 feet (10.5m), versatile bounce angles (90° up, 90° left, 180° right) and high-speed sync to catch fast action. It also provides intelligent features like auto zoom optimized for image sensor size, auto WB with color temperature signal to camera, and accurate ADI metering capability -- plus wide zoom angle (16mm) with retractable wide panel, simple controls, flash test button and fast recharging time to help you shoot more quickly (guide number: 42).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wireless is perfect Very powerful, October 16, 2008

By	Kevin (Flushing) - See all my reviews

This is well worth the money .This flash is a huge improvement over the HVL-F36AM it recycles really fast no wait. I can light up a 15 foot room with one of these.Try putting a gary fong or Stoffen diffuser on this it will even your light out and spread it around the room. Bare bulb only fires straight forward only filling the forward portion of the room .On some of these reviews when they say this is a weak flash are uninformed and unaware of their equipments potential.If you buy any flash and use only the bare flash firing forward it will not fill a room it will fire straight forward the way it was intended to do.Try bouncing it off the ceiling preferbly a white one a green ceiling will turn everyone into green people aliens.And also invest in a diffuser or umbrella for it a stoofen or gary fong or a 1 dollar tupperware bowl . . In WL mode it does have to be in line sight with the camera and it is very reliable .(Hint for newbies put the flash on the camera power on camera. Turn on flash head .Select menu on camera go to flash select wireless.Remove flash head from camera then flip camera flash up you are now in wireless mode) I use two of these and they do everthing that I need them to do and then some .I use only one with a 60" soft white umbrella and get everything I need from that. I will use two on large groups of people 8 or more ... well worth the money I would buy again if needed but I have two of them...Highly recomended You can get a hvl-56AM or Hvl-58AM which are more powerful but the 56 is discontinued and don't support white balance mode and the 58 is very expensive but worth every penny...The TTL is very nice also ...I chose this over the Sigma after long researching .since I get mixed reviews from people using sigmas saying some work great and some don't I just wanted it to do what it is supposed to do with no hassels and this is why I chose these flashes and glad I did. I also just ordered the HVL-F58AM I will have two 42's and a 58...I will update later.. I am updating this I have been using the HVL-58AM all can say is what a flash it is powerful and controls the all the 42's I love them all 42's and 58..

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceeds Expectations, October 24, 2008

By	Michael J. Foran Jr. "Mister Mike" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've owned the F42AM flash for about 3 months now and am very pleased. I think it is the most powerful flash out there for the Sony mount for under $300. It 'zooms' the flash focus in conjunction with your camera lens zoom, has a click out wide angle dispersion filter so it works with wide angle lenses, does bounce/angle/rotate orientation, and its wireless capability is not equaled at this price. In auto mode snapshots are consistently right on. Manual or custom control settings are simple and easy. When in off-camera wireless mode using bounce mode with a diffuser it is almost like having a room full of studio lights. I know its big brother has even more power and features that the pros need, but for advanced amateurs or beginner pros this flash can't be beat.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Does the Job, August 31, 2008

By	Michael S. Despot "mdespot" (Idaho USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

I wanted to change my rating to a five, but am not sure how. Now that I have finally found out how to use it as a slave flash, I love it even more. This light does what I expected. It Does not light up an arena but it does light up a room. It has features that I need and it came at one third the cost of most other retailer.
Great match for my Sony A350