Flash for Sony a100

[Marcie]

Hi,
Can anyone tell me which flash is good. I do a lot of
indoor action shot and am interested in these 3. They are prob the same flash LOL!!! Hubby gave me my holiday money and putting some toward a good flash.

Thanks,

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...link:middle:us

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...link:middle:us

http://p085.ezboard.com/fpirc67276fr...icID=902.topic

[demonsmasher]

I would personally stay away from those non brands. I am sticking to the sony brand flashes. The 36 or 56 model. B&H has the 56 for 309.00 and I think that is a great deal. Maybe someone else can say something.

[Canuck935]

Hmm yeah I've not heard of those before. If you're gonna be paying those prices for them you might as well pay a little more for a Sony 36, 56 if you can afford it. You may find Minolta 3600hs or 5600hs used as well. The Sony 36 and 56 are just re-badged Minolta 3600hs and 5600hs anyway..

[pisco]

I got a Sigma Super 500 (Sigma EF-500 DG Super), I think that it was $196 on Cameta auctions.
You need to know that this flash under exposes when used in the hotshoe (you'll need to compensate about + 1); or use it in wireless mode, then it's perfect (perfect exposure when used in wireless mode).

[Marcie]

HI Thanks for your repsonse. I ended up getting the sony model 56. I didnt want to take a chance with a non brand. I really needed a good flash and am happy on the result some one showed me with the flash on his sony a100.

[MHerman346]

I use a Minolta 5600 on both the KM 7D and Sony A100. In wireless mode it works very very well in most settings, but I have had much better luck using TTL (thru the lens) rather than ADI settings. I am also using the most recent Firmware upgrades for both cameras - you should be sure to check the Sony website for these upgrades periodically - all the companies are able to make excellent quality enhancements (and bug fixes) with these firmware upgrades.

In photographing people (our favorite subject) you can have trouble with the "lazy eye" issue (basically a squint response of the eye muscles to too much light) problem. To avoid that, I have found you must set these cameras (both 7D and A100) to "Red Eye" setting using the camera Menu (not available on the top left dial). The Red Eye setting will flash the 5600 multiple times to allow the subject's pupil to close down (normal red eye reduction) but it also seems to cure the "lazy eye". For objects without eyes (read "racecars") you want RedEye setting off or you will waste a good fraction of a second while the RedEye pre-flashes are going on!

In brief, my message is: whatever flash you get, you should test out all combinations of flash settings and record what works best for your anticipated subjects! As for results - for portraits with and without flash - I have had outstanding results from either a 70-300mm (Tamron) lens, and even more outstanding results from a Sigma 170-500mm lens.

One last item - setting the in-camera Sharpness to +2 on the A100 results in really outstanding portraits and other images. I had left the Sharpness on 0 standard all these years but now I regret it. You can always add blur (Gaussian or other) in any area you want with Photoshop, but the A100 incamera sharpening is very appealing (to me at least). I recommend you try that factor also.

All the best...