Alphatracks

Sunpak Click N' Stick makes a good flash holder -- but read the post before risking your equipment to a suction cup failure.

When I first saw the PlatinumPlus Click N’ Stick monopod I immediately thought it would be a great electronic flash holder. Sunpak, the manufacturer, markets it as flexible camera tripod, but I wasn’t too keen on trusting my dSLRs to the device. As a flash holder, however, I thought it had potential.

The Click N’ Stick is a bendable, flexible shaft with a mini ball-head tripod mount on one end. On the opposite end is a vacuüm suction cup designed to attach to any smooth, non-porous surface. Sunpak claims the unit can hold up to 1.8 pounds. You can arrange the supple shaft in any position, making for an extremely flexible mounting arrangement.

Sunpak offers a larger,  flexible monopod they claim can handle light weight dSLRs; the Flexpod Click N’ Stick. Since I was only interested in holding an electronic flash, I haven’t tried and can’t give an opinion on the Flexpod model.

Small ball-head has a standard 1/4 - 20 tripod screw. It is easy to attach flash with the standard Sony flash stand.

My initial tests with the basic Click N’ Stick weren’t very encouraging. I opened the blister pack and stuck the device to the nearest smooth surface; a glass top coffee table.

The suction mount has a nice lever arrangement that helps create a vacuüm to attach the rubber cup to the surface. As you push the lever down, it expels air to create suction. Lift the lever to break the seal and remove the Click N’ Stick.

It sticks…but for how long?

The device seemed sturdy enough, but after three minutes, it popped free and fell over. This was with nothing attached to the Click N’ Stick. It had come free of it’s own weight.

Hoping it might be a glitch, I followed the instructions carefully and made sure the glass and the rubber suction cup were clean. Then I attached the Click N’ Stick again. Once again, the suction lasted about three minutes before the device fell over.

Not good. I didn’t want to entrust my expensive electronic flashes to a device that might pop free and crash to the ground without warning.

Lever on suction base is designed to expel air from base to create a seal. It works much better if the cup is moistened before attachment.

I tried a few other surfaces with equally poor results. I finally tried attaching the Click N’ Stick vertically to a brass fireplace surround. While the metal surface was clean and smooth, the Click N’ Stick tumbled to the fireplace hearth in less than a minute.

I seriously thought about returning the Click N’ Stick for a refund. I decided to make one last attempt. The directions said nothing about moistening the suction cup, but everyone knows that these items stick much better if you apply water to them first. So I wet my hand in the sink and smeared water on the bottom of the rubber cup. Then I reattached the Click N’ Stick to the fireplace surround.

Click N’ Stick works better when wet

Five minutes, ten minutes, one hour. The Click N’ Stick remained fastened to the metal. The next morning, it was still firmly in place. Three days later, my wife politely asked me to remove “that thing” from the fireplace. Obviously, moistening the suction cup before applying it to a smooth surface made a dramatic difference in the device’s ability to stay in place.

Encouraged, I attached my HLV42AM flash to the plastic stand Sony provided and threaded the stand on to the Click N’ Stick. After carefully moistening the suction cup, I applied it to the vertical wall of a fiberglass shower stall.

Spare me the snarky comments about what kind of photos I was taking in the shower. I frequently shoot interior architectural shots for clients, and I needed some remote room lighting for a series of images.

With the HLV42AM set to wireless flash mode, I was pleased to be able to direct the remote flash wherever I needed it. The flash seemed very secure and the flexible arm allowed me to shift the unit to provide just the right amount of off-camera light.

Push the lever down to create a suction seal, lift lever to release.

I only had one accident. I repositioned the flash without re-moistening the rubber base, figuring the surface was clean and I was only moving the stand a few inches. Less than a minute after relocating the unit, the Click N’ Stick came free and the flash and stand clattered into the (fortunately dry) shower stall.

I got lucky – my HLV42AM suffered no damage, but the lesson was very clear. If you are going to hang expensive, fragile gear on the Click N’ Stick, you have to wet the base – every time.

The bendable shaft can be positioned in an infinite variety of positions. This allowed me to adjust the light output exactly where I wanted it. Once you twist the shaft into position, it stays where you put it, making for a completely adjustable monopod.

The SunPak Click N’ Stick only works on limited surfaces

I tried mounting the Click N’ Stick on a variety of surfaces, with varied results. The mounting surface must be smooth, flat and clean. Any texture can cause a vacuüm leak, which will quickly lead to a suction failure.

I found glass, metal, tile and fiberglass usually work well. The Click N’ Stick does not stick to painted walls, hard wood floors, wall paper or other similar surfaces. It might work on polished wood surfaces, but I cannot say for sure.

Even the best surfaces are iffy, however, if they aren’t flat. Many modern car windows, for instance, have curves which could prevent the suction cup from maintaining suitable vacuüm. A slight curvature would probably work, but too much of an arc will lead to suction failure.

I can’t really endorse the Click N’ Stick for most users. The risk of failure (and damage to equipment) is just too great. On the other hand, I am keeping my Click N’ Stick for use as a remote flash mount. I can live with the requirement (and it is a requirement) to moisten the suction cup before use.

Even at that, however, there is always a chance of a suction failure. If there was any warning before hand, which could alert you that the device was ready to give way, I would be more comfortable with the unit. But there is no warning.

Then there is the problem of finding a suitable surface for the Click N’ Stick. For instance, I frequently take my camera gear on nature hikes. There are almost no naturally occurring objects that would provide a suitable surface for this monopod. So for outdoor, wilderness use, the Click N’ Stick would be fairly useless.

Indoors or in an urban environment, however, the Click N’ Stick can offer the ability to place light wherever you want…provided there is a suitable surface.

I looked up the Click N’ Stick on several user review sites. It constantly gets poor reviews, with warnings such as “do not buy this” or “complete waste of money.” Most users report the same problems with suction failures as I experienced.

The Click N’ Stick isn’t the only suction cup tripod holding device available. Companies such as Cullmann, Manfrotto, Matthews and Visual Departures provide more robust solutions that garner much better reviews. Of course these models cost considerably more than Sunpak’s Click N’ Stick. The old adage that you “get what you pay for” apparently applies here.

Dampening the suction cup directly before use definitely creates a superior seal. I fear, however, that there will always be some concern that the suction may fail and my equipment may take a dive. For this reason, I will never attach as dSLR to the Click N’ Stick, even if it fits within the weight Sunpak has outlined. The risk is too great.

I will use caution when using the Click N’ Stick. If possible, I may even rig a safety cord to save my flash if the Click N’ Stick gives way. However, the Click N’ Stick is far easier to carry than my telescoping flash stands and if the surfaces are right it is more versatile. For that reason, I will continue to use the Click N’ Stick when appropriate.

Sunpak PlatinumPlus Click N’ Stick Monopod

PROS:
Light weight
Easily positioned
Ball head attachment
Flexible shaft stays the way you bend it

CONS:
Risk of suction failure without warning
Unit only works on a limited number of surfaces
Requires moisture to ensure the vacuum seal works

Availability:
The PlatiumPlus Click N’ Stick is available from the usual photo supply soruces, including Amazon, B&H Photo and Adorama. It was available at Radio Shack, but I don’t see it listed on their website any longer, possibly because of negative customer feedback.

Tweet This Post

Brand New HVL-F20AM flash unit will appeal to Sony Alpha users on a budget, as well as A900 shooters

May 20, 2009 Besides three new dSLRs, Sony has also announced a new low-cost flash unit. Details of the new flash are somewhat sketchy, but the first units should ship in June. Known as the HVL-F20AM, the flash will have a Guide Number of 20 and carry a list price of $130.

While the GN of 20 isn’t particularly powerful, it is double the power of the built in flash on the new A230, A330, A380. More importantly, it offers bounce capabilities, something lacking in the built-in flash. While it doesn’t appear that the new flash can itself be triggered wirelessly (at least not by the Sony wireless system), with an optional sync cord and adapter from Sony this flash could be used off-camera in a wired mode..

With the low price and light weight, it is natural to assume this flash is targeted at first time dSLR shooters. While that is true in part, the F20 should be very appealing to owners of the top-of-the-line A900 as well. As I outlined a few months ago, the A900 doesn’t have a built-in flash, making the A900 the only Sony Alpha that cannot trigger the Sony wireless system out of the box. Until now, the only way the A900 could fire a Sony wireless flash unit is by attaching a HVL-F58AM flash to the hot shoe. The F58AM was the only flash capable of acting as a controller. The rest of the flash units in the Sony stable (F36, F42 and F56) can not be used to trigger other flash units. So A900 users had to buy the high-dollar F58 flash if they wanted a wireless flash trigger.

In my earlier post, I suggested Sony might offer a lower cost method of triggering the Wireless Flash System. Enter the HVL-F20AM.

Like the F58AM, the new flash can trigger other external flashes in the Sony system. This is great news for A900 owners, who can now use wireless flash units without dedicating a very expensive HVL-F58AM to the role of mere flash trigger.

Details are somewhat limited, but Sony has emphasized that the F20AM will only work as a trigger with the A900. Apparently there is circuitry in the A900 that is absent in the rest of the Sony Alpha line.

Some people have expressed disappointment over this, but I don’t really understand why. All of the Alpha dSLRs, with the exception of the A900, already have the ability to trigger the Sony Wireless Flash System. I guess the greater guide number might give the F20 a slightly greater wireless range than the built-in flash units, but that is a pretty weak argument. (no pun intended!)

Here is what the Sony press release has to say:

Wireless flash trigger function (DSLR-A900 only)
When teamed with the a900, the HVL-F20AM can also be used to trigger wireless flash setups. Please note, however, that this functionality is only available with DSLR-A900, and does not include luminosity ratio control.

So no ratio control, which I didn’t expect in a basic, low-cost flash/wireless trigger.

Lowering the HVL-F20AM (left) turns the unit off. Raising the flash to full height powers it on.

That the new flash is fairly basic is indicated by another section of the Sony release:

Unlike most external flash units, the HVL-F20AM has no dedicated On/Off switch. Instead, power is automatically switched on simply by raising the flash unit into the shooting position…The new design also eliminates the LCD display panel found on many conventional flash units, further contributing to easy-use simplicity and stylish design.

Classic marketing — remove the LCD panel and call it a feature.

Obviously there are no adjustable power settings. It is a bare-bones flash, but it is a dedicated Sony flash offering both ADI and TTL flash metering. When you add the ability to swivel the flash head to use bounce lighting, this is a nice addition to the Sony flash line-up, especially when you consider the suggested list price.

I read somewhere that the new flash will be powered by two AA batteries, but I cannot confirm this. All of the other flashes offered by Sony use four AAs for power.

Most Alphatracks readers are in the advanced amateur category, and these shooters might be better served with one of the more feature-rich Sony flash heads that feature a higher guide number and can be fired wireless off-the-camera. For those moving up to a dSLR from a P&S camera or A900 owners looking for a way to trigger their external flash units wirelessly, the HVL-F20AM should be a very attractive addition to the Sony flash inventory.

Technorati Tags

HVL-F20AM Flash
Sony Alpha flash
A900 flash trigger
Tom Bonner
Alphatracks

Tweet This Post

Indoor basketball shot with a Vivitar M42 lens and Minolta 4000AF flash. Would a top-of-the-line lens/flash combination produce a better image?

Feb. 11, 2009

Sports photography is breed apart. In most forms of photography the photographer takes his or her time, carefully adjusting the lighting and arranging the scene to capture the perfect image.

It’s different for sport shooters. Covering action sports leaves little room for careful composition or lengthy setup. If the participants are constantly moving, the photographer needs to be on the move as well. Shooting fast action outdoors in daylight is difficult enough. Shooting sports indoors or after dark becomes more complex, because you are faced with the problem of finding enough light to stop the action. Dim light and fast shutter speeds are usually polar opposites. If you are going capture sharp action images indoors at a reasonable ISO setting, a fast lens becomes mandatory.

You gotta have fast glass

I was reminded of this when I set out to photograph my grandson’s youth basketball team. I realized that all of my zoom telephotos were too slow to capture indoor sports at ISO 400 or even ISO 800. My Minolta 70-210 Beercan is great for outdoor sports, but with a maximum aperture of f/4, you need to raise the ISO to 1600 to stop indoor action. The same for all my other telephotos. Although I have a nice selection of focal lengths, most of my lenses are too slow for indoor sports, with the exception of my Minolta 50mm f/1.7. While the nifty fifty is fast enough, the 50mm reach is too short to get in tight on the players.

Of course both the Sony and Minolta lens lines offer many excellent, fast optics. You can also obtain fast glass from third party lens makers such as Tamron, Sigma and others.

A fast telephoto is a joy to shoot with, but wide aperture optics involve consequences. First they are usually expensive, and secondly they are typically bulky and heavy. I don’t mind the weight when I am shooting, because it helps dampen vibration. However, carrying around a bag of heavy lenses gets old really fast.

This means that when I want to travel light (which is most of the time) the heavy, fast glass stays home. The most expensive lenses are the ones that get used the least.

That’s why I wasn’t too interested in laying out the cash for a fast AF zoom. I’m sure that a fast Carl Zeiss or a Sony G lens would be exciting to shoot with, but I can’t justify the price tag for a hunk of glass that I will only use on limited occasions.

Still, I needed something faster than a f/4 telephoto. In casting around for a solution, I stumbled across a long forgotten favorite — a second-hand, but little used Vivitar M42 screw mount 135mm f2.8 lens.

Enter the Vivitar 135 f/2.8 in a M42 mount

I was very familiar with this lens, because the the first axillary lens I ever owned was a near twin in the Minolta X mount. It was fast, light and very easy to handle. I bought it in the mid seventies, and used the lens extensively for more than a decade. I would probably still have it, but some low-life broke into our home and stole a bunch of camera equipment, including the 135.

Here’s the inexpensive Vivitar M42 lens and Minolta 4000AF flash mounted on the Sony A350. Note the Control Grip 1000 that serves as a flash bracket.

I wasn’t seeking this particular lens, but when I found a Vivitar 135 M42 mount on eBay, I realized this could be an excellent lens for indoor sports. With the APS-C crop sensor on the Sony A350, the 135 represents a 192mm equivalent. A 200mm f/2.8 lens, with good image quality and a price of less then $30? I didn’t see how I could go very far wrong with that deal. The fact that I already had a M42 to Minolta A mount adapter made it that much sweeter.

Of course, shooting with a M42 lens on a modern dSLR involves some compromises. Okay, a lot of compromises. I’m planning a full report on the Vivitar 135 M42 lens and I will outline the drawbacks of using a manual M42 lens. While there are some serious downsides to shooting with a M42 lens on the Sony Alpha, the fact is I am getting excellent results with the Vivitar 135.

My initial tests with the 135mm were good, but I decided I needed to add little kick by adding light from a flash. This immediately calls into question the whole idea of using the f/2.8 lens. If you are going to shoot with a flash, why not use the beercan or one of my other f/4 lenses. Surely it wouldn’t be difficult to find a flash that could fully light the players at f/4?

Do you really need a fast lens if you are going to use a flash?

The truth is that at f/4 and ISO 400, anything outside the flash range turns dark. It looks like the team is playing basketball inside a coal mine; or at least in a auditorium whose owners forgot to pay the electric bill. You can “drag the shutter” by shooting at a slower shutter speed, which will relieve the dark background. But if there is enough ambient light, motion steaks in the highlights becomes visible. With a fast lens, I can use a fast shutter speed to freeze the action while the f/2.8 aperture keeps the background nice and bright.

I could have used my Sony HLV-F42AM dedicated flash. Instead, I chose to go with another old relic — a Minolta 4000AF flash.

Common wisdom states that the older Minolta flashes don’t work well with the dSLRS from Sony or Minolta. In this case, common wisdom is way off base. The 4000AF can be made to work very well on the Sony Alpha. It is true the 4000AF won’t work as a dedicated flash on the Sony Alpha. You need to shoot with the flash in the manual mode and you have to tweak the power settings to match the conditions. But it works quite well if you know what you are doing.

I chose the 4000AF because I got a nice deal on a Minolta Control Grip CG-1000 Set and a 4000AF. This allowed me to mount the flash on the CG bracket and use the Sony FA-CC1AM Alpha Off-Camera sync cord to trigger the flash. This combination is far better balanced than shooting with the HLV-F42AM on the hot shoe.

The 4000AF is a powerful flash, so I bounce the flash off the ceiling, Somewhat surprisingly, even though the auditorium ceiling is at least 35 feet above the camera, at ISO 400 bounce lighting from the 4000AF is more than sufficient to fully light the players.

For indoor action, this combination is hard to beat

I intend to follow up the Vivitar 135 report with a second report exploring how to use the 4000AF with the Sony Alpha.

You may wonder just how well this primitive equipment works for shooting indoor sports with a dSLR. The answer is very well indeed. The images look awesome. The telephoto can isolate the emotion on the faces of individual players, and the bounce flash creates wonderful, shadow free lighting.

To shoot in a wide variety of lighting conditions, there is no doubt that a CZ or G lens would offer superior performance. Indoors, under constant lighting, an old M42 lens can easily hold its own against the much better AF lenses. With a little practice and effort, you can create images that look every bit as good at a fraction of the cost.

Stick around. This is going to be interesting.

Technorati Tags
M42 lens
Vivitar
Sony Alpha
4000AF flash
Tom Bonner
Alphatracks

Tweet This Post

Dec. 10, 2008 This time around, I have a question for you. We all know Christmas is coming, with all that entails. Christmas is considered a wonderful time for photographers, with good reason. True photo opportunities abound. What photographer could ignore the lights, decorations and family scenes?

Still, there is something I would like your opinion about. When you are invited to a family get together, do you bring your camera? If so, does the camera interfere with your ability to interact with friends and family?

Can you make top-quality photos and still interact with the family?

Don’t get me wrong. I always bring a camera to parties and family events. Everyone seems to appreciate receiving photos afterward, so I assume my dSLR is as welcome as I am.

There is a problem, however. When I shoot for a client, I try very hard to create the best images I can. If I feel an image could be improved with a different lens or accessory, I actually feel guilty if I don’t make the effort to change lenses or do whatever it takes to produce a better photo.

But what happens at a family event? You aren’t there as a professional, you are there to interact with family and friends. The question is, do you kick back and grab some snapshots, or do you stay in the full-tilt, uber-photographer mode?

Naturally you can do a little of both, but I find the more I strive to take excellent photos in my professional life, the more difficult it is to simply take personal snapshots. Shooting images without thinking through how those images could be improved is completely foreign to me. Habits are hard to break, so when I pick up my camera, it is difficult to switch into a casual shooting mode.

This sometimes puts me at odds with the other members at the party:

“Stop fiddling with that camera and get over here.”

“Hurry up and take that photo…the food is getting cold.”

“Everyone is ready, just take the picture. It doesn’t have to be perfect.”

In addition, there is a tendency for a photographer to be somewhat aloof from the rest of the gathering. While everyone else is gathered around the piano singing carols, you’re up on the staircase trying to capture an image of the entire group. When others are seated around the fire telling stories, you are trying to figure out if placing your camera on an end table will allow you to take a long time exposure of the scene. You are there, but you’re somewhat apart from the rest of the party.

A question of reputation

Then there is the reputation factor. Most professional photographers live and die by their reputation. Sometimes basic snapshots can turn out to be amazing, but most of the time that’s exactly what they are: basic snapshots. What does it say about your reputation if Uncle Albert’s snaps from his point and shoot look about as good as yours?

The party might include people you haven’t seen for some time, people that may have traveled great distances to connect with family members. Can you take time to visit with them and still capture the type of images you want to be known for?

What’s your take? Are you willing to dial down your photo efforts a bit when you attend Christmas parties this year? Or would you rather be a grinch and create professional quality photos — even if it interferes with quality time with family and friends? Or are you able to handle both? Maybe you are able to reel off wonderful photos in between sips of eggnog while catching up with the sister you haven’t seen for three years.

Let me know your opinion on this

I really would like to hear from other photographers on this. I haven’t made up my mind if I will be grinch or a snapshooter this Christmas.

Tweet This Post

The Sony Alpha hot shoe is the best in the business…but where is the radio trigger to fit it?

Nov. 6, 2008 Last time I discussed the A900’s lack of a popup flash and the need for a $500 HLV-F58AM flash unit if you want to trigger the Sony Alpha wireless flash system. The hope is that Sony may offer another method to wirelessly trigger remote flash units with the A900.

Sony could offer some sort of less expensive optical trigger, which would be capable of serving as a master for the Sony wireless system. But why optical? True, the Sony wireless system, derived from the original Minolta optical wireless system, is excellent. Maybe more than excellent. But optical flash systems have limits, which is why most top pros choose wireless radio triggers.

Radio triggers work at longer distances, don’t need to be in line of sight of the camera and work reliably in brightly lighted conditions.

Unfortunately, as as far as I am aware, there are no radio triggers that will attach directly to the Sony Alpha flash shoe. Nor are there receivers designed to attach directly to any of the Sony or Minolta dedicated flash units that are fully compatible with the Alpha dSLRs.

No radio trigger for the Sony hot shoe?

Most(all?) of the radio triggers on the market are designed to attach to the standard, old-style hot shoe employed by the majority of cameras not manufactured by Sony. The receivers either attach to the foot of the older style flash shoe, or plug into the old-style PC sync port. That leaves Sony Alpha users out of luck, unless they attempt to cobble up a home-brew solution utilizing adapters. Setting up a radio trigger system with adapters isn’t rocket-science and I always encourage users to experiment with modding their gear. Still, it is disappointing that no “off-the-shelf” radio trigger is available for the Alpha.

Am I the only one who is flummoxed that Sony hasn’t stepped up to address this deficiency? I mean, this is Sony we are talking about. How many radio engineers do they have on their payroll? They may not be the be-all and end-all when it comes to radio technology, but they come pretty close. Walkman personal stereos, clock radios, component stereo equipment, car receivers, boom boxes, cordless phones… you name a piece of radio equipment; and Sony has probably produced a version of it.

Except, of course, radio triggers to accompany their line of Alpha dSLRs.

It’s not that there isn’t a market out there. The A100 was said to sell 360+ thousand units in the six months it was available in 2006. I don’t have exact sales figures for 2007, but with an entire 12 months to work with and the introduction of the outstanding A700, I have to believe the numbers well exceeded 2006. We are still in 2008, of course, so figures aren’t available, but with the A200, A300, A350 and A900 all joining the A700, it wouldn’t be surprising if Sony dSLR sales easily exceeded both 2006 and 2007 combined. That is a lot of Alphas.

Then there are the Minolta Maxxum dSLRs. The Maxxum 5D and 7D sold well and most of them are still in service. Minolta also sold truck-loads of the non-dSLR Dimage 7 variants, which begat the similar Konica-Minolta Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) cameras; the A1, A2 And A200 (not to be confused with the Sony A200). These units share the same hot shoe and flash circuitry as the Minolta Maxxums, making them fully compatible with the latest flash units from Sony.

There are still millions of Maxxum film cameras hanging around. Film may be all but dead, but the Maxxum 9 film SLRS are still trading for well over $100 – $600 on ebay. Maybe those are being bought by collectors, but I have to believe at least some photographers are buying those used film SLRs to use, not sit in a display case.

Of course, not all of the owners of those millions of cameras are potential flash trigger buyers. Some photographers never use flash, especially off-camera flash. Others are satisfied with the current optical wireless flash available with the dedicated Sony flash units. Still others will fire their off-camera flash with sync cords, or use adapters to use standard radio wireless flash.

Even so, there are have to be a good percentage of users who would be eager to add a Sony brand wireless trigger on their Alpha or Minolta cameras. And don’t forget, Sony is in this dSLR thing for the long-haul. Which means millions more Alpha cameras will appear in the future. How many of those new Alpha owners will be looking for a radio trigger solution?

Radio flash triggers — why aren’t there any to fit the Sony Alpha?

Sooner or later, someone has to step up to the plate and offer a comprehensive radio trigger solution for the Alpha series. I don’t really care who it is…if the PocketWizard folks or Metz, Bowens, Quantum, MicroSync or someone else comes forward with a reliable solution, I would be happy.

But consider Sony’s clear advantages in this area.

In addition to the radio engineering experience I alluded to earlier, Sony owns all the specs, the pin-outs and the internal technology of the Alpha system. The third-party makers have to disassemble off-the-shelf cameras and flashes to determine this information, and they have to hope they don’t miss something significant.

Sony also has access to all the special components: flash shoes, dedicated sync connectors, etc. If you are a third-party vendor, you have manufacture your own components, since you can’t just order a package of components from a supplier somewhere.

Finally, Sony has a huge built-in advantage in brand recognition. When the third-party makers create a radio trigger for the old style flash shoe, they can sell the same basic unit to Canon, Nikon, Pentax and other shooters. If Nikon or Canon were to develop their own trigger, the third party vendors would still have plenty of other customers. If they develop an Alpha shoe radio trigger, the only people they can sell it to are Sony (and Minolta) shooters. That is fine…unless Sony steps up with their own branded solution.

Could any radio trigger maker compete with Sony?

If Sony enters the fray, how does a third-party trigger maker compete in the Alpha arena? Sony’s Alpha components are generally excellent, so you probably won’t be able to beat Sony on quality or performance.

Sony will probably also beat the third-party makers on appearance. True, the look of a radio trigger device has no impact on it’s performance, but you can’t argue that a trigger with a matching finish and a big orange Alpha logo won’t be more appealing to the majority of Alpha shooters.

That leaves price as the only way a third-party maker could compete against Sony. But here Sony holds all the cards. Sony generally prices their stuff on the high side, but if they wanted to compete against a third-party interloper. all they have to do is come in somewhere close to the other guy’s list price.

I don’t have any hard figures, but I would guess that if most Alpha users had their choice, they would buy a Sony brand trigger, even it it was ten or twenty dollars more expensive. Even if the Sony product was thirty or forty dollars more, Sony would probably still outsell it’s competitors. To compete against Sony in the radio trigger arena, you would probably have to price your trigger at least $50 less than Sony.

Sony, of course, is in the driver’s seat. They could bring their mythical product in at a price point where no high-quality aftermarket trigger could compete.

Of course, this is simply my own musing. I have no idea if or when Sony will offer an Alpha radio trigger. I don’t know if any of the third-party makers are really taking a look at offering a dedicated Alpha radio trigger.

Interestingly enough, two separate Alphatracks readers: Paulo Rodrigues and a reader named Dave, commented on my earlier post to explain how they rigged up a wireless radio flash system for the Alpha hot shoe. You can see their DIY flash trigger notes here. I have been considering an attempt at something similar. If I do, I will do a full report on Alphatracks.

I am convinced that the market is there and the A900, with it’s lack of a built-in optical trigger, creates a real need for this sort of product. Sooner or later, someone has to address the need.

Are you listening, Sony?

Technorati Tags

Radio flash trigger
Sony Alpha flash trigger
dSLR photography
digital camera
Alpha A900
Tom Bonner
Alphatracks

Tweet This Post

Will Sony provide a way to trigger the wireless optical flash system other than with the HLV-F58AM?

Nov. 4, 2008: At long last, the A900 is starting to wind its way into the hands of eager photographers and it looks to be every bit as sweet a camera as we hoped. Of course it is hard to miss with a 24.6mp full frame dSLR, but it appears that Sony has exceeded most people’s expectations.

There are plenty of other sites discussing the A900, and I will be offering up my 2 cents as well. Today, however, I want to talk about options for triggering a remote flash with the A900.

This post came about because, as expected, the new A900 doesn’t not have a popup flash. Not a big concern, as the top level dSLRs from other makers don’t include a popup flash either. Pros seldom, if ever use flash units located directly above the lens axis, so why design a pro-level camera with a popup that will never be used? Besides, the flash might not fit so well with the A900’s impressive looking pentaprism.

There is just one fly in the ointment. All the past Sony dSLRs, as well as the dSLRs from Minolta were equipped with a popup flash. All these cameras use the popup as a trigger for the Sony/Minolta wireless flash system. It is a good thing those cameras had the popup, because until recently, the popup was the only way to trigger the wireless flash system. Some of the older external Minolta flashes could act as trigger for other flash units in the wireless mode, but that only worked with film cameras. In the dSLR arena, the only trigger for Sony or Minolta wireless flash units was with the built in flash. Which as I already mentioned; the A900 is lacking..

Fear not, the A900 supports wireless flash, when equipped with the brand new HLV-F58-AM flash unit. The 58AM can serve as a flash trigger for any flash in the Sony Alpha system.

The HLV-F58AM lists just south of $500, and since it is brand spanking new, you will probably have to pay the full sticker if you want the privilege of using wireless flash with your new A900.

That isn’t to say the HLV-F58AM isn’t worth the price, but who wants to shell out all that cash just to use that top-of-line flash unit as a lowly flash trigger?

Consider the poor guy who already has a collection of Sony and Minolta D series flash units. To use them wirelessly, he has to buy yet another flash unit. The kicker is the F58AM specs make it hands-down the best flash available for the Sony Alpha. If you use it a s a flash trigger, however, you don”t get the benefits of all that power and multi-jointed flexibility. With the Sony wireless system, if you use the trigger to fire two or more remote flashes, the trigger fires before the exposure so that the trigger’s light doesn’t spoil the lighting setup. That’’s all well and good, however, it means if you buy a HLV-F58AM to trigger multiple wireless flashes from your A900, your newest and very best flash can’t be used to light the scene. it can only be used as a trigger. Unless you are sufficiently well healed to be in a position to acquire an A900 and multiple copies of the F58AM.

Now I fully expect to hear from someone pointing out that: “If you can afford a new A900, I guess you have enough cash to add a F5AM or two.”

That isn’t how it works in real life. Sure, there will be some people who have a fat enough wallet that they can afford three A900s; one for the summer house, one for the winter house and another one to use while traveling between the two. But there are many shooters who have to scrimp and save to snare a copy of a A900, For these photographers, digging up another half-grand for a flash trigger represents somewhat of a hardship.

Of course pro photographers can shell out for any piece of equipment they need, right? In reality, pros have to watch their expenses just like anyone else. There is an old joke that “only wealthy amateurs can afford pro photography equipment.” It is simplistic statement, but there is more than a grain of truth there. Working professionals have a whole raft of stuff to spend their cash on. In addition to cameras and lenses, there are any number of things like computers, software, marketing, studio rent, lighting equipment and much more that can eat up the budget. What’s another five bills on top of that overhead? For some pros, it’s a lot.

It is possible that Sony could offer develop some optional, less-expensive way to trigger the wireless flash system, but for the moment it appears its the HLV-58AM or nothing.

Hmm… maybe there is another option. That will be the topic of my next post….

Technorati Tags:

Sony Alpha A900
wireless optical flash
HLV-F58AM
flash trigger
Alphatracks
Tom Bonner

Tweet This Post

Sony has just announced their “flagship flash unit” the HLV-F58AM. You can’t buy yet, but it will be on dealer shelves in September.

We knew it was coming, but details were rather sparse. Now we know the new flash unit will have a guide number of 58 (when the head is zoomed out to 105mm).

Sony says the new HLV-F58AM will arrive in September.

Speaking of the zoom flash head, the new flash knows whether it is illuminating a full frame sensor (think Alpha A900) or a APS-C size sensor and will zoom accordingly.

The big display on the back looks easy to read, and there is a mini joy stick controller to change settings. Naturally it offers TTL, HSS and ADI, as well as manual settings. Sony says the High Speed Sync on the HLV-F58AM can use shutter speed os /500 to 1/4000 second.

The HLV-F58AM features Sony’s new quick shift bounce feature, which allows the entire body of the flash to orbit like a fan to the left and right, in addition to the usual bounce and swivel capabilities.

The flash also includes a modeling light and a stroboscopic setting that will fire multiple times during an exposure, creating an in-camera multiple exposure of moving subjects.

Sony also claims the new unit will recharge 55% more quickly than the older HLV-F56AM. There is also a claim that the electronic whine has been done away with. Sony apparently thinks that is a good thing, but I always relied on that high-pitched whine to know my flash was charging properly. I guess I will get used to it, but to me, that whine was a feature, not a bug!

Like all Sony flashes the HLV-F58AM supports wireless flash — and apparently it can serve as a controller as well as a slave. (More on that next time.)

Like the dSLRs it will be matched with, the new flash will have a large, easy to read LCD and a joy stick controller

Finally, Sony has also announced the price. Earlier this week I brought you news that the price of the older HLV-F36AM flash unit dropped to $199. Sony gives and takes it seems. The new flagship flash will be priced at $500 — not outrageous for a flash with all these capabilities — but much higher than the HLV-F56AM.

Tweet This Post

I just noticed that Sony has sliced $100 off the list price of the HVL-F36AM flash unit over at Sony Style. The F36AM has carried a list price of $299, ever since Sony acquired Minolta’s assets and re-badged the Minolta 3600HS(D) as the Alpha HLV F36AM.

Today, the Sony Style page has a line through the $299 price and a $199 price tag appears next to it. Sony has not said this is a permanent price reduction, but it look like it might be. Considering the recently introduced HLV-42AM is equal or better than the F36AM in almost every category, and that the F42AM also carries a $299 price tag, Sony couldn’t have been selling many F36AM units. Who would buy the F36AM when they could buy the F42AM for the same price?

Besides the difference in guide numbers, (36 of the old flash, 42 for the new) the F42AM has a greater zoom range, swivels 180 degrees and offers white balance assist. Even more importantly, the F42AM offers manual control, while the F36AM can only be controlled by the camera. With all the extras the F42AM offers, the F36AM was really starting to look over priced. Knocking A hundred bucks off makes it start to look much more attractive.

Naturally, I would prefer the extra swivel and the manual control of the F42AM, especially if it was my primary flash unit. But the lower price of the F36AM is good news for any Alpha dSLR shooter.

The F36AM is compatible with the F42AM and F56AM wireless flash units, so if you are trying to assemble a multiple wireless flash set up, the cost of entry just got less expensive. You could pair a couple of F36AM with a F42Am or F56AM main units and have a very nice wireless setup. Neither the F36AM or the F42AM can be used to control a wireless setup, so you would need to either use the camera’s built in flash or use a F56AM as a master.

The lower price of the F36AM is also a bonus to Alpha shooters who want an external flash but just couldn’t justify laying out $300 for the privilege. All of a sudden, it is possible to buy a Sony brand flash for less than $200.

I would want the manual and swivel features that come with the F42AM. Still, for those just starting out, the F36AM does provide many good features. The head doesn’t swivel, but is does pivot so you can use bounce flash. It features ADI, so a Sony Alpha dSLR can control it from the hot shoe. It also has autofocus assist lamp, enhancing focusing in dim light. And if you purchase the FA-CS1AM flash shoe from Sony, you can add a cable socket to the F36AM, giving you off camera flash capability.

This fills a big hole in the Sony flash lineup, especially for those just starting out. You either had to spend a princely sum on a Sony branded flash, or try to cobble up something off ebay that you hoped would work with the Sony/Minolta hot shoe.

If Sony extend the price cuts to dealers, many of which discount equipment below the suggested list price, you may be able to pick up a Sony brand ADI flash for well under $200.

I like it.

Tweet This Post

Last week, reader Tony Bombardo contacted me regarding Sony’s high-end electronic flash unit, the HVL-F56AM. Or should I say former high-end flash unit…as of this writing the HVL-F56AM is missing in action at the Sony Style website. Under flashes and lights, you find the HVL-F36AM and the new HVL-F42AM units, but the F56AM is no where to be found.

So what’s happening with the HVL-F56AM? I know it was listed on Sony Style a couple of days before, because I was ordering some accessories and it was there as big as life. Now it’s gone.

Well, almost gone.. I found that if your order a dSLR, the HVL-F56AM still shows up as an available accessory. I’m not sure if you can actually order the unit, but as of yesterday, if you were buying a camera it was still listed. I also found that if you click on the specs for the F42AM, you can find a sidebar link to the F56AM. That link indicates it is in stock for shipment. The HVL-56AM does not appear in the list under the flashes and lights category.

Sony hasn’t said the HVL-F56AM has been discontinued. So what happened to it? The brand new HVL-F42AM offers most of the features of the HVL-F56AM, and is priced at $299. The HVL-F56AM’s most recent list price was $449.

I don’t have any hard information from Sony, but if I had to guess there are two things going on here. First, the HVL-F42AM offers almost the same features at $150 less. Admittedly, the HVL-F56AM has a guide number of 56, while the HVL-F42AM has a lower guide number of 46. The HVL-F42AM is more or less equal to the HVL-F56AM in most other respects. I suppose that 14 guide units might be worth $150 is some cases, but for most people the HVL-F42AM will appear to a be a better value.

Is the just released HVL-42AM Sony’s current high-end electronic flash?.

The second aspect is that Sony has indicated that there will be a flagship flash unit to accompany the new flagship dSLR. I don’t have specs on the yet to be announced Alpha flagship flash, but I have to believe a electronic flash unit billed s the flagship will have to be superior to all current Sony and Minolta electronic flash units.

At the same time, how much higher could Sony price the flagship flash? It would have to be considerably higher than the HVL-F56AM at $449, otherwise who would buy the HVL-F56AM at the expense of the flagship? On the other hand, if they reduced the ticket on the HVL-F56AM, it would cut into sales of the HVL-F42AM and the HVL-F36AM.

So Sony (apparently) chose to axe the HVL-F56AM. Maybe sales of the more expensive unit were flat. Or maybe Sony needed the production facilities to start building the flagship flash.

Does this mean the flagship will be coming sooner than this fall? Or will the new flash unit be released before flagship dSLR? Since the the upcoming dSLR will be full frame, its possible the new flash will cover a wider angle, since one of the reasons for shooting with a full frame dSLR is the opportunity to shoot with a full complement of wide angle lenses,

Of course, this could be a simple mix-up. Someone at Sony redesigned the web page and happened to leave the F56AM off the main flashes and lights order page. Maybe Sony just had a temporary shortage of HVL-F56AM units and the F56AM will appear on Sony Style in the future.

On the other hand, if I really wanted a HVL-F56AM, I mean I really wanted one, I would start looking around to find a merchant that still has a new HVL-F56AM in stock.

Tweet This Post

What a difference a year makes. At the 2007 PMA show Sony Alpha dSLR line was shunned by most of the press. There were no great announcements, although Sony did show off two mockups of yet unnamed dSLRs. The “Advanced Amateur” model eventually came to pass as the A700, while the tantalizing “flagship” is still waiting to be released. Other than the concept cameras, which Sony refused to elaborate on, there wasn’t much to see. The press lavished tons of coverage to other major and minor dSLR offerings, but except for the few A-mount sites and forums, Sony was just a postscript at PMA 2007.

Sony was not about to let that happen again. The 2008 PMA show was packed with Sony and Sony Alpha dLSR news. Of course everyone is still talking about the incredible 24mp, full-frame sensor that Sony announced, and the introduction of not one but two new live view dSLR bodies caught a lot of people by surprise. The A300 and A350 are a huge shot in the arm to the Alpha line, and should go a long way to convince potential customers that Sony is serious about playing in the dSLR arena.

In the excitement of the huge sensor and live-view SLR announcements, many observers may have overlooked Sony’s release of several new dSLR accessories.

Sony will add a new flash unit to their existing Alpha flashes.

The first totally new Sony Alpha Flash unit, the HVL-F42AM, will be available in the near future. The other Flashes in Sony’s line up appear to be re-badged versions of Minolta flash units. That isn’t a bad thing, Minolta’s wireless flash system was considered by many to be excellent.

The new HVL-F42AM might appear to be a middle of the road unit, filling the gap between the the HVL-F36AM (GN 36) and the big HVL-F56AM (GN 56). While the new flash’s guide number of 42 does place between the current two Sony shoe mount flash units, the HVL-F42AM has an zoom range of 24-105mm. You can cover up to a 16mm lens with wide angle adapter. The current flashes in the Sony catalog offer a range of 24-85mm and the adapter covers 17mm.

As usual, Mike Hohner seems to have an inside track on Sony’s latest products. Here is Hohner’s “Flash tech data for Sony Alpha HVL-F42AM” page.

There is also a Sony Europe press release covering the PMA announcement floating about. Here’s what the release has to say:

With wireless, ADI and manual modes, plus a full range of tilt and swivel possibilities, the new flash unit sounds like it might be an excellent addition to any A-mount user’s camera bag.

Then there are the lenses. Although technically not a PMA announced product, Sony’s latest two lenses were introduced on the eve of the show, so they might as well be considered new PM products. Both of the new lenses use SSM technology for quicker auto focusing.

Say hello to the Carl Zeiss® 24-70mm f/2.8 lens

Coming this spring, the $1,700 Vario Sonnar T* 24-70mm f/2.8 ZA is a very-fast, wide to mid range zoom lens. According to the Sony release:

The second new lens, also available this spring, is the $800 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G-series zoom.

The SAL70300G lens incorporates the optical performance of Sony’s G series in a compact and flexible telephoto zoom lens ideal for sports and portrait photography. Constructed of 16 elements in 11 groups, with one extra-low dispersion element, this lens offers superb contrast and sharpness across its wide focal length range.

The use of extra-low dispersion glass compensates for chromatic aberrations which challenge long telephoto zoom lens design, maintaining excellent optical characteristics from center to periphery. Internal focus construction not only realizes compact size, but also a close focusing capability of just 47 inches (1.2m), unusual for a lens of this focal length range.

New 70-300 G-series SSM Alpha mount lens

Like the SAL2470Z, focus drive is provided by Sony’s Super Sonic wave Motor (SSM) technology. Silent and highly accurate, the SSM system is ideal for providing larger lenses with the speed and rotational precision often required by telephoto shooting. To match auto focus operation to the situation, a focus range limiter can be set to a minimum distance of three meters. A lens barrel mounted focus hold button locks focus if desired.

These lenses are good ammunition to use against those who imply that Sony doesn’t offer sufficient quality glass to complete against the “established camera makers.” We will have to wait to see how these lenses perform in the real world, but it sounds like they could hold their own against anything similar from other manufacturers.

Next up, the new vertical grip. Again this isn’t technically a PMA product, as it was announced along with the A200. The grip is available now at a lest price of $249.00 (less batteries). The PM news is that it is compatible with the A300 and the A350, as well as the original A200. This provides a great deal of flexibility if you trade up or add second body in the A200-A350 family. It does not fit the A700, which has it’s own specific vertical grip, and will not fit the A100 style bodies.

With the PMA announcements, Sony has taken a major step forward in it’s quest to become a major player in the dSLR realm. Many observers have relegated the Sony Alpha as niche product, offering some nice features but unable to compete against the big name dSLR makers. Sony continues to add luster to its brand, unhurriedly creating a dSLR system that can compete against the best of the best. As these products begin to gain momentum in the marketplace, watch for Sony to assume a dominate role as a dSLR maker.

Read the complete Sony Alpha Europe Press release

Technorati Tags:
A300, Alphatracks, Photography, Sony Alpha, Tom Bonner

Tweet This Post