Getting flash to fire without on board flash up? (A500)

I don't know the a500, but Sony cameras usually issue the sync pulse whenever the shutter opens (perhaps not if there is a menu setting for Flash Off?).

If the a500 is different, perhaps you could put an adapter (e.g. Pixel TF 323) on the shoe, which would raise your transmitter high enough to allow the pop-up to rise fully?

I thought an adapter would work as well, but it seems that nearly any attatchment impeads the on board flash. I have never noticed since my hot shoe flashes in the past have always fired when I wanted them to.

I know the sync is with the shutter, but I cant seem to find an ability to make sure it sends the signal to the hot shoe when it is not recognizing that there is something there (my best guess why it isnt registering in the first place).

Trying to get it to work more, I have been able to change my flash to on in my flash menu settings. The problem is that on screen (shot details since I dont use the screen for image preview) it shows that the flash is disabled. Only until the on board flash is about 75% raised does it show flash is on. But the shoe only allows it to open about 30%

Hi Stolf,

I'm afraid I'm not offering any assistance with your question but rather hoping I could pick you brains.

I also own an a500 and am new to flash photography. It is obviously a dates camera and I belive the hot shoe on it is different to the industry standard?

What make and model of flash would you recommend to a beginner or just shoot for a hobby?

I appreciate any assistance or advice you could give.

Thanks

If you want a flash with the native (iISO) shoe, you are probably going to have to choose a used one. A good choice would be a Minolta 3600HS(D) or 5600HS(D), or the Sony equivalents HVL-F36AM and 56AM.

This link should be helpful. You want a flash which is "digital ready" and does not have the multi-interface shoe (unless you want to use an adapter)

I'm pretty sure my A550 would trigger manual flashes perfectly without the pop-up being up via the PC socket at the side. That's how the PC socket is supposed to work, how it did work on old SLRs. I can't remember whether flash settings in the menu affected it, but it was definitively not necessary to have the pop-up up. I'd be surprised if the very similar A500 was different in that respect.

First, I have a few questions:

• What kind of RF trigger are you using?
• How is the RF trigger connected to the camera?
• What is the setting on the camera (fill flash or wireless operation)?

Chris Malcolm said:

I'm pretty sure my A550 would trigger manual flashes perfectly without the pop-up being up via the PC socket at the side. That's how the PC socket is supposed to work, how it did work on old SLRs.

Click to expand...

Neither the A550 nor the OP's A500 has a PC connector at all.

The OP appears to be saying that the hot shoe refuses to work without the pop-up flash being raised... which makes no sense. I've certainly never heard anyone report such a thing before. If that were the case, how could shoe-mounted flashes ever work?

sybersitizen said:

Chris Malcolm said:

I'm pretty sure my A550 would trigger manual flashes perfectly without the pop-up being up via the PC socket at the side. That's how the PC socket is supposed to work, how it did work on old SLRs.

Click to expand...

Neither the A550 nor the OP's A500 has a PC connector at all.

Click to expand...

Doh! You're right! I forgot that with the A550 I used to get the PC connection from a hot shoe converter with PC socket built into the side. Which of course proves as you point out below that the hot shoe must provide the PC sync with the shutter.

sybersitizen said:

The OP appears to be saying that the hot shoe refuses to work without the pop-up flash being raised... which makes no sense. I've certainly never heard anyone report such a thing before. If that were the case, how could shoe-mounted flashes ever work?

Click to expand...

Thank you for the info.

Will read up, looks like it's tricky to get one in store where I am. Second hand looks the way to go.

Appreciate it.

Without knowing all the details of the gear you're trying to use, I'll just observe that when using either my Paul Buff CyberSync radio triggers or my Sunpak 383 Super flash--anything other than a Minolta D-type dedicated flash with a Minolta i-type foot--on my A580, nothing happens unless I follow the proper sequence. IIRC, to make it work, I have to do this:

1. Connect the radio trigger or flash to the Minolta FS-1100 adapter (which adapts ISO-type feet on the radio trigger or flash to the Minolta i-type shoe on the camera).

2. Turn on the flash.

3. Turn on the camera.

4. Mount the FS-1100 with the attached radio trigger or flash to the camera.

To be clear, 2 and 3 are interchangeable in order.

Even if you're using a radio trigger or flash that does not require an FS-1100 adapter (i.e., one built for the Minolta i-type shoe on your A500), you may still need to have both the trigger or flash and the camera turn on before connecting them.

Also: whether you don't need any adapter, or need an FS-1100, or need an FS-1200, is a topic for another thread. For present purposes, it suffices to say that I know the A500 comes with the Minolta i-type hot shoe, as does my A580. Also, while there are some third-party triggers and flashes that have a Minolta i-type foot, the vast majority do not, meaning an FS-1100 adapter (or a knock-off) is required.

Stolf said:

I thought an adapter would work as well, but it seems that nearly any attatchment impeads the on board flash. I have never noticed since my hot shoe flashes in the past have always fired when I wanted them to.

I know the sync is with the shutter, but I cant seem to find an ability to make sure it sends the signal to the hot shoe when it is not recognizing that there is something there (my best guess why it isnt registering in the first place).

Trying to get it to work more, I have been able to change my flash to on in my flash menu settings. The problem is that on screen (shot details since I dont use the screen for image preview) it shows that the flash is disabled. Only until the on board flash is about 75% raised does it show flash is on. But the shoe only allows it to open about 30%

Click to expand...

This is a bit of a late reply, but I have just absorbed your last paragraph:

The flash will show as disabled because the camera does not recognise the adapter or radio trigger as a co-operating flash. Nevertheless, it should still issue the sync signal via the hot-shoe. All you need do is ignore the flash information. Keep the pop-up down and try it!

--
Ian

The flash will show as disabled because the camera does not recognise the adapter or radio trigger as a co-operating flash. Nevertheless, it should still issue the sync signal via the hot-shoe. All you need do is ignore the flash information. Keep the pop-up down and try it!

Please see my response below. I think to make the camera recognize the adapter or radio trigger--even for the limited purpose of triggering, without any other control--you need to follow the specific sequence I listed. Although I agree with you that "it should still issue the sync signal via the hot-shoe," in fact it does not, except under certain circumstances. Or at least, that is my experience, which is the same on the A580 and before that on the Maxxum 5D.