Anyone has "portable" sony HVL-F20AM flash, review?

[007peter]

Anyone here has bought the cheap & portable Sony HVL-F20AM flash?

• Your experience: postive & negatives
• 2x AA batteries?
• Does it cure the lazy-eyed problem that I used to encounter with my KM5D + KM 5600hsflash?

Looking for any input you can provide me. Thanks

 

[007peter]

No one this this portable flash?

 

[Glenn]

I got to try a pre production version. it worked well it's very compact I never had the battery compartment open but I assume it has 2 AA's in there. the lazy eye problem is probably more the camera than the flash. none of the Sony cameras produce it or very rarely do beyond the A100. There was one fellow here that did show pictures with groups of people where some blinked but I don't remember many other complaints about it recently , or with the new flashes/cameras
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http://www.fotosource.com/downloads/flyer/eye_cancer_en_CA.pdf

 

[chych]

Some people are more affected by it than others, and I still get it at times on my a700 with the F56am, so I just fire in manual mode to avoid the pre-flash, and thus no lazy eye.

 

[iibo]

I'm using this flash on vacation right now with an A850, bought it at Adorama just before I left. Unfortunately I haven't really put it through its paces but so far it's idiot-proof. Size is about like a deck of cards. No lazy eye so far, I'll try to test that a bit more for you today. Takes 2X AA confirmed.

 

[eric burrows]

I have one and it takes two AAA batteries, not AA. I haven't used it in anger yet but have done some tests with my A900. It has about as much power as a built in flash, so is not much chop as a serious flash. It is small enough to leave on my camera if I think that I may need it and it switches on just by raising it. The F20AM controls my other flashes wirelessly with no problems, I did take some test shots using one of my other flashes as the main light with the F20AM triggering it and also acting as a fill flash. I bought it because the A900 does not have a built in flash and also to trigger my other Sony flashes. It does what I wanted it to do so I'm happy but I would not want it as my only flash.
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eric burrows

 

[woofw]

Hi,

does it work with the f56 as wireless? It would save alot of money in getting another F56.
thanks
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woofw

 

[Woody55]

its a great little flash, little more grunt than the on camera one and is higher so no redeye, it was made to trigger most of the Sony flashes, but only when mounted on the a900. it wont trigger anything when mounted on the a700. But still and convenient little unit, and is great for inside work around home where you don't need the distance. But be aware, as it only take 2 x aaa, it seems like you are changing batteries every five minutes.
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http://www.gngwood.zenfolio.com

 

[caporip]

Agree with all eric says just got mine mainly as a wireless trigger for my A900 so will be playing about with it over the weekend to see what it can do. It does take AAA batteries and I have ordered rechargeable ones as i suspect it will get through them quick!

Richard
--

Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too? - Douglas Adams
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rb56/

 

[Photorer]

There is very little difference flash control wise between the A700 and the A900 as far as I know.

Is there no way it can be used to trigger other flashes on the A700??

It seems a bit of a waste of effort if it can't!
--
Still not enough time to take pictures....... Is there ever?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/photorer/ http://www.afripixel.com

 

[007peter]

Hi,

does it work with the f56 as wireless? It would save alot of money in getting another F56.

Reading Sony Style.com, it says that F20am flash work WIRELESSLY only with A900 camera. Why is that? The spec sheet didn't say anything about A850, but I'm assuming A850 should have this ability as well since its a A900 lite.

 

[eric burrows]

It was an F56 that I was using as a slave to try the system out.

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eric burrows

 

[007peter]

Thank you. Waiting for your mini-review. How is the re-charge rate using just 2 AA?

I'm using this flash on vacation right now with an A850, bought it at Adorama just before I left. Unfortunately I haven't really put it through its paces but so far it's idiot-proof. Size is about like a deck of cards. No lazy eye so far, I'll try to test that a bit more for you today. Takes 2X AA confirmed.

 

[eric burrows]

I should have mentioned earlier that Gary Friedmans last newsletter gives his mostly positive thoughts on the F20AM. He also gives details of a modification that he has done to it. This newsletter made me finally decide to bite the bullet and get one. You can find the newsletter on his site.

eric burrows

 

[iibo]

Sorry, I threw a couple of Eneloops in before leaving and would have bet my pinkie they were AAs, then I saw Eric's post and had to open up the battery compartment before realizing they were AAAs.

In a few hundred shots so far, I've seen lazy eye in my girlfriend only once. The longest recharge time I've experienced is about 15 seconds, but in typical use it's less than that. I'm not a flash expert (obviously) but its performance has been excellent so far considering its size and cost. I'm going to buy the 58 when I get back, but this one is great for travel.

Thank you. Waiting for your mini-review. How is the re-charge rate using just 2 AA?

I'm using this flash on vacation right now with an A850, bought it at Adorama just before I left. Unfortunately I haven't really put it through its paces but so far it's idiot-proof. Size is about like a deck of cards. No lazy eye so far, I'll try to test that a bit more for you today. Takes 2X AA confirmed.

 

[Neil V]

http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/sony-hvlf20am-bought-heres-a-report_topic49630.html

--
Neil
http://thewarmland.com

 

[Rockhound]

Apparently the pivot switch can be fooled also to fire in the down position. You simply need a small magnet straped/taped onto the flash pivot to keep it on. Then you can use it as a macro flash.

 

[Neil V]

Apparently the pivot switch can be fooled also to fire in the down position. You simply need a small magnet straped/taped onto the flash pivot to keep it on. Then you can use it as a macro flash.

Yep, that was originally posted here a while back. It's the whole reason I bought the flash...

--
Neil
http://thewarmland.com

 

[calijente]

I have one and use it exclusively to trigger wirelessly my HVL-36, -42 and -56 with my A 900. It works great! I am quite sure it can only be used as a commander, not as a slave.

Battery life is excellent when used as a commander only.

It is small and light, you almost don’t feel it on A900. It saved me from buying a heavy and much more expensive HVL-58 for trigger-only purposes.

I find it too week for most indoor settings when used as the only flash on A900. Of course, it is better than nothing though.

Axe

 

[robfitsy]

It's 2xAAA (not AA), the design is very good. Better than no flash. The only thing I don't like is that is doesn't seem to want to sync faster then 1/200s (no HSS), so this might be an issue if you need fill flash in bright daylight at wide apertures.