sony hvl-f43am

Hopefully when the 43 comes out the 42 will get discounted...

The model number generally is (or is close to) the Guide Number. - TF

I had managed to somehow get a new HVL-42AM from a third party on Amazon for $180 back in September. Didn't realize at the time what a good price that was. I wonder how much this new one will be? The portrait position on the 42 is a bit annoying and the 43 apparently addresses that issue (may be the only thing, in fact).

Cool! First time I have seen a name associated with it.

What I'd like to know, is why didn't you get a shot of the new a7xx xxxx?

Argote wrote: I like the fact that it has a screen, better than the lights on my F42AM

I wonder if that means it will work as a controller like the 58 does on the A900/A850.

matthiaspaul wrote: I'm not impressed. Like the HVL-F58AM it lacks the snap on mount for bounce reflectors or flash filters, some of the most useful flash accessories IMHO. The last flash to support this was the HVL-F56AM. Since adding this mount won't cost a single cent more in production, I just don't get it why Sony is leaving out such important features, in particular after this has been communicated to Sony representatives so many times...

Such kind of improvements (something that like so many other things Sony dropped somehow in their development) do really require a different kind of userbase than current Sony one.
I rarely saw any serious, objective and constructive critic on hvl-58 for example and most of the time such discussions was done between (too) few of us anyway.
For a company like Sony, a much louder voice is needed to work on "small things".

fem2008 wrote: I was hoping to see a Sony flash with manual power control down to 1/128, but 22 steps?

I guess 22 steps do include 1/3 ones. If true then what we get is indeed 1/128.

fem2008 wrote: I wonder if they are adding flash exposure compensation build in like Nikon?

And here we are at the same old problem; consistency. Having hvl-58 and hvl43 with different control settings is wrong way to do it.

When hvl-58 came out i was really disappointing Sony didn't changed the logic behind the controls and make them more intuitive (yes .. if i must .. more nikon like). Hvl-58 was different enough to provide an excellent moment to do things right but Sony didn't done it. And now, they have the problem once again of keeping the old system or not having consistency between various flash models).
If i was a Sony boss i would bring hvl-43 AND "hvl-58MKII" on the market with new, more intuitive controls and more competitive package (hvl-58 as a "flagship model" is significantly behind what other manufacturers do provide for the money IMHO, especially for those that use their flashes in different way than just putting it on the camera in auto mode)

But ... i really need to return to my first statement from this post; i don't think there is enough demand in sony alpha userbase for flash units that are on pair or even better with the best ones on the market.

Well, at least, i believe they sorted out the hvl-42 stand-by bug that prevented hvl-42 to be used with wireless receivers without putting it on the camera hot shoe first