Question on this flash (for Sony)

[Jace]

FRYS.com | Sony


I realize it's not top of the line, or probably even close, but being as I just spent a lot on the camera itself, I need to go the cheaper route for the moment. That being said, would this flash do for now for portraits and such? If that makes no sense, I mean will it be better than what is on board, with the bounce feature and such.

Thanks for any and all opinions/advice!

 

[kassad]

It will be better than what's on board the camera. Though I think it will be frustratingly underpowered for portrait work. Are you looking to studio type portraits?

 

[Jace]

I.... guess so. I'm really new to all this, but I figured in order to practice I need some actual equipment. About what power do you think is the minimum I can get away with?

 

[KmH]

Flash power output is described by the units Guide Number (GN) number: Guide number - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Notice that the GN you need is a function on the distance to your subject and the aperture you want to use.

GN = distance x f-number.

You can do some basic algebra and also derive that

f-number = GN / distance

and that distance = GN / f-number

When doing portraiture a light's output is often modified to make it apparently larger, which softens the light and allows the light to 'wrap' around the subject reducing the sharpness of any shadows cast.
Consequently, some light is lost through scattering or diffusion. How much is lost depends on the type of light modifier being used.

Some modifiers increase the distance the light has to travel to reach the subject, like the difference between using an umbrella in reflectedas opposed to shoot-through mode. Another example would be using light bounced off a ceiling. The total distance is from the flash unit up to the ceiling and back down to the subject.

It is better to have to much light, than not enough.

Another consideration related to hot shoe flash unit power is recycle time. Recycle time is how long it takes the main capacitor to recharge.

A high quality flash unit containing fully charged batteries, when fired at full power, will take 4 seconds or longer to fully recharge. The lower the power setting you can use the faster the flash unit can recharge. The more powerful the hot shoe flash unit, the more likely you can use it at less than full power.

You have another issue you need to be aware of.

Sony does not use the industry standard ISO 518:2006 hot shoe design. Sony still uses the odd-ball iISO hot shoe design it inherited when they bought Konica-Minolta's camera business.

That seriously reduces your hot shoe flash options.

 

[Jace]

Does that mean that I could possibly find an older minolta brand flash, and it would fit the hot shoe?

 

[SJGordon]

There are several that will fit... but only a couple that would give you the benefits you get with a newer flash unit. This is a link I have used while looking for a different unit for my cameras.

I have hated Minolta/Sony hot shoe design since some imbecile thought it was a good idea to change it to something NOBODY else had... or will have.