Sony HVLF32X External AutoProgrammable Flash for MVCCD500D, DSCV1/V3/R1 Cameras

I got my Sony DSC F828 a year and a half ago and have wanted an external flash for it since day one. The Sony HVLF32X is easy to use and I love the fact that you can change its angles for direct flash or ambient lighting. For this camera, the cable isn't needed so I just slid it on to the hot shoe location and it was good to go. It does have a decent turnaround between pictures, fast enough for me and I have a tendency to keep clicking.

I haven't used it a whole lot, but so far I enjoy its ability to brighten pictures up without making them look like you're using a flash. I'm still an amateur but I think the quality of my pictures will greatly improve with the use of the flash - much more effective than the flash on my camera.

This flash is definitely worth the money if it's an accessory you are interested in.

Sony HVLF32X External AutoProgrammable Flash for MVCCD500D, DSCV1/V3/R1 Cameras this flash unit is very easy to set up and use. just make sure your camera is off when you attach the flash unit, otherwise it will not work right for a minute or two. read instructions. it comes with a built in diffuser stashed in the top of the flash body. the pictures i've taken with the HVLF32X blows the built in away, like night and day. the improvement is greater than i expected, with the diffuser and the pivoting flash head i can eliminate shadows and no more uneven light saturation on the subject or object you are shooting. this an easy way to improve your flash pictures especially if your an amature like myself. also comes with a side extension rig that mounts under the camera where the tripod goes, then the tripod mounts to the flash rig if you choose. very versetile unit. i am very happy with my purchase, the improvement in my photo's exceeds the cost of the HVLF32X. ps. it also adapts to the lenses you use in your camera.

This flash is very well built and the controls are better than other name-brand flashes I've owned and used. I've used it with an R1 and a V3. At GN 32, it's powerful enough to bounce, yet not so powerful it drains the four AA cells too quickly. It has the best shoe lock I've ever used - there's a little pin in the foot that drops into a tiny hole in the hotshoe. It's wide angle diffuser lives permanently inside the unit, sliding out and clicking into place with ease. The flash is very good close-up, very good outdoors against the light. Sony's sophisticated flash control helps get exposures spot-on. It has extra AF assist LED's for the R1 (best turned off for the V3). I knocked off a full star, though, because it does not rotate, and therefore can't be bounced off ceilings in portrait format. It comes with a superb pouch and an off-camera mounting bar. Physically it's neither too big nor too small for what it can do.

Nothng technical. This unit is designed for Sony cameras and works best with them. It eats batteries, but with rechargeable AA's that's not a big problem. I have found the results to be very uniform and close to Sony's specs. Reasonable recycle time.

I wish that Sony had designed the unit to sit a little higher off the camera to eliminate more of the red eye effect.

Have to wait and see about the long-term durability. Maybe it's the next Vivitar 283.

While I think the programmable aspects of this of this flash are great, I have real problems with the actual use. So far it's given me variable results in similar lighting situations, making me wonder about the metering. It is very powerful and lights up a great deal of area. The manual mode is handy, but I wish there were more values.

I'm VERY disappointed by the cycle time. It takes a very long time for this to cycle up to a full charge. Compared to my old Speedlites, it takes easily 3-4 times as long to cycle. I can't tell you the times I've waited and waited, pressed the shutter button, then had to wait some more!

Also, because of the low-profile feature, if you use larger flash-attached diffusers, such as a LumiQuest mini-soft box, it will block the sensors forcing you into manual mode. A STO-FEN diffuser works ok and won't block the sensors.

The extender arm is great, but after only a short while of using it, the shoe became very loose and swivels too easily. Also, I wish the supplied cable were a bit longer so you can hand-hold the flash. An extender cable helps out in these situations.

All-in-all, it's an ok flash, as long as you don't need to shoot two flash shots together quickly.