Home > Consumer Reviews > Sony HVL-F56AM High-Power Digital Camera Flash for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera

I bought this flash to photograph a wedding, this was my first formal event, and I received the flash the night before I needed it so I had almost no practice with using it. I have to say, for never using an external flash before, this was incredibly easy to use. After about half an hour of using it in a dark high ceiling church, I was getting the results I wanted every time, and the ability to quickly detach and use it as a hand held flash with wireless sync was a plus.

The Only problem I had with the flash was that it kept overheating with my lithium batteries. Apparently the batteries get blistering hot through continual and constant use, and the camera reads them as dead and shuts off, this put me in a few tight situations where I had to quickly change batteries, or use the pop up flash on my DSLR. I would recommend using alkaline batteries for this, they lasted a lot longer then the lithium did, I am sure the lithium would have lasted longer had they not been overheating. I would recommend to get the external battery pack on this, though it is an expensive battery holder, it seems it would have been essential if it saved my batteries from over heating.

Overall I has very happy with the flash the few times I have actually needed it, and am very happy to have it in my photographic arsenal.

You can't own a Sony a-100 and not have this flash. It is that good. If you have ADI turned on in the camera and are using a digital lens, then you can't go wrong with the flash metering that this flash/camera combo gives you. The skin tones are perfect every time whether you are 6 feet or 18 feet away. Just great. The flash even has a pull out diffuser to use in macro photography which I also use on shots within 3 feet to avoid the harsh highlights. Just great. Have I said that already?

This flash has a powerful blast and many bonus controls. Like the three second flashing option, where you can negotiate all the shadow and lighting options before having to actually shoot your first shot.

This is my first top-mounted flash and it's performed well. I ordered this with a Sto-Fen diffuser (must-have) for my Sony A100 and it's gotten a decent amount of use since Christmas Day, including a wedding last weekend.

I haven't take then time to learn all of the functions, but in Auto mode it's performed well. I also purchased a 4-pack of Sony Ni-MH rechargable batteries (with charger) specifically for this. For a wedding shot last weekend, I plowed through my fully-charged Sony's in a little less than an hour. Not sure if that's normal or not; I figured they'd last a bit longer.

Anyways, good product. Love it.

Very versitile with many useful features. Pleanty of power and speed for my needs. I am very satisfied and would recommend this flash.