Home > Consumer Reviews > Sony HVL-F36AM High-Power Digital Camera Flash for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera

Another upgrade from the dead Konica-Minolta series, the F36AM is a capable flash that should be the first choice for most A100 users.

Although less powerful than the F56AM, it's still powerful enough for most common indoor family photography, even when using power reducing features like bounce cards, etc. Both bounce and swivel are useful, bounce is by far the more important, and best used with an effecient system such as the Lumiquest Pocket Bounce. The lack of swivel will probably not be missed by most.

The High-Speed flash synch is a blessing to anyone wishing to do outdoor portraits, and wishing to use a large aperture to put the background out of focus. Otherwise, there is often too much light, and something, ususally the aperture, must give. Note: HS flash is very inefficient, and not a real option for sports photography at any real distance.

The wireless flash system is as easy as it gets, and works very well. Although you might not use this very often, it opens up a world of possibilities.

Who should move up? Those needing more distance, or those considering an external battery pack, should look at the F56AM.

This flash is simple, versatile, and most importantly, it is giving me accurate exposures on my Konica Milolta 5D. The wireless mode is very straightforward, and opens up really unique lighting possibilities. It is powerful enough to give a perfect exposure when bounced off my 9' ceiling. I have not yet tested it in more demanding situations, but it looks like it will be all I need for 95% of my flash lighting.

Note that the HVL-F36AM is NOT just a Sony-branded KM 3600hs. It tilts vertically, but does not pivot laterally. Also, the wide-angle diffuser is not built-in (it clips on). That being said, I'm still really happy with this flash.

I'm an owner of a Minolta Maxxum 5 and a Sony Alpha A100. I enjoy both cameras quite a bit. This flash works with either of them perfectly. It has plenty of range and brightness, and syncs very well. I especially like the wireless mode, which I use almost exclusively.

If you don't need a really expensive flash, look into this unit. It is really great for the money. The higher end version (F56AM) is a bit brighter and can swivel, but this isn't necessary in my opinion.

Consider getting a diffuser to go with this flash, for softer edges.

One of the luxuries of owning a Minolta SLR (single-lens reflex) was the Minolta flash system: Minolta flashes work beautifully. The Sony Alpha DSLR's are a continuation of Konica Minolta designs (Konica Minolta sold their SLR camera technology to Sony in January 2006, and Sony Alpha cameras use the Minolta lens mount). Minolta lenses fit Sony Alpha cameras, and couple correctly to their electronic controls.

The Sony HVL-F36 AM flash is almost identical to the Konica Minolta 3600 HS flash. It's a good unit (but the battery door is difficult to open; I returned my first unit, thinking it was jammed shut. It needs force to open, which is not a good design). However, its price of around $200 will probably deter most Sony Alpha DSLR owners.

The Minolta flash unit Sony SHOULD have continued producing is the Minolta 2500 D Program Flash, an excellent simpler and less expensive ($110) flash providing ADI operation (Automatic Distance Integration, which in my experience always gives perfectly exposed pictures), an excellent focus-assist light which lights up for a fraction of a second (which I have used to make perfectly focussed photographs of subjects I couldn't even see in the dark, such as wildlife at night! It's an amazing experience). The Minolta 2500 D Program Flash is lightweight, inexpensive, extremely well made, always takes perfect pictures, and is more than adequate for at least 90 percent of home photography.

The main feature missing in the 2500 D flash unit is the zoom head (for 24 mm to 85 mm focal lengths) found in the Sony HVL-F36 and Minolta 3600HS flash units, but this isn't a major handicap. Owning both units, I actually use the 2500 D flash more often.

Competition: Sigma now offers an updated flash unit, the Sigma EF 530 DG ST, which has been updated to give an auto zoom range of 24 - 105mm (the earlier Sigma EF 500 DG ST only covered 28mm at wide angle), and provides ADI (Automatic Distance Integration) in the Sony/Minolta version. Sunpak offers the more modest Sunpak PZ40x II with an auto zoom range of 24 - 80mm and weaker light output.

Canon is probably the industry leader in digital cameras including digital SLR's, which Canon has been making for at least seven years compared with Sony's recent entry into this field, and one result is that Canon buyers have a far better choice of flash units than Sony offers. Canon owners can also choose flashes made by Sigma and Sunpak, but these makers have updated few of their flashes (for Minolta) to work with Sony Alpha cameras. The Canon 430 EX Speedlite costing $240 outclasses the Sony HVL-F36 AM, and in several respects even outperforms the Sony HVL-F56 AM (price $310). Canon buyers also have a choice of more modestly-priced Canon flash units down to $120, but Sony offers none.

In my opinion, Sony would be well advised to put the Minolta 2500 D Program Flash back into their line, as a very high-quality $110 flash unit, if they want to compete with Nikon and Canon.

I can not say enough positives about this flash unit. I got it, placed it on my camera for a few days of fill flash outdoor shooting. It may be a coincidence but the image that won a 2nd place cash prize for me, was a fill flash photograph. Also, the two images that sold from a set of five hung in a month long gallery exhibit where also outdoor fill flash photographs. The lighting is beautiful and quite natural.

It is interesting to observe the flash match with the camera & lens as I focus and zoom the flash mirrors my actions to insure the exposure setting is correct.

If you need a flash and do not need the highest power rating this one is a fantastic choice that I will highly recommend.