Flash recommendations for Alpha

[dr4gon]

Okay, so I'm leaning towards waiting and saving up for the HVL-F58AM. I've been reading various reviews from those who have bought this unit and about the only complaint is that the mount is prone to breakage. However, I suspect the mount is probably the same on the similar Sony models and can't say if it's just that those who've experienced the problem are not careful with their equipment.

It'll probably be a couple of months before I make the final decision and buy, buy, buy.

It's pretty sturdy on my A300. Never had any loose connections (I've heard complaints of that causing the flash to not fire). As for breakage, just don't drop your camera! That will definitely break the shoe mount and flash mount on the flash and camera respectively.

[DWessel]

Out of curiosity, we know that Minolta legacy lenses work on Sony Alpha cameras, but is the same true for Minolta flashes??? Inquiring minds are curious.

[DonSchap]

The 5600 HD and 3600 HD are exactly the same as the SONY '56 and '36. So there are those.

The earlier flashes are rather questionable. The lack of the "D" designation really makes that question mark that only few can answer.

I kind of took a hiatus in photography from 1992-2003, due a lot to scouting and other avenues for my cash flow. Minolta was still going through some serious pitches and rolls with the hot shoe change and the idea of digital. I got the feeling just as I was about to come back and get the '7D ... they went belly-up, financially. I kind of missed (not really) all the silliness of that period.

So ... I dare leave that answer in the hands of Peter, perhaps.

[Peekayoh]

The (in)famous iISO proprietary Minolta flash shoe was introduced in 1988.
If the flash is older than that you need the Minolta FS-1100 adapter (I think these are still available third party). If the flash has an auto-flash sensor then auto-flash will work fine otherwise it's manual only.
Something like a Minolta 3600HS(D) will have HS Synch, ADI Support and can be triggered remotely by your camera flash (wireless function). Someone in Connecticut is selling one for $20 on eBay.
A 5400HS will have HS Synch and wireless function but no ADI. Still you can pick these up pretty cheap and really learn the basics of flash.

[DWessel]

Peter:

Thanks for the info. There was a local camera show and some of the vendors had some of the Minolta flashes in really good shape and reasonably priced, but I wasn't sure if they would be compatible. They were the model numbers referenced by Don in his response.

[Peekayoh]

Bags of info here!

http://www.mhohner.de/sony-minolta/flashes.php