Alpha SLT a65 & HVL-F43AM Combo

[nighthawk]

Hi Everyone

I'm having a very frustrating time trying to figure out why I cannot get the recommended distance indication to appear on the flash lights LCD display.  I have tried all settings and the only setting I can get the distance scale to show in is with the flash head tilted all the way forward as if for close up flash photography. I feel sure this cannot be correct, especially when I am focusing from some distance away from the subject. The manual doesn't explain things very clearly and I just hate it when I cannot understand something as simple, as I'm sure, this must be. Can anyone please explain what settings I should be using to get this facility?  Cheers.

[blaireau_photo]

Hello nighthawk - Welcome to the Sony Forums

I am just checking over some information about your camera and flash light with a contact of mine - I will try and answer this for you as soon as I can.

Thanks,

Simon

[nighthawk]

Thanks Simon. I look forward to any help you can find.

Actually Simon, since this reply I have played around with the unit some more and I have decided that having the bounce head tilted all the way forward, is in fact the correct position for it and is used for anything from 0.7 metres to 28 metres. Any other position is considered to be a bounce position and the distance scale therefore doesn't work and has to be calculated manually. If you find any other explanation I would be grateful, but I think I may have answered my own question.

Cheers

nighthawk

Message was edited by: nighthawk

Message was edited by: nighthawk

[blaireau_photo · Accepted solution]

Hello again

I had a chat with a contact of mine (the very knowledgeable Mick2011) and you have pretty much hit the nail on the head there!

If the flash is tilted upwards, any kind of distance reading on the flash display would become inaccurate as the distance that the light would travel is different to the distance to the object. On the other hand, if the flash is placed into 'manual' mode, you should get some sort of distance reading on the display no matter which way the flash is pointing (once the shutter is half-pressed).

Thanks,

Simon

[nighthawk]

Hi Simon

Thanks for that. My confusion and frustration arose because I couldn't understand why the distance scale disappeared with just one click up on the bounce head, even though the bounce scale was still showing '0' degrees.  I was under the impression that this position was paralel, and the last position down, was for close up work only.  However , I've found that whatever the settings on the flash, if the camera is set to auto, it all works very well in that the exposure is generally spot-on.  So I'm quite happy that it all seems to be working correctly. Once again, thanks for your help and input.

Cheers

Nighhawk