Sony HVL-F36AM User Manual

Flash

Operating Instructions Mode d’emploi Bedienungsanleitung Istruzioni d’uso Gebruiksaanwijzing

2-687-522-11 (1)

HVL-F36AM

English

Before operating the product, please read this manual thoroughly and retain it for future reference.

WARNING

To reduce fire or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to rain or moisture.

Tape over lithium battery contacts to avoid short-circuit when disposing of batteries, and follow local regulations for battery disposal.

Keep batteries or things that could be swallowed away from young children. Contact a doctor immediately if an object is swallowed.

Immediately remove the batteries and discontinue use if...

• the product is dropped or subjected to an impact in which the interior is exposed.

• the product emits a strange smell, heat, or smoke.

Do not disassemble. Electric shock may occur if a high voltage circuit inside the product is touched.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

When using your photographic equipment, basic safety precautions should always be followed, including the following:

Read and understand all instructions before using. Close supervision is necessary when any appliance is used

by or near children. Do not leave appliance unattended while in use.

Care must be taken as burns can occur from touching hot parts.

Do not operate appliance with a damaged cord or if the appliance has been dropped or damaged- until it has been examined by a qualified serviceman.

Let appliance cool completely before putting away. Loop cord loosely around appliance when storing.

To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not immerse this appliance in water or other liquids.

To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not disassemble this appliance, but take it to a qualified serviceman when service or repair work is required. Incorrect reassembly can cause electric shock when the appliance is used subsequently.

The use of an accessory attachment not recommended by the manufacturer may cause a risk of fire, electric shock, or injury to persons.

Batteries may become hot or explode due to improper use. Use only the batteries specified in this instruction manual. Do not install the batteries with the polarity (+/-) reversed. Do not subject batteries to fire or high temperatures. Do not attempt to recharge (except for rechargeable

batteries), short or disassemble. Do not mix, batteries of different types, brands or ages.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

CAUTION

Do not touch the flashtube during operation, it may become hot when the flash fires.

For customers in Europe

Disposal of Old Electrical & Electronic Equipment (Applicable in the European Union and other European countries with separate collection systems)

This symbol on the product or on its packaging indicates that this product shall not be treated as household waste. Instead it shall be handed over to the applicable collection point for the recycling of electrical and electronic equipment. By ensuring this product is disposed of correctly, you will help prevent potential negative consequences for the environment and human health, which could otherwise be caused by inappropriate waste handling of this product. The recycling of materials will help to conserve natural resources. For more detailed information about recycling of this product, please contact your local Civic Office, your household waste disposal service or the shop where you purchased the product.

For the customers in the U.S.A. CAUTION

You are cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved in this manual could void your authority to operate this equipment.

NOTE:

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of following measures: – Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. – Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. – Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to

which the receiver is connected.

– Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Table of contents

Features ................................................................................................. 6

Name of parts ....................................................................................... 7

Control panel ........................................................................................ 8

Preparations

Inserting batteries ................................................................................ 9

Attachment and removal of the flash ............................................. 11

Auto power ON/OFF ....................................................................... 12

Basics

Program auto flash (The basics) ...................................................... 13

Recording modes ............................................................................... 16

Apprications

Zoom flash coverage ......................................................................... 18

Bounce flash ....................................................................................... 22

AF illuminator .................................................................................... 25

High-speed sync (HSS) ..................................................................... 26

Wireless flash mode (WL)................................................................. 28

Time to auto power off...................................................................... 35

Additional Information

Flash range.......................................................................................... 37

Notes on use ....................................................................................... 39

Maintenance ....................................................................................... 40

Specifications ...................................................................................... 41

Before use

For details, refer to the operating instructions supplied with your camera.

This flash is not dust-proof, splash-proof or waterproof. Do not place this flash in the following locations

Regardless of whether this unit is in use or in storage, do not place it in any of the following locations. Doing so may lead to a malfunction.

• Placing this flash in locations subject to direct sunlight such as on dashboards or near a heater may cause this unit to deform or malfunction.

• Locations with excessive vibration

• Locations with strong electromagnetism

• Locations with excessive sand In locations such as the seashore and other sandy areas or where dust clouds occur, protect the unit from sand and dust. This may lead to a malfunction.

Features

•A compact flash that provides a flash output with a maximum guide number 36 (85 mm position, ISO 100 · m).

• Can be used with compatible lenses to enable ADI (Advanced Distance Integration) flash metering, which is not affected by the reflection rate of the background or subject.

• Enables High-speed Sync.

• Provides many functions such as bounce flash, etc.

Name of parts

Flashtube

Wireless control-

signal receiver

(28)

Mounting-footrelease button (11)

AF illuminator

Bounce indicator (22)

Control panel (8)

(25)

Mounting foot

Battery-chamber door (9)

Wide panel (21)

Remove the protective sheet from the front of the AF illuminator before use.

Control panel

Auto lamp (13)

Flash-ON lamp (12)

Flash-OFF lamp (12)

Flash-ready lamp (14)

Flash ON/OFF button (12)

Bounce lamp (22)

Wireless flash button (28)

Low-battery lamp (10)

Wireless flash lamps (28)

Manual-ZOOM lamp (20)

ZOOM (flash coverage) lamps (20)

High-speedsync lamp (26)

ZOOM (flash coverage) selection button (20)

High-speed-sync button (26)

Inserting batteries

The HVL-F36AM may be powered by : *Batteries are not supplied.

• Four AA-size alkaline batteries

• Four AA-size lithium batteries

• Four AA-size rechargeable nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries Always ensure that rechargeable nickel-metal hydride batteries are charged in the specified charger unit.

1 Open the battery-chamber door as shown.

2 Insert the batteries in the battery chamber as in the

diagram.

Preparations

3 Close the battery-chamber door.

• Follow the reverse steps when opening the battery-chamber door.

• The lamp on the control panel comes on. If it does not come on, press the flash ON/OFF button.

Continued on the next page

Checking Batteries

The lamp on the control panel comes on or blinks when the batteries are low.

lamp on

Changing the batteries is recommended. The flash can still be used in this state if (Flash-ready lamp) on the rear of the unit is lit.

Only lamp blinking

Flash cannot be used. Insert new batteries.

• If nothing comes on when the flash ON/OFF button is pressed, check the orientation of the batteries.

Attachment and removal of the flash

Attaching the flash to the camera

Push the mounting foot firmly onto the camera until it stops.

• The flash is locked in place automatically.

• If the built-in flash in the camera is protruding, lower it before attaching the flash unit.

Removing the flash from the camera

While pressing the mounting-foot release button 1, remove the flash 2.

Preparations

Auto power ON/OFF

Press the flash ON/OFF button on the back side of the flash.

Power of the flash turns it on.

• When the power of the flash is turned on, the flash-ON lamp on the

control panel comes on.

If you press the flash ON/OFF button while the flash is turned on, the flash switches off and the flash-OFF lamp on the control panel comes on.

• The flash-OFF lamp goes out after 8 seconds.

Auto power off

When the camera or flash is not used for four minutes, power switches off and control panel indicators disappear automatically to save the batteries.

• In wireless flash photography (p. 28), control panel indicators disappear

after 60 minutes.

• You can change the time until auto power off, or disable auto power off.

(p. 35)

Program auto flash (The basics)

1 Select the P mode on the camera. 2 Press the flash ON/OFF button to turn on the “AUTO”

and “ON” lamps or the “ON” lamp on the control panel.

• The “AUTO” and “ON” lamps come on with Autoflash. Only the “ON” lamp comes on with Fill-flash.

Basics

Continued on the next page

3 When the flash is charged, press the shutter button to

take a photo.

• The flash is charged when the flash-ready lamp on the control

panel of the unit and the indicator in the camera viewfinder are both on.

When the correct exposure has been obtained for the photo just taken, the flash-ready lamp on the control panel blinks.

• The photo will be under-exposed if taken before charging is complete.

• Press the shutter button after making sure that charging is complete when using the flash with the self-timer.

• Either Autoflash or Fill-flash is selected, depending on your camera. For details, refer to the operating instructions of your camera.

• If your camera has AUTO mode or Scene Selection mode, they are dealt with here as program auto.

• The following tables show the distance reached by the light from the flash (i.e. the flash range). See page 37 for further details.

ISO100

2.8 1-7 1-8 1-9 1-10 1-13 4 1-5 1-5.5 1-6 1-7 1-9

Aperture

5.6 1-3.5 1-4 1-4.5 1-5 1-6.5

ISO400

2.8 1-14 1-16 1-18 1-20 1.2-26 4 1-10 1-11 1-12.5 1-15 1-18

Aperture

5.6 1-7 1-8 1-9 1-10 1-13

Focal length (mm)

24 28 35 50 85

Focal length (mm)

24 28 35 50 85

Basics

(unit : m)

Recording modes

Aperture priority flash photography (A)

1 Select the A mode on the camera. 2 Press the flash ON/OFF button to turn on the flash-ON

lamp.

• Fill-flash is selected.

3 Set the aperture and focus the subject.

• Reduce the aperture (i.e. increase the f-stop) to reduce the flash range, or open the aperture (i.e. reduce the f-stop) to increase the flash range.

• The shutter speed is automatically set.

4 Press the shutter button when charging is complete.

Shutter speed priority flash photography (S)

1 Select the S mode on the camera. 2 Press the flash ON/OFF button to turn on the flash-ON

lamp.

• Fill-flash is selected.

3 Set the shutter speed, and focus the subject. 4 Press the shutter button when charging is complete.

Manual exposure mode flash photography (M)

1 Select the M mode on the camera. 2 Press the flash ON/OFF button to turn on the flash-ON

lamp.

• Fill-flash is selected.

3 Set the aperture and shutter speed, and focus the

subject.

• Reduce the aperture (i.e. increase the f-stop) to reduce the flash range, or open the aperture (i.e. reduce the f-stop) to increase the flash range.

4 Press the shutter button when charging is complete.

Basics

Zoom flash coverage

Auto zoom

This flash automatically switches zoom coverage to cover a range of focal lengths from 24 mm to 85 mm when photographing (auto zoom). Normally, you do not need to switch the zoom coverage manually.

24 mm focal length 85 mm focal length

• Press the shutter button partway down. When the coverage is set to 24 mm, 35 mm or 85 mm, the corresponding lamp comes on.

For example : 24 mm

When the coverage is set to 28 mm or 50 mm, two lamps come on.

For example : 28 mm

• Auto zoom coverage is set as follows:

Focal length in use Coverage

24 mm - 27 mm 24 mm 28 mm - 34 mm 28 mm 35 mm - 49 mm 35 mm 50 mm - 84 mm 50 mm

85 mm or more 85 mm

• When a lens having a focal length of less than 24 mm is used with auto zoom, “24 mm” lamp blinks. Use of the wide panel (p. 21) is recommended in this case to prevent darkening at the periphery of the image.

Continued on the next page

Applications

Manual zoom

You can manually set the zoom coverage regardless of the focal length of the lens in use.

Press the ZOOM button to display the desired zoom coverage.

• Zoom coverage is changed in the following order.

The manual-ZOOM lamp “M.ZOOM” comes on.

Auto Zoom 24 mm 28 mm

85 mm 50 mm 35 mm

• If the zoom coverage is set to less than the focal length of the lens in use,

the periphery of the screen darkens.

Wide panel (17 mm zoom angle)

Attaching the wide panel expands flash coverage to a focal length of 17 mm.

Attach the supplied wide panel to the flashtube.

• Push the wide panel onto the flashtube until it clicks into place.

• If removing the wide panel is difficult, pull one side off first.

• When using the wide panel, only set the zoom coverage to 24 mm.

• When photographing a flat subject from the front at a focal length of about 17 mm, the periphery of the screen may darken slightly because the focal distances at the center and periphery of the screen are different.

• When using a wide-angle lens with a focal length below 17 mm, the periphery of the screen may darken.

• When using the wide panel, press the high-speed-sync button to keep the high-speed-sync lamp off.

• See the following table for the flash range when using the wide panel.

ISO100 ISO400

2.8 1 - 4 1 - 8 41 - 2.8 1 - 5.6

5.6 1 - 2 1 - 4

(unit : m)

Applications

Bounce flash

Using the flash with a wall directly behind the subject produces strong shadows on the wall. By directing the flash at the ceiling you can illuminate the subject with reflected light, reducing the intensity of the shadows and producing a softer light on the screen.

Bounce flash Normal flash

Rotate the flash upwards.

• The flash can be set to 45°, 60°, 75° or 90°.

• The bounce lamp on the control panel comes on.

• High-speed sync (p. 26) is cancelled when using bounce flash.

• Use a white ceiling or wall to reflect the flash. A colored surface may color the light. High ceilings or glass are not recommended.

Applications

Continued on the next page

Adjusting bounce angle

Simultaneously using direct light and bounced light from the flash produces uneven lighting. Determine the bounce angle with respect to the distance to the reflective surface, the distance from the camera to the subject, the focal length of the lens etc.

Correct

Incorrect

Determine the angle in relation to the following table.

Focal length of lens Bounce angle

70 mm minimum 45°

28 - 70 mm 60°

28 mm maximum 75°, 90°

AF illuminator

In low-light or when subject contrast is low, when the shutter button is pressed partway down for Auto Focus, the red lamp on the front of the flash unit will light. This is the AF illuminator used as an aid in Auto Focus.

• The AF illuminator operates even when the flash is off.

• The camera AF illuminator does not operate while the flash AF illuminator is operating.

• The AF illuminator does not operate while Continuous AF is used in focusing mode (when continually focusing on a moving subject).

• The AF illuminator may not operate if the focal length of the lens is greater than 300 mm. The flash will not operate when removed from the camera.

Applications

High-speed sync (HSS)

High-speed sync Normal flash

High-speed sync eliminates the restrictions of flash sync speed and enables the flash to be used through the entire shutter speed range of the camera. The increased selectable aperture range allows flash photography with a wide aperture, leaving the background out of focus and accentuating the front subject. Even when photographing at a wide f-stop in the A mode or M mode, when the background is very bright and the shot will normally be over-exposed, you can adjust the exposure by using the high-speed shutter.

Press the high-speed sync button (HSS).

• The high-speed-sync lamp comes on.

• If you press the high-speed sync button (HSS) again, high-speed sync is cancelled. When high-speed sync is cancelled, the shutter speed cannot be set faster than the sync speed.

• Taking photos in bright locations is recommended.

• The flash range with high-speed sync is smaller than with normal flash photography. You can find the accurate flash range with high-speed sync by using the HSS flat flash (ISO100) table on page 41. Divide the guide number by the aperture to obtain the maximum distance of the flash range. For example, with a 1/500 shutter speed and 28 mm focal length, the guide number is 8 according to the table. Since 8 (the guide number) divided by 4 (the aperture) equals 2, the flash range in this case would be 2 m. The number is doubled when using ISO400.

• High-speed sync cannot be used with bounce flash.

• When using a flash meter or color meter, high-speed sync cannot be used because it interferes with the proper exposure.

Flash Sync Speed

Flash photography is generally associated with a maximum shutter speed referred to as the flash sync speed. This restriction does not apply to cameras designed for high-speed sync (HSS) photography (p. 26), since they allow flash photography at the maximum shutter speed of the camera.

Applications

Wireless flash mode (WL)

Photographs taken with the flash attached to the camera are flat as shown in photo 1. In such cases, remove the flash from the camera and position it to obtain a more three-dimensional effect as shown in photo 2. When taking this type of photograph with a single lens reflex camera, the camera and the flash unit are most commonly connected by a cable. This flash eliminates the need for a cable to transmit signals to the flash unit by using the light of the built-in flash itself as a signal. The correct exposure is determined automatically by the camera.

Normal flash Wireless flash

Wireless Flash Range

The wireless flash uses a light signal from the built-in flash as a trigger to operate the off-camera flash unit. Follow the points below when positioning the camera, flash, and subject.

• Photograph in dark locations indoors.

• Place the off-camera flash within the gray area in the following diagram.

Distance between camera and subject (see Table 1)

Place the camera and flash unit within a 5 m radius of the subject

Distance between flash and subject (see Table 2)

Do not place the flash directly behind the subject

Distance camera-HVL-F36AM-subject

Distance

camera- subject

(Table 1)

Shutter

speed

Aperture

All shutter

speeds

Maximum

1/60 sec

2.8 1.4 - 5 1.4 - 5 1 - 5 1 - 4 1 - 3 1 - 2 1 - 1.5

41 - 51 - 3.5 1 - 5 1 - 3 1 - 2 1 - 1.5 –

5.6 1 - 5 1 - 2.5 1 - 3.5 1 - 2 1 - 1.5 – –

• The distances in the above table assume the use of ISO 100. If ISO 400 is used the distances must be multiplied by a factor of two (assume a limit of 5 m).

Distance HVL-F36AM - subject (Table 2)

Other than HSS HSS

1/60 to

speed

sync

1/250

sec

1/500

sec

1/1000

sec

1/2000

sec

Unit : m

Applications

Continued on the next page

Notes on wireless flash

• You cannot use a flash meter or color meter in wireless flash mode

because the camera’s built-in pre-flash goes off.

• The zoom position for the HVL-F36AM is automatically set to 24 mm.

• When photographing with the wireless flash, the flash may in rare cases

go off by mistake due to ambient static electricity or electromagnetic noise. When the flash is not in use, turn it off using the flash ON/OFF button.

Attaching and removing the mini-stand

• Use the supplied mini-stand when the flash unit is separate from the

camera.

• You can attach the flash unit to a tripod using the tripod socket holes in

the mini-stand.

Attachment

Removal

+ 182 hidden pages