External flash

[tdh1985]

Hi,

Beginner here, I have a Sony RX10 VI and was looking at adding an external flash, which occasionally I wouldn't mind using off the camera on a tripod set up. The flash I was looking at is the Sony Hvl-f43m. The RX10 has the option to set flash as 'Wireless'. I'm unsure what else is involved with this is it just plug and play or more complex requiring radiofrequncy module etc to trigger or can the pop-up flash trigger the external flash??

Thanks for any advice.

[William W]

There are two methods to trigger an off camera wireless flash unit when using the Sony RX10 VI:

1. Optical Trigger flash shooting that uses the light of the flash attached to the camera, the “Pop Up Flash”

2. Radio-signal, employing wireless communication.

(1) If you use the optical trigger, then obviously the on camera ‘pop up flash’ may (will probably) be contributory to the lighting of the Subject.

(2) For radio-signal, (‘radio trigger’) you need use a compatible off camera Flash Unit and the Wireless Radio Commander Unit, by Sony or a third party compatible unit.

Based on Sony literature the the Sony HVL-F43M Flash Unit does recognize and will be triggered by the Pop Up Flash on your camera. See page #52 of the User Manual for the Sony HVL-F43M Flash Unit, which shows a typical Shooting Scenario when using the Optical Trigger.

WW

[Hawthy]

A cheap option is the Yongnuo range of flashes and triggers. I have a radio trigger that mounts to my hotshoe and I can mount a flash on top of that and have another flash off camera. It's been a while since I used them because I don't get to do a lot of portraits (and I am too lazy to get them out for other stuff). Not sure about compatibility with Sony but they have Nikon and Canon TTL compatible lenses (TTL uses the camera's light meter and adjusts the flash strength). Worth looking at.