Sony HVL-F42AM - Hot-shoe clip-on Flash User manual

HVL-F42AM 3-285-951-11(1)

GB2
Before operating the product, please read this manual thoroughly and retain it for
future reference.
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.
English
WARNING

3GB
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.
GB

GB4
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.
Notice for the customers in the countries applying EU
Directives
The manufacturer of this product is Sony Corporation, 1-7-1 Konan Minato-ku
Tokyo, 108-0075 Japan. The Authorized Representative for EMC and product
safety is Sony Deutschland GmbH, Hedelfinger Strasse 61, 70327 Stuttgart,
Germany. For any service or guarantee matters please refer to the addresses given
in separate service or guarantee documents.
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.

5GB
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.

GB6
Table of Contents
Features .................................................................................................... 7
Name of parts .......................................................................................... 8
Preparations
Inserting batteries .................................................................................. 10
Attachment and removal of the flash unit ............................................. 12
Turning on the power ............................................................................ 14
Changing the flash mode ....................................................................... 16
Basics
Program auto flash (The basics) ............................................................ 17
Recording modes ................................................................................... 20
Applications
Zoom flash coverage ............................................................................. 22
Changing the power level (LEVEL) ...................................................... 26
Test-flash ............................................................................................... 27
Bounce flash .......................................................................................... 28
AF illuminator ....................................................................................... 31
Manual flash (M) ................................................................................... 32
High-speed sync (HSS) ......................................................................... 34
Wireless flash mode (WL) ..................................................................... 36
Custom setting ....................................................................................... 44
Additional Information
Flash range ............................................................................................. 49
Notes on use .......................................................................................... 52
Maintenance .......................................................................................... 53
Specifications ........................................................................................ 54

7GB
Before use
For details, refer to the operating instructions supplied with your camera.
This flash unit is not dust-proof, splash-proof or waterproof.
Do not place this flash unit in the following locations
Regardless of whether this flash 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 unit 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 42
(105 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, manual flash, etc.
• This flash unit supports flash coverage to a focal length of 16mm by using the
built-in wide panel when the flash is triggered.
• Corrects the white balance automatically using the color temperature
information.*
• Adjusts the optimum flash coverage according to the image sensor size of the
camera.*
* When Sony digital single-lens reflex camera (other than the DSLR-A100) is used.

GB8
Name of parts
ABuilt-in wide panel (page 24)
BFlashtube
CWireless control signal receiver
(page 36)
DAF illuminator (page 31)
EMounting-foot release button
(page 13)
FMounting foot (page 12)
GBounce indicator (page 28)
HBounce lock release button
(page 28)
IDisplay panel (page 9)
JControl panel (page 9)
KBattery-chamber door (page 10)
LMini-stand (page 39)
Remove the protective sheet from the
front of the AF illuminator before use.

9GB
Display panel/Control panel
ALow-battery lamp (page 11)
BFlash-OFF lamp (page 16)
CFlash-ON lamp (page 16)
DWireless flash lamp (page 36)
EHigh-speed-sync lamp
(page 34)
FMODE button (page 16)
GHSS button (page 34)
HTEST button (page 27)
The status while the lamp is lit
Amber: Flash ready
Green: Proper exposure
Red: Overheating
IPOWER switch (page 14)
JLEVEL button (page 26)
KZOOM button (page 22)
LZOOM lamp (page 22)
MLEVEL lamp (page 26)

GB10
P
repara
ti
ons
Inserting batteries
The HVL-F42AM may be powered by :
• Four AA-size alkaline batteries*
• Four AA-size rechargeable nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries*
* Batteries are not supplied.
Always ensure that rechargeable nickel-metal hydride batteries are charged in
the specified charger unit.
1Open the battery-chamber door as shown.
2Insert the batteries in the battery chamber as in the
diagram.
3Close the battery-chamber door.
• Follow the reverse steps when opening the battery-chamber door.

Preparations
11GB
Checking Batteries
The low-battery lamp on the display panel blinks when the batteries are low.
• If nothing lights up when the POWER switch is set to ON, check the orientation
of the batteries.
• If only the low-battery lamp blinks, change the batteries.
Changing the batteries is recommended
when the low-battery lamp blinks. The
flash unit can still be used when the
TEST button lights up in amber.

GB12
Attachment and removal of the
flash unit
Attaching the flash unit to the camera
While the flash unit is turned off, push the mounting foot
firmly onto the camera until it stops.
• The flash unit is locked in place automatically.
• If the built-in flash in the camera is protruding, lower it before attaching the
flash unit.

Preparations
13GB
Removing the flash unit from the
camera
While pressing the mounting-foot release button 1,
remove the flash unit 2.

GB14
Turning on the power
Set the POWER switch to ON.
Power of the flash unit turns it on.
• When the power of the flash unit is turned on, the lamps on the display panel
light up.
To turn the power off
Set the POWER switch to OFF.

Preparations
15GB
Power save
When the camera or flash unit is not used for three minutes, power switches off and
display panel indicators go out automatically to save the batteries.
• In wireless flash photography (page 36), control panel indicators disappear after
60 minutes.
• You can change the time until power save, or disable power save. (page 44)
• The power of the flash unit is turned off automatically when the POWER switch
of the camera is set to OFF.*
* When Sony digital single-lens reflex camera (other than DSLR-A100) is used.

GB16
Changing the flash mode
Press the MODE button.
• The indicator on the display panel changes as follows.*
( AUTO) tWL tt( AUTO) t. . .
* When the camera is disconnected.
• The Flash-ON lamp [ AUTO] lights up when the camera is set to Autoflash.
Only the Flash-ON lamp [ ] lights up when set to Full-flash.

Basics
17GB
B
as
i
cs
Program auto flash (The basics)
1Select the P mode on the camera.
2Press the MODE button to turn on the Flash-ON lamp,
either [ AUTO] or [ ] on the display panel.
• The Flash-ON lamp [ AUTO] lights up when the camera is set to
Autoflash. Only the Flash-ON lamp [ ] lights up when set to Full-flash.

GB18
3When the flash unit is charged, press the shutter
button to take a photo.
• The flash unit is charged when the TEST button on the control panel lights
up in amber and the “ ” indicator in the camera viewfinder are both on.
When the correct exposure has been obtained for the photo just taken, the
TEST button on the control panel blinks in green.
• The photo will be under-exposed because of the lack of luminescence if taken
before charging is complete.
• Press the shutter button after making sure that charging is complete when using
the flash unit with the self-timer.
• If your camera has AUTO mode or Scene Selection mode, they are dealt with
here as program auto. Moreover, the flash mode selected (auto flash ( AUTO),
fill-flash ( ), and un-full-flash ( )) depends on your camera. For details, refer
to the operating instructions of your camera.

Basics
19GB
• The following tables show the distance reached by the light from the flash unit
(i.e. the flash range).
See page 49 for further details.
35 mm-format or manual flash
APS-C** format
* When the wide panel is attached.
** Advanced Photo System Classic
ISO100 Focal length (mm)
16* 24 28 35 50 70 105
Aperture
2.8 1-4.5 1-8 1-8 1-8.5 1-10.5 1-12.5 1-15
4 1-3 1-5.5 1-5.5 1-6 1-7.5 1-8.5 1-10.5
5.6 1-2 1-4 1-4 1-4.5 1-5 1-6 1-7.5
(unit : m)
ISO400 Focal length (mm)
16* 24 28 35 50 70 105
Aperture
2.8 1-9 1-16 1-16 1-17 1-21 1-25 1.2-30
4 1-6 1-11 1-11 1-12 1-15 1-17 1-21
5.6 1-4 1-8 1-8 1-9 1-10 1-12 1-15
(unit : m)
ISO100 Focal length (mm)
16* 24 28 35 50 70 105
Aperture
2.8 1-4.5 1-8.5 1-9 1-10.5 1-12.5 1-13.5 1-15
4 1-3 1-6 1-6.5 1-7.5 1-8.5 1-9.5 1-10.5
5.6 1-2 1-4.5 1-4.5 1-5 1-6 1-6.5 1-7.5
(unit : m)
ISO400 Focal length (mm)
16* 24 28 35 50 70 105
Aperture
2.8 1-9 1-17.5 1-18.5 1-21 1-25 1-27 1.2-30
4 1-6 1-12.5 1-13 1-15 1-17 1-19 1-21
5.6 1-4 1-8.5 1-9 1-10 1-12 1-13 1-15
(unit : m)

GB20
Recording modes
This section explains how to use the flash unit in each recording mode of the
camera.
Aperture priority flash photography
(A)
1Select the A mode on the camera.
2Press the MODE button to turn on the Flash-ON lamp
[].
• Fill-flash is selected.
3Set 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.
4Press the shutter button when charging is complete.