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While the Sony A7III has pro level features and high image quality, shooting in low light can be tricky. Pairing this camera with the right external flash can further enhance your photographs' quality in low light conditions.
Below are the top recommended flashes for the Sony a7III that you can get this year.
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An external flash is an essential tool to have for professional photographers. It provides you better control over the lighting and exposure of objects in low light situations.
External flashes on the market vary in price and quality, so we reviewed the best ones you can use with the Sony A7III.
The Sony HVL-F45 RM Compact Wireless Radio Flash is an excellent flash and our choice of the best overall you can get your hands on. Powerful yet compact, the Sony HVL-F45 RM has a variety of features that can significantly enhance your photographs in low light situations.
This flash features radio wireless communication of 15 units in up to 5 groups. Compared to conventional light-based remote flash systems, radio-controlled systems provide several advantages.
They are more reliable and versatile, and in that way, they can enhance the shooting experience and give the photographer more creative freedom. The continuous lighting time is 4 hours with two-AA size alkaline batteries.
The quick navigation and customizable settings allow you to change the shooting settings directly. One simple press of the (Fn) button quickly calls up the Quick Navigation screen, giving you access to various settings, including lighting compensation and power levels. Additionally, you can assign your favorite features to custom keys and the control wheel.
The Sony HVL-F45 RM has a steady build and is dust and moisture resistant. This flash can be used as a commander or remote, fully supporting Sony's existing radio commanders. The Sony HVL-F45 RM has a recycling time of approximately 2.5 seconds, providing up to 210 bursts.
Whether you're a professional photographer or enthusiast, this versatile flash will enhance your photos' quality.
The Sony HVL-F32M External Flash is another excellent flash like HVL-F45RM. While it’s missing some of the wireless features that stood out on the HVL-F45RM, the HVL-F32M is at a lower price point, making it a great option for photographers looking for a more affordable flash.
You get a recycling time of 0.1 to 5 seconds. If you have a fresh pair of AA batteries in the flash, the recycle time is the fastest out of all of the flashes on our list. However, if your batteries are old, you may end up waiting up to 5 seconds for the flash to recycle. This is pretty slow, but it may not be a huge deal when shooting real estate photos since your main subject isn’t moving.
This flash has a 90° tilting head going upwards, and an 8° downwards tilt. Compared to the Sony HVL-F28RM which has a 120° tilt, the HVL-F32M lacks a bit. If you’re mostly using the flash in controlled environments though, the lack of tilt is not much of an issue, since you could easily rotate the stand the flash is mounted on.
The moisture and dust resistant design of this flash is especially great when shooting outdoor spaces. The device won’t get damaged if it’s out in a bit of rain, and the LCD panel will still work fine.
Small, robust, and reliable, the Sony HVL-F28RM External Flash offers versatile features and precise control, plus the solid reliability needed for professional and advanced amateur photography - all in a compact and portable unit. Its build size holds its own against other elite flashes on this list, like the HVL-F45RM flash.
Just like the other flashes, it provides reliable wireless communication over longer distances, even with obstacles in the way or bright sunlight. Sony’s HVL-F28RM can be set as a commander or a remote and can control up to 15 flashes and receiver units in five groups. A built-in 2.4 GHz radio transceiver allows photographers to create portable lighting setups quickly.
The HVL-F28RM has a compact and pocketable design that many photographers will appreciate in terms of its build. You get high-end features and control with dedicated light output buttons. The HVL-F28RM also includes the same high-speed sync, multi-flash, and other flash features as the HVL-45RM and HVL-60RM.
It is well-suited to the A7III camera and has a 0 to 120° tilting head for flexible bounce control. Additionally, it is dust and moisture resistant and comes with a durable metal foot.
The Godox V1 Flash for Sony is another lightning-quick camera flash that's excellent for various shooting situations and compatible with the Sony A7III. It features a variety of features worth mentioning, and for its price, the Godox V1 flash for Sony delivers an all-in-one function on a budget.
This flexible on-camera flash has a distinguishable round head which provides soft and smooth light effects. The front of the round Fresnel flash head features a magnetic rim that supports a range of round light modifiers in the Godox AK-R1 kit, including a dome diffuser, a diffuser plate, a four-wing reflector, and more.
The head rotates an impressive 330°, suitable for portrait, wedding, event, travel photography, still life photography, and more.
The Godox V1 Flash for Sony has a built-in 2.4G wireless X system with transmission of up to 100 meters - the best we’ve seen. No other flash on our list comes anywhere close to this flash, only transmitting up to 30m. Using this flash system enables you to get quality light effects that are smooth at a distance.
The rechargeable lithium-ion battery included can deliver 7.2/2600mAh of power, providing both a longer life and a snappy recycle time. It can shoot 480 full-power flashes per charge and has a total ability recycle time of 1.5 seconds. Also, The TCM function allows the user manual power reading even when operating the TTL mode.
The Godox VING V860IIS flashlight comes with several updated features and technology for the Sony A7III. The highlight for this flash is the Front/Rear Curtain Sync which offers users a Trailing Smear Effect in their images.
This flash has an impressive coverage range of up to 100 thanks to the built-in 2.4GHz wireless radio system. It can work with an incredible 32 channels, and on top of this, this flash has robust features such as a 1.5 second recycling time and up to 650 flashes on a single charge.
The Godox Ving V860 supports all TTL functions, including both the manual and auto flash TTL. This flash also supports additional functions such as multi flash, high-speed sync, and flash exposure compensation. It runs off a rechargeable Li-ion battery pack that ensures fast recharge and long-lasting shoots.
The Profoto A1X flash is a professional and premium flashlight that is only dedicated to the Sony camera. It boasts the title of the world’s smallest studio light, and It’s effortless to use with superfast recycling and a long-lasting battery.
This top-rated flash for the Sony A7III camera can cover full TTL functions in both the auto and manual modes. TTL allows you to lock in the perfect exposure instantly, giving you a far greater degree of control and a significantly faster workflow. It features both the multi-flash and the manual flash modes, with the output controlling up to 8 levels.
The Profoto A1X is easy to use - you can literally take it out of the box and start shooting. Weighing only 1.2 pounds, including its battery, this flash is not only easy to use but handy to carry around. The A1X is specially designed for professional photographers looking for portability and performance features and without the hassle of an overly technical interface.
Before you rush to your favorite photography shopping site, there are a few things you need to take into account. External flashes come with different features, and below are some of the most important features to take into consideration.
External flashes are bulky devices that use quite a bit of power. This causes them to heat up fairly quickly, which is why it's essential to look into the temperature control specs of the flashlight.
You can quickly check for the adjustable temperature on the official website of the manufacturer. Just remember, the hotter the flash, the harder it becomes for you to hold when using it with your Sony A7III. This can be an issue for those who need to take pictures for long periods of time.
The GN or guide number is a measure of the power of the external flash. You should always take a close look at the GN value of your flash to get an idea of the power levels you'll be experiencing.
For the A7III camera, you can use flashes with a GN value of 36m/157 ft. This should be fine for taking photos of real estate properties.
If you decide to go with a flash that has a higher GN number, you can expect brighter light hitting your object. This can be helpful if you’re shooting in really dark rooms within a house.
When we talk about recycle time, we mean the lag period between taking each photo with your Sony A7III. While using an external flash, you need to go for low recycle times to take pictures in quick succession.
The importance of this feature depends entirely on your mode of use. If you cover live objects that need fast shutter speeds, getting a flash with a recycle time of 0.1 to 2.2 seconds should be quick enough to handle all your photography needs. When it comes to real estate photography, generally, there isn’t much of a need to have a really fast recycle time, since your subject (the house) is static.
AutoFocus beam or Assist Illumination is a beam of light that is projected from your external flash. This beam of light helps your camera autofocus in dark conditions.
The auto focus and zoom settings of a flash must be well calibrated with your camera. For excellent pictures, you will need to adjust your flash levels based on the zoom and focus.
When it comes to compatibility, we aren't talking about the flash and your camera. All of the products listed above will easily accompany the Sony A7III. What we were talking about is the ability to join with other devices.
Many external flashes can act as the master system and control other flash devices. Alternatively, they can also be compatible with other flash devices and act as the slave unit. This is an important feature to consider with real estate photography, since you will likely need multiple flashes set up in order to light larger spaces.
Sony cameras don't have any in-built flashing system, and without the flashing system, it can be challenging to capture good photos in low light. An external flash compatible with the Sony A7III can bring the proper lighting for better quality photos.
TTL means Through The Lens metering. When linked to your A7III camera, this feature automatically sets the flash power and zoom, which means you can take random shots in low light without having to set the flash manually for every shot. You can use TTL in any camera mode from automatic, aperture priority, shutter priority, scene modes.
You can read more in our Sony A7III lens review guide.
Investing in a good flash is an excellent decision to make, but it needs to be well thought out. Whether you're an amateur or professional photographer, this should influence your choice. You may not need a very high-powered flash when you're just starting. For professionals, you’ll likely need to have more advanced features such as auto-zoom functionalities and a high GN.
