Brand:
Sony HVL-F20M
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Using the right flash for your Sony A7RII can be a game-changer in your real estate
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Topping the list of the best flash for the Sony A7RII is the Sony HVL-F20M. Its extensive flash range, bounce flash function, and lightweight construction make it the perfect accessory to illuminate subjects when shooting using the A7RII.
Whether you are shooting real estate photos in low-light or capturing portraits at night, equipping your camera with the right flash will make a notable difference. This review focuses on the best flash for Sony A7RII that will help you shoot bright images even in low light.
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Brand:
Sony HVL-F20M
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Brand:
Sony HVL-F28RM
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Brand:
Yongnuo YN-560IV
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Camera Flash:
Built-In
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Camera Flash:
Hotshoe
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Camera Flash:
Slave
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Compatible Mountings:
Sony Alpha
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Compatible Mountings:
Sony mirroless camera, Sony mirroress FF camera
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Compatible Mountings:
Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus, Fujifilm, Panasonic
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4.3
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4.5
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3.4
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If you want a flash to add depth, dimension, and balance to the interior rooms, then the Sony HVL-F20M might suit you.
One standout feature of this flash is its MI shoe compatibility. The MI shoe is a unique hot shoe design that allows for greater communication between the flash and your camera. Simply attach it into place, and take advantage of the Sony A7RII’s advanced wireless features.
Like the Godox TT685II-S, this flash is small enough to fit in your pocket or easily slip into a camera bag for travel, making it the perfect addition to your gear for any shoot.
The HVLF-20M packs a powerful punch for lighting up the interiors, thanks to the guide number of 65.6 feet at ISO 100. It also offers a bounce flash function that allows you to direct light at an angle, resulting in softer and more natural-looking photos.
You can still use this unit as a fill flash for real estate twilight exterior photography or as a creative tool for adding artistic lighting effects to real estate photos. With its adjustable head and intuitive controls, you can adjust the direction and intensity of the light to achieve your desired effects.
The Sony HVL-F28RM has a notable attribute of its compactness and lightweight design. With a weight of 8 ounces and a dimension of 2.56 x 3.28 x 3.59 inches, it's portable, especially if you are a real estate photographer who needs a flash that won't overwhelm you when walking around shooting.
When shooting in situations that you need to shoot action shots or shoot in bright outdoor conditions, you might need a High-Speed Sync flash that helps in freezing the motion and prevent overexposure, so you won't have to fix overexposed areas in Photoshop. This flash might be ideal as it features the High-Speed Sync which allows you to use a faster shutter speed.
For stunning and multidimensional images, you might require a more complex umbrella lighting arrangement. This flash features a stand-alone capability that allows you to have a complex lighting setup, especially when shooting portraits and close-up shots using the A7RII.
The Yongnuo YN-560IV flash for the Sony A7RII comes with wireless control capabilities where you can control up to three groups of flashes for exposure bracketing using a single transmitter. This feature allows you to place multiple flashes in different locations and adjust their settings remotely without going to the individual flash.
With a zoom range of 24-105mm, this flash allows you to adjust the angle of the flash that suits your shooting position. For instance, when you want to highlight specific details or create a more artistic effect in your real estate
Like the Godox V860II-N, this flash comes with an LCD screen display which makes it easy to view the settings when making adjustments to the flash parameters. The LCD is readable in dim and bright conditions.
However, this flash features manual settings, which might limit you from using the TTL or the auto-exposure modes. This drawback makes it a little difficult especially when adjusting the power and zoom settings manually.
The Godox V860II-N comes with many advanced functions and features, making it a hard-to-beat flash option for the Sony A7RII. For one, it comes with a versatile zoom range of 20-200mm, which is more impressive than that of Yongnuo YN-560IV.
Also, it enhances the bouncing back performance by the left and right 180 degrees orbiting, with a -7 to 90 degrees tilt. Like the Sony HVL-F28RM, it features high-speed sync, curtain sync and flashes exposure compensation, making it suitable for action shooting.
Additionally, it comes with a 2.4GHz wireless transmitter, which offers TTL functionality with 328 inches range, better than the Yongnuo YN-560IV. However, it weighs 2.32 pounds, the heaviest on my list.
The Godox TT685II-S is an advanced flash for the Sony A7RII that will help you create both a complex and simple softbox lighting setup with its Sony P-TTL and ADI full support. With a guide number of 60 at 100 ISO, it is a powerful flash that will effectively light up different subjects.
It uses four AA batteries like the Yongnuo YN560-III, yet with a much better recycle duration of 0.1-2.6 seconds. Faster recycling time helps real estate photographers who need to shoot multiple properties within a limited timeframe.
It comes with an in-built wireless radio transmitter system which allows up to 656 feets triggering distance, support for three groups and 32 channels. This makes it a versatile lighting solution.
Like the Sony HVL-F20M, this flash has a weight of 0.5 pounds, which makes it more portable especially when you are shooting in conditions that involve a lot of movement.
Although all flashes will light up your subject, they are not equal in power and build quality, and therefore, identifying the right one is challenging. Below, I detail the necessary aspects you need to consider for the best Sony A7RII flash.
Furthermore, the chart provides an overview of their varying features.
| Flash | Guide Number | Recycle Time | Manual or TTL? |
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| Sony HVL-F20M | 66 | 0.1-5 seconds | Both |
| Sony HVL-F28RM | 190 | 5 seconds | Both |
| Yongnuo YN-560IV | 190 | 3 seconds | Manual |
| Godox V860II-N | 197 | 1.5 seconds | Both |
| Godox TT685II-S | 197 | 0.1-2.6 seconds | TTL |
The flash guide shows you the distance that the light covers for specific Sony A7RII camera settings. A 197 guide number flash such as the Godox V860II-N can illuminate subjects that are further away from the flash better than a 190 guide number flash.
The flash can also illuminate closer objects that have a narrow aperture if you want better depth of field control in interior photos. However, note that it may not be possible to light an object that is far away.
Guide numbers are useful when comparing two different flashes, but they are tested with optimal camera settings and in an ideal environment. To get the most out of your flash, you'll need a wide aperture and a low ISO.
Some hot shoe flashes are controlled manually, while others, such as the Sony HVL-F20M, have an automatic and a manual mode called Through the Lens or TTL. The TTL is a metering method that a Speedlight uses to determine the correct exposure settings when emitting the full flash.
In particular, the Speedlight pre flashes the subject to obtain the necessary details required when computing a full flash. In a nutshell, TTL is an auto flash mode.
The manual flash mode is best for better image control and balancing flash with ambient light, while TTL is important for flash
Not all hot shoe flashes have the bouncing capability, whereas some, like the Godox V860II-N, have excellent bouncing ability. To determine the tilt range, you should look at the flash description before purchasing it.
It shows how far the flash head can rotate. The more you turn the flash head, the more you have for bouncing the flash. Ensure the flash can tilt up so that it bounces off the ceiling and the walls, which are common angles that you will use when shooting with the Sony A7RII.
Modern flash units have built-in wireless functionality, so you don't require an adapter to trigger your camera's flash. Remote camera flash control greatly expands its capabilities, enabling you to use multiple strobes or add light from different angles to generate various effects.
For instance, the Godox TT685II-S comes with wireless connectivity consisting of three groups and 32 channels.
It takes some time before the flash is ready to capture pictures again. The speed at which a flash recycles shows how fast the flash is to capture pictures again.
If you shoot fast-moving subjects, you will need a flash with the lowest recycling time, such as the Godox TT685II-S. However, this isn't an issue if you are a portrait photographer.
The flash can drain the camera battery due to communication through the hotshoe, where a small amount of voltage is lost. You should note that the camera battery does not supply power to the flash capacitors. However, a camera flash with wireless connectivity, such as the Godox TT685II-S, might not affect your Sony camera power consumption.
It is possible to use the flash without the red eyes by simply moving the flash far from the lens. However, red eyes are mostly in flashes with higher guide numbers, such as the Godox TT685S.
The Aperture regulates the flash output that is affecting the scene when in manual mode. However, with flashes that feature TTL, such as the  Godox TT685II-S, exposure compensation can be used to properly figure out.
A flash is a handy tool for your Sony A7RII as it will enhance capturing stunning images in poor lighting conditions. Whether you are planning to use it for architectural, real estate or product
