For use with Sony NEX-3, NEX-C3, NEX-5, NEX-5N and NEX-5R.

Sony has made a decision in the design of its NEX-5 that's likely to prove just as divisive for the company as it was for with two recent cameras from rival Olympus. Playing up to the strengths of the single-lens direct view camera format, namely its extremely compact size and weight, Sony has forgone an internal flash strobe. On the one hand, there were those who felt that the absence of a built-in flash was a curious decision, for two reasons. It meant bringing along a bulky external flash strobe everywhere you went, if you had the least concern about ambient light conditions. Since the hot shoe shared double duty as a mount for the accessory port, it also meant that flash couldn't be used at the same time as the external viewfinder accessory. On the other hand, some observers argued that much of the time, they simply didn't need to use flash photography -- and that the ability to pare off a little more bulk from the camera was more than worth these trade-offs.

With the Sony NEX-5, those on both sides of the argument may find themselves digging trenches and preparing to escalate the battle, because new ammunition has been provided for both arguments. There are a couple of reasons for this, and they both relate to how Sony has chosen to implement external flash. Like Olympus before it, Sony has introduced a diminutive external flash strobe to accompany its NEX-series cameras. Sony's HVL-F7S flash is even smaller than that provided by Olympus, however -- and it even folds flat against the top of the lens mount when not in use. It's also reasonably powerful for its size, with a useful range extending out as far as sixteen feet. Sony officially lists the guide number as being seven meters (23 feet) at ISO 100 -- which while it's rather less powerful than the strobes on most digital SLRs (typically rated at 12 or 13 meters), is equal to the built-in strobe on the Olympus E-PL1, and actually a little more powerful than the built-in strobe of the Panasonic GF1. The folding design makes it surprisingly compact even when attached to the camera. Once safely packed in its protective plastic case, it's dimensions are barely under 2" x 1.5" x 1", easily small enough to slip in a pants pocket and forget you're even carrying it, until you have a need for it.

Specifications:
Name                                                                                 Sony HVL-F7S
Release year                                                                      2010
Status                                                                                 discontinued
Maximum Guide Number [m]                                           7
Guide Number at 50 mm zoom stop [m]                           7
Shoe type                                                                           Smart Accessory Terminal
Zoom range [mm] (with wide angle adapter)                    24
Manual zoom stops [mm]                                                  –
Auto zoom                                                                          no
Tilt [degrees]                                                                      –
Swivel [degrees]                                                                –            
Manual mode                                                                     no
Manual power levels (steps)                                              –
High-Speed Sync                                                               no
Wireless HSS                                                                     no
ADI support                                                                       no
AF assist light                                                                    no
Test button                                                                         no
Weather sealing                                                                 no

Very Good Condition