Konica Minolta Z6

[Fosgate Bill]

Hi Everyone. I own a Konika MinoltaZ6 camera. I love the camera and have taken many great pictures with it. My dilema is I want to get an external flash for this camera. I purchased a Bower flash model # 724AFM Flash unit which I was told would work off a E-Bay site. It only flashed so bright and overexposed my pictures causing them to turn all white. If anyone has an answer to my problem and could possibly provide me with a model of a proper flash unit I would be most grateful. Thanks very much ahead of time for taking the time to help.
Frustrated Bill in Mississauga, Ontario Canada

[JimC]

Welcome to the forums.

Most third party flash models designed for film cameras are *not* compatible with digital cameras.

Unlike most modern film cameras using OTF (Off the Film) metering during a flash exposure (automatically terminating the flash burst when enough reflected light is seen to properly expose your image), digital camera flash systems needed to be redesigned to use a metering preflash.

This is a very short flash burst that occurs just before the main flash burst (usually within around 100ms). The camera measures the reflected light from this metering prefash in order to determine the length of the main flash burst needed to properly expose your subject.

But, because flash models designed for older film cameras don't understand the commands being used by newer digital cameras for the metering preflash and length of the main flash burst needed, they tend to fire at full power (causing the overexposure you're seeing at closer ranges).

Here is a page of flash models that are compatible with Minolta and Sony dSLR models (and they'll also work with your Z6). Note that older Minolta Flash models that are not listed on this page are *not* fully compatible with Digital Cameras (they don't understand the commands for metering preflashes needed with digital and won't vary their power as needed).

http://www.dyxum.com/flashes/index.asp

Note that the Sony HVL-F36AM is the same flash as the Minolta 3600HS (D). Sony just rebranded it. The Sony HVL-56AM is the same flash as the Minolta 5600HS (D). You can use the Sony or Minolta versions of these flash models with your camera. The Minolta 2500 (D) will also work fine on it if you find one at a good price, but Sony didn't carry that flash over from the Minolta lineup after purchasing Konica Minolta's camera related assets. The Minolta 2500 (D) is a bit weaker flash with tilt only (no swivel), and does not support High Speed Sync or wireless.

[JimC]

P.S.

I've moved your thread down to the Konica Minolta forum, where you'll find threads discussing these camera models.

[JimC]

BTW, this is a relatively common issue (sellers claiming flashes are TTL compatible with digital cameras when they are not, since they always fire at full power because they don't interpret the commands from the camera properly.

Here's an old thread from a Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200 owner getting overexposed images with the same flash model (and the A200 uses the same flash systems as other Minolta, Konica Minolta, and Sony digital camera models). These flashes may work OK with older Minolta Maxxum film cameras. But, you'll have issues with them on Digital Cameras.

http://forums.steves-digicams.com/fo...mp;forum_id=53

I'd suggest sticking with a model that's known to work with your camera like the Minolta 2500 (D), Minolta 3600 HS (D) (a.k.a., Sony HVL-F36AM), or Minolta 5600HS (D) (a.k.a., Sony HVL-F56AM).