DSC-HX60 - doesn't sync with external flash

[Mr_diver]

Hi,

The HX60 I bought recently doesn't seem to want to sync (pick up the flash's light burst)

I'm not moron when it comes to cameras. This is a compact camera for me to take on the motorbike, when I dont fancy lugging all the gear for my old Pentax Spotmatics (1960's technology - quite bulky and heavy)

And my 10+ year old D200 packed up. 

I have been given 2 flashes by a mate who's switched to Nikon. (He got my Nikon bits)

The first is a Meike MK320 with Sony Multi interface shoe.

The second is a Sony HVL-F42AM with the appropriate ADP-MAA adaptor.

Both communicate with the camera. I zoom and the flash zoom moves too.

I change the Aperture, and the Meike speedlight displays correctly.

I change flash modes and the sony flash also changes mode (to flash auto and the wirless).

Both worked fine with the Sony camera he was using (not sure which model)

They both fire when required, but the camera doesn't pick up the light burst. 

It even doesn't pick up the light burst from a remote slave pointing at the lens that was set off by the master attached to the camera.

I've tried evey setting I can in the camera and on both flashes. Nothing seems to work.

What ever shutterspeed I select makes no difference. My old camera sync correctly with external flashes from 30th to 60th but ive gone from 20" to 1/1000th but still the shot is like the flash never went off at all. But the burning of my retinas says otherwise.

Any help will be much appreciated.

Nathan

The Sony flash is listed as compatable with the camera.

[EdwinaU]

Hi Nathan,

Welcome to the community.

We'll take a look at this and let you know what we find out.

Maybe some of our members will also be able to advise you.

Best wishes,

Ed

[Vanilla_]

Hi Mr_diver,

That's interesting! What's the model number of the remote controller you're using? I think this flash requires a specific remote to control it wirelessly.

Vanilla_

[Mr_diver]

I'm not using a remote.

The Meike is in slave mode and set off by the built in flash or by the Sony flash when mounted to the camera with thw sony adapter.

The only time the external flash is synced (registers on the image) is when in slave mode set off by the built in flash. 

Not exactly what i wanted the external flashes for.

[Win_88]

Hi there

I found this link that lists the limits of using the HVL-F42AM with each compatible camera:

http://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/www/cscs/accessories/compatibility.php?area=gb&lang=en&mdl=HVL-F...

It seems to list the following restriction on using optical controlled wireless remote flash:

"  A separate wireless controller (either an HVL-F20AM, HVL-F43AM, HVL-F58AM, HVL-F60M, HVL-F20M, HVL-F43M, or HVL-F32M) is required. "

I couldn't find anything about the MK320.

I hope this helps.

Win_88

[Mr_diver]

To clear a few things up...

The sony flash is mounted to the camera directly with the sony adapter, not remotely.

THERE IS NO REMOTE INVOLVED.

The camera still doesn't pick up the flash's light. Ever. 

It even doesn't pick up the flash light of the meike flash, when the Meike flash is set to  IR slave and pointed directly at the camera with the Sony flash directly mounted to the camera.

Both flashes fire and nothing is picked up by the camera. Yet I got blinded.

[Vanilla_]

Hi,

I've been looking into this, and it doesn't seem that the camera is guaranteed to operate with the Meike flash. You can check the following Guide as it highlights the compatible flash devices with your HX60: https://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/support/acc/flash/en/wireless/compatibility.html

I believe this is high likely why your camera isn't detecting the flash burst.

Vanilla_

[Mr_diver]

Can we forget the wireless option.

As the bloody Sony flash burst is not picked up by the bloody Sony camera when it is mounted on the camera!

[Vanilla_]

Hi there,

Well, in this case, I'd suggest that you go with the basic troubleshooting steps with the camera:

1. Reset the camera to the defaults from the Setting Reset menu

2. Try using a different flash or use the same flash with a different camera  just to check where the problem is

Let us know your findings,

Vanilla_