Metz 44 AF-1 mecablitz Digital Flash for Sony Camera

Comments about Metz 44 AF-1 mecablitz Digital Flash for Sony Camera:

The selection of flashes available for the Sony DSLR at the $200 price point or less is not satisfying:
*Sony's own, the HVLF20, has very weak power for its price, and worse, does not provide any kind of AF assist.
*Nissin has no Sony compatable models at this price
*Sunpak and Sigma have no off-camera mode
*Vivitar has an off-camera mode, but exposure control is manual--not TTL. Note that this observation also applies to all other flashes imported by different distributors from the same factory as the Vivitar, and differ from the Vivitar only cosmetically, not functionally (like a Dodge differs from a Chrysler)

So the Metz is the best choice. And it works well, without any defects. Another reason I bought it is because it has a USB slot for firmware upgrades. And it could be made much more useful with a simple firmware upgrade to include the following features:
*Read the sensor size of the camera and zoom the flash to match the angle of view of the lens and sensor--not the focal length of the lens. This feature is especially important for this flash, because it has no zoom override capability, and is unlikely to be used with fill frame DSLR's
*Enable triggering of the modelling light--not a test flash--by pressing the flash ready button. When a flash can be used off-camera, one wants to use the modelling light at the intended off-camera position. It is senseless to have to put the flash back on the camera to trigger the modelling light with an on-camera button!
*Automatically enable high speed sync when a high shutter speed is selected on the camera
*Allow selection of remote channel 1,2,3, or 4 by repeated pressing of the "SL" button. The four LED's on back of the camera could do double duty to indicate the selected channel
*Enable user adjustment of the auto-off time (by pressing some combination of buttons). Again, the LED's could light to indicate the selected time.

All these feature are already available on the larger Metz flashes, so development cost to include them in this model should be minimal. And, of course, there is no marginal manufacturing cost to include thses features in new production, since no hardware or mechanical changes are required. The issue for Metz is whether thses improvements might steal sales from the AF50 model. The AF50 will still be more powerful, have more features, more flexability, and most important, an LCD, to justify purchase of this more expensive model. And with this proposed more robust, no cost, feature set, Metz might actually capture some sales from those who intend to buy only Nikon or Canon branded flashes.

Another problem with this flash is that it does not include a stand, unlike every other manufacturer which includes a stand with flashes that can be used off-camera. The part number for the stand is included in the manual and at Metz's German web site, but when one calls the distributor to order it, they have no listing for this part number, so one has to wade through a labrinth of phone numbers at the distributor to find someone who knows what this part is. So include it in the box!

I hope to see all or any of these firmware improvements in the next upgrade.