Flash Advice - Canon 1000d

angusallan

angusallan

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Hi

Looking for a bit of advice....

I have a canon 1000d and i am thinking about purchasing a flash unit to add to my kit. The main reason for wanting a flash unit is i have recently become a father and would like to get better photographs of my daughter.

Ive never used a flash unit and don't really know what i am looking for with regards to specs and features so any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Angus
 
Keeping it very simple - buy a Godox TT350C from Amazon. It's not the most powerful of flashes but is probably all you'll need until your daughter starts moving more quickly. Make sure you get one that's fulfilled by Amazon as otherwise it'll come from China and you'll be lucky to get it before Xmas. If/when you need something more powerful, buy another Godox as one can act as a controller for the other and you have an instant off-camera flash system.
 
Taking the flash off the camera will be very useful and desirable so certainly the way to go is either studio kit or Canon RT flash system. Conveniently Yongnuo makes a knockoff kit, so a couple 600EX-RT IIs and YN-ST-E3 will get you started quite well.
 
I use a yongnuo yn 685 with a yn 622c-tx on my Canon and don't have any problems.
It seems to be that Godox system is the way to go nowadays though.
 
Nostromo said:
I use a yongnuo yn 685 with a yn 622c-tx on my Canon and don't have any problems.
It seems to be that Godox system is the way to go nowadays though.
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I have two Yongnuo YN560s and the same controller. Works brilliantly, but is manual only, ie no TTL - not a big deal for me though.
Out of curiosity Nostromo, could you tell me, is the YN685 TTL compatible with the 622 controller? If yes, I might upgrade.

Nevertheless, the Yongnuo flashes are not bad, and very affordable.... although some might say cheap!
My two flashes plus the wireless controller cost about £140 all in - ~£50 each for the flashes and ~£40 for the controller, all from Amazon.
 
GarethB said:
Out of curiosity Nostromo, could you tell me, is the YN685 TTL compatible with the 622 controller? If yes, I might upgrade.
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As far as I'm aware it is, but someone else on here will probably give you a more definitive answer.
 
GarethB said:
although some might say cheap!
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They are about half power of Canon, and ever so slightly have more magenta cast. Not a problem for indoors portraits at all. One of mine also drains the batteries quite quickly (in a day). RT-E3 gets the very top marks as long as you are careful with battery door.
 
Well for the OP who doesn’t have a clue what he needs this thread only adds confusion.

Firstly, as LLP says, getting the flash off camera is what will really make a difference, so think about a flash with built in receiver and a transmitter. (and nowadays that means radio, so I’d avoid the well built but old fashioned Canon ex flashes)

The Canon system ex-rt is is great but expensive, the Yongnuo copy of that YN600 isn’t so well built, but works. They also do the excellent YN622tx transmitter with a YN685.

But I’d go with a Godox TT685 and xpro transmitter. Quite simply Godox have a simple ecosystem to add whatever you like. (I’d avoid the TT350 due to recycle times, it gets frustrating)
 
:agree:
Just to add. If it's your main light and at all possible your subject should never see the the front of the flash head. Either bounce off a wall Etc. or use some kind of diffusion material e.g. an umbrella, shower curtain or softbox in front of it.
 
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I should apologise for adding to what must seem like a confusing mish-mash of numbers and letters.
Sorry angusallan! :oops: :$ I only chimed in because I used to own the Canon 1000D also - good little camera.

By the way 'TTL' means Through The Lens, and means the camera's built in meter is changing the flash power to get a proper exposure, so that you don't have to....it's a sort of auto setting for flashes.

Good luck angusallan :)
 
Thanks for all the responses guys :).

By the sounds of it the Godox and Yongnuo brands seem to be the most affordable way to go. Thanks for the clarity on the meaning of TTL GarethB - do all flashes have this feature?

I like the idea that i can have the flash external from the camera to be able to fire light from a different direction so i think this is also something that would be useful.
 
angusallan said:
Thanks for the clarity on the meaning of TTL GarethB
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You're welcome :)

- do all flashes have this feature?
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No, my Yongnou 560s do not, but Nostromos Yongnou 685s do - but they cost a bit more....yeah, I'm cheap!!:D

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that all branded flashes (Canon, Nikon etc) will have it, it's usually the lower priced, budget third party flashes that don't....like mine!! :(

Link to Amazon - Yongnou YN685 - £85.93

Link to Amazon - Yongnou YN560 IV - £51.92

Links for information, but you get more for your money with the YN685 - TTL and High Speed Sync - this is how to use flash at shutter speeds higher than your cameras flash sync speed, which is 1/200th of a second for your Canon EOS 1000D - good article here.

Good luck :)
 
My first babysteps in offcamera flash was with an old Nikon SB26 and a set of dump triggers. Having the ability to place the flash and let it bounce light of a wall was eye opening to me, man the possibilities and the quality of light I suddenly had access to. But having to change the setttings on the flash itself was annoying and change ISO and apperture on camera wasn't optimal so I looked at the brand new Nissin Air and Di700 kit.

Then I noticed Godox announced the TT685 and saw their Speedlight on steroids, the AD360 and that was it, the bulk and weight of a big speedlight (roughly, ok + some ;)) and the power and omnidirectional bulb of a studiostrobe + the ability to work on the same radio system as the smaller speedlights was awesome. So with that in mind I ordered a TT685 and a X1T. The trigger was on backorder so they send me another TT685 to use as trigger untill the X1 arrived. It wasnt more than 10 minutes untill I realized how big it was on my Sony A6000 and it would do a lot better off camera like the other one so I ordered the trigger elsewhere. I didnt plan on having 2 speedlights but man I loved it.

Fast forward a few years the planned purchase of the AD360 has been followed by the AD200, my camera is now a Fuji X-T2 but I havn't bothered getting a hotshoe flash specifically for that yet, only a trigger and an update of the TT685S' and the Godox system runs perfectly with either the cameras. Only letdown is the lack of HSS with the Fuji/AD360 combo

Today the Godox system has evolved with lowcost mainspowered studio strobes, battery powered studio strobes and the new AD200 which is smaller than the AD360, only slightly bigger than the TT685 but with 3X the power, cheaper than the highend Canon or Nikon models and much more versatile for off camera use
(it has no hotshoe so its OCF only) all controlled from the same triggers making it even more versatile.

I wouldnt consider a brand that only offers speedlights. Good as they may be the flexibility of a full system is where its at even if youre not considering the bigger lights right now
 
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angusallan said:
Hi guys,

I am thinking of going for Godox TT685 and xpro transmitter. I have found one on amazon but just wondered if someone would be able to confirm i am ordering the correct one for my camera Canon 1000d?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Godox-TT68...=1543009416&sr=8-3&keywords=Godox+TT685+canon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Godox-8000..._rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=MDEVWGF5TEAFVN9MR8BV

Thanks
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Yes, they should be exactly what you need. I have the same setup for Sony and it works very well.
 
Snapsh0t said:
Yes, they should be exactly what you need. I have the same setup for Sony and it works very well.
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I have just got round to trying out the transmitter with the flash unit but I am having trouble setting it up. Do i also need a receiver attached to the flash unit for it to work as an external flash?
 
No. Set the flash to radio slave, not optical, and make sure the channel and group are the same as the transmitter's.
 
angusallan said:
I have just got round to trying out the transmitter with the flash unit but I am having trouble setting it up. Do i also need a receiver attached to the flash unit for it to work as an external flash?
Click to expand...
For a quick n dirty start.
Camera in Manual, ISO 400, 1/100s and f5.6
Transmitter on camera, make sure it’s all the way on, Set channel to 1 and your A group to ETTL.
Set Flash to radio receiver mode (cycle the mode button) and the channel to 1 and group to A
If you press the shutter, the flash will now fire.
You can now try to change the settings from the transmitter, change from ETTL to Manual (and watch the flash change) and alter the Manual output - the changes might need a half press of the shutter to make the units communicate.
 
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