Flash on dslr

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franatic

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Brian
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Just wondering what you all do about flash on dslr cameras , do you make do with the built in/on flash for low light situations or use a seperate more powerful
unit ?
If so does it need to be dedicated or not ?
 
Get a separate, dedicated gun, and learn to bounce it around, use it with simple diffuser/modifiers, and then get it off the camera and add one or two more.

It will transform your flash photography, and open up completely new areas of picture taking potential :thumbs:
 
A dedicated flash is better imho, as you can use ttl, the camera and flash will work out how much fill light is required. If it gets it wrong you can use flash compensation.

I do use my flashes on Manual some of the time.......just takes a little more trial and error. A few test shots and when you get the results required, job done. I have a light/flash meter which is helpful, but not nessacery if you can take your time doing a few more test shots. More experienced photographers will have a good idea from the start and won't thumble around as much as me though. This is where practicing and more practicing comes in handy, something I need to do more!
 
I'll use the built in flash to provide a bit of fill if I don't have my dedicated flashgun with me but I far prefer the dedicated unit.
 
im using an sb-400 atm, nice cheap flashgun for a person living off student budget - has the option to bounce at a couple of angles and you can buy a stofen diffuser for it which makes the flash usable pointing right at the subject producing fantastic results. cant believe i waited so long before buying one!
 
I just use the on-board unit on my D50. Reason is I can't afford a flash atm, I do however have one of FITPs on-board flash diffusers, which has made a huge difference and kills the harshness of this flash. Bargain at only £3.50 delivered in the traders section.

I do fancy a YungNuo though as it will be much more versatile.
 
I use a 50mm f1.8 lens or I use my metz 45cl4 digital flash. Can't stand the on-board flash on the canon, but if that is all you have, try to work with it.

the metz is dedicated through an attached unit and uses ETTL, but I also use it in manual mode when I'm feeling creative.
 
I'm cheap so I just use the Rizle paper on my inbuilt to diffuse the light.
 
Hi Brian. As per above the seperate flash unit is the better option,it gives you more control in its use, you can use it off camera, bounce it off walls and ceilings and it is generally more powerful than the onboard. Why does this matter?, with a flash mounted on or in the camera pointing at the subject a couple of things will happen (assuming a person is the target) you will almost certainly get "red eye" as the person will be probably looking toward the camera, the image will look "flat" devoid of shadow which give the features shape, if close to a wall cast a harsh shadow and generally the image will look washed out.
What bouncing the flash achieves is a more even spread of light and less flash hot spot, which creates a more pleasent picture. The add on flash uses its own power so does not drain your camera battery, and being more powerful the distance between the camera and the subject can be greater. That said use the onboard flash is you really need to, I use a clip diffuser (from Flash in the pan) when I have no option but to use the onboard flash (no external with me etc).
As external flash and cameras talk to each other you may need a dedicated compatable unit.
 
neoboy said:
I'm cheap so I just use the Rizle paper on my inbuilt to diffuse the light.
Click to expand...

lmao, thats hilarious, love the simplicity of it.

I did make a DIY pop-up diffuser a while ago too. Great at killing shadows, and only lost around 1/3 to 1 stop of power over its distance range. It is bigger than the acctual camera though so not very easy to use.:lol:
 
neoboy said:
I'm cheap so I just use the Rizle paper on my inbuilt to diffuse the light.
Click to expand...

Do you recommend any particular sort of rizla (I'm guessing the licorice ones leave a bit of a colour cast)?
 
Arthur Edwards was being interviewed outside buck house the other evening and I was bit surprised to see what looked like a piece of shopping carrier bag over the lens of his Nikon flash. It wasn't raining so it couldn't have been for protection.
________
Toyota echo
 
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I use it to trigger my studio flash. No need to have cables all over the floor. If it interferes with the shot then just cover part of it.
 
I use a dedicated unit. Only got a very cheap one, but even that it miles better that the onboard flash
 
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