Jessops flashguns.. yes or no?

ConfusedChicca

ConfusedChicca

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Laura
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Sorry I have no idea but I do have a question related to this if you don't mind me asking.....do all flashguns "talk" to your camera so to speak, or are they operated seperately?
 
They "sync" work with your camera. Canon uses the TTL (through the lens) method of telling the flash how bright to fire (as far as I understand it).
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The key thing to look for on Canon is "E-TTL" which will give automatic working with DLRs - it's what the Canon "EX" flashguns use. It doesn't say that this flashgun is E-TTL but does claim a long list of cameras it works with - although I don't know if that is in full auto mode or not. What worries me is that the flash is not compatible with the 40D. That limits its future proofing.

The other thing to be aware of is the "guide number" which is an indication of how bright a flash is. Lower numbers means the flash goes less far. The Jessops flash has a guide number of 36 wheras the Canon is 43 (a bit more powerful). Both are lower output than your Sigma which has a guide number of 50.
 
I've just spotted the Sigma DG Ef 500 Super at Jessops for £99.99, it has an LCD display which the Ef 500 lacks, plus lots more options to play with on the flash (my flashgun has 3 settings only.. TTL, Mh and Ml)
 
wickwhistle said:
Sorry I have no idea but I do have a question related to this if you don't mind me asking.....do all flashguns "talk" to your camera so to speak, or are they operated seperately?
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The most basic guns only have the electrical connections (just one) to sync with your shutter so that the flash fires as the shutter is wide open. If you look at modern high end flash guns, you'll find a total of 5 connections on the bottom of the gun and the same number in the camera hot shoe. These connections allow so many auto functions to take place....

The flashgun switches on when you half press the shutter and depending on mode selects the flash sync shutter speed and puts a 'flash ready' light on in the viewfinder.

The flash electronics are totally integrated with the camera exposure system to combine flash and ambient light for proper exposure, and there's usually a flashing or blinking light in the viewfinder and on the back of the gun which indicates a correct exposure after the shot is taken.

The ISO and all relevant camera settings including wb are automatically communicated to the flash from the camera.

With flashguns you get what you pay for. That's not to say you can't get good results from a basic gun but you need a good understanding of the guide no and how it relates to making manual settings. A pain in the butt tbh - I know which I prefer. :D
 
well surely something is better than nothing, and if its cheap, it will be good enuf for u to use till u can save up for a better one??
 
Ashers said:
well surely something is better than nothing, and if its cheap, it will be good enuf for u to use till u can save up for a better one??
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That's true actually, and if you make the effort to understand the basics and get good results you'll have a far better understanding of how flashguns work.
 
I have enough understanding now (apart from guide numbers but its been explained to me today) to be fairly confident about which functions I need from a flashgun. The only thing I was struggling with is the quality of Jessops own brand items, as I know people have had issues with Jessops stores, and I didn't know if their products are inferior.

I think I'll stick with Sigma, as its always worked well for me, but thanks for all your replies.
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If you;re going for the Jessops flashgun, 2 things

1) this code will get you 25% ff if you order online
JESODHSC25 (you can reserve online and collect in store)

2) let us know how it works out so we can see whether it's worthwhile :)
 
CT said:
That's true actually, and if you make the effort to understand the basics and get good results you'll have a far better understanding of how flashguns work.
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whoot i said something useful gooooo me :D :woot:
 
Ashers said:
whoot i said something useful gooooo me :D :woot:
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LOL. Actually you could do a lot worse than pick up a 2nd hand manual 35mmm film body - cheap as chips on fleabay. All you need to set is the ISO, the aperture and the shutter speed. That's all that's really important, and it's still true today, although all the modes on modern DSLRs must be a nightmare to anyone coming to them as a first SLR experience so I can well understand the difficulties.
 
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