Nightclub photography: Yongnuo YN560 II vs 565EX?

[Bartek]

So I am trying to make a start with nighclub photography, still gearing up. I have been reading literature for around a month now and I am familiar with most concepts, however as I am yet to buy a flash I had very little chance to experiment around.

As I have a very limited budget (girlfriend already unhappy with all of my hobby expenses) and I am not sure if I am going to stay in this field, I decided to opt for cheaper options - if it turns out this becomes profitable or remains enjoyable, then I will think about upgrading.

For now I have narrowed my flash gun choices to two: Yongnuo YN560 II and Yongnuo 565EX. In all the reading I had done, there are only two big differences that could affect my shooting: Yongnuo YN560 II is half the price (£39, Amazon), while the 565EX has ETTL mode (however costs £77, Amazon).

At this price, I know a lot of people will say to just go for the 565EX as it is still very cheap, however please keep in mind I am a student and every penny counts! Both flashes get very good reviews (especially for the price) so it is now down to whether or not ETTL is really worth paying twice as much.

I googled around for some time but it seems to be split and a lot of people say they use the TTL and a lot just use manual (both concerning nightclub photography).

Now this really leaves me in a pickle. I know 565EX would give me the ability to test it for myself and if I don't like TTL, just switch to manual, however the extra £38 just for the ability to test it? - not sure.

Any opinions would be very highly appreciated! Thanks guys.

 

[Phil V]

It's less about the gear and more about you. Manual flash is quite easy to learn, and to use consistently, but it requires self discipline. Basically you can memorise a handful of settings and just repeat those shots (in terms of balance against the ambient, subject distance etc). But ETTL will allow you to just shoot with much less care as it'll compensate for your lack of planning.

Personally I use Manual in any static situation, but I use ETTL with a camera mounted flash for ease.

 

[HoppyUK]

Welcome to TP

The key advantage of auto-TTL is speed of operation. There is nothing that auto-TTL can do that you can't do manually, but auto-TTL will do all the calculation for you and deliver the correct exposure instantly (in theory) with the first shot. Flash exposure is very sensitive to distance and can also be affected by the environment, plus bounce exposures etc are tricky to estimate, so auto-TTL is invaluable in fast moving situations when you haven't got time to mess about.

With static situations however, say in the studio, manual is usually the preferred option as it locks the flash output. Exposure will not change when you don't want it to, even if the subject moves, or changes clothes, or whatever else that can affect auto-TTL exposures.

IMHO, everyone should have at least one good auto-TTL gun as they're just so versatile and useful. Not so important for second and third guns.