Flash

[Gazbag]

I have a very basic understanding of what I want to do with my camera and the few different lens I have now collected, now its time for an advancement in my flash understanding. Is it worth buying a flashgun to enhance my pictures. I have read things like TTL, Flashfill for daylight use etc, and just wondered if it makes a huge difference. I have noticed that sometimes I get a shadow at the bottom of some pictures where the lens gets into shot. Would a bolt on flash help to reduce this when taking normal indoor family shots. Thank you for taking the time to read this

 

[J4MIE_P]

For indoor family shots it can drastically change your results (in a good way of course)

General sort of options people go for indoors is ETTL/ Manual (people's own preference) then bounce the flash off a wall or ceiling to get the most soft light and reduce harse reflections created by using the flash pointing straight at the subject.

If you decide to get a flashgun with a bounce card, this can also help as you point the flash at the wall/ ceiling and also slide out the bounce card to get a nice catchlight in the eyes

So as i've mentioned definately worth getting into especially if you take a lot of photos indoors.

Hope that helps
Jamie

 

[trencheel303]

Try using a flash diffuser for the onboard flash. Not as bright as a nuke gun obviously but unless you need the brightness and reach of one a diffuser might be more economically viable.

For fill in flashes the flash on the camera should be adequate.

 

[stevedunster]

Scott Kelby (famous photographer and author) call the in built pop-up flash the "ugly light" - cos it makes people look ugly when you shoot them with it...

Cos it is small (causing horribly harsh light) and close to the axis of the lens (causing shadows if your subject gets too close).

Putting any kind of diffuser over the "ugly light" will help a bit with the harsh light (I've seen some people suggest cutting the side out of a milk bottle) - but you'll still have the shadow cast by the lens barrel.

If you get yourself a proper flash gun with a swivel head you have so many more options. For a start the flash head is bigger and further away from the axis of the lens...but you can also point it at white low ceilings or walls and make the light source (the reflection on the wall/ceiling) even bigger and the results are quite rewarding.

Buy a curly TTL cord or trigger mechanism and you can run TTL off camera and you're on your way to becoming a strobist good 'n' proper. You'll be balancing available light against the flash with split exposures, and gelling up and using split white balance in no time. Oh and just look at the cheap add-ons you can get from Honl (or you could make your own)...so much fun.

Buy one! It'll open up a whole new world. I don't think you'll regret it.

Steve

 

[Mike54]

The little on board flash diffuser, the larger flash gun diffuser and the remote curly TTL cord (not sure about Sony) are available at a good price from Flash In The Pan under the the For sales forum.

 

[HoppyUK]

Absolutely get a flash gun. It will transform your flash photography, but you need to learn how to get the best out of it.

Those little on-board diffusers Fong things are pretty useless TBH. They work by diffusing and spreading the light, in the hope that a nearby surface will bounce it and soften it. However, unless you are pretty close, the on-board pop-up just hasn't got the power to do that - which is where a separate gun comes in

 

[Gazbag]

Thank you all for your very helpful replies..... it looks like I will be in the market for a flash gun in the very near future and then its more questions on here. Seriously ***, thank you all