External Flash

[DanG]

I have been taking digital photos for a few year now. This summer I upgraded to a Canon Rebel XT and have been taking more photos than ever before. A few of them are actually quite nice.

One type of photo I can't seem to get right is indoor portrait. Lighting/exposure is always off, especially is relatively dark rooms.

I think it is the small built in flash. I have looked at external flashes but even staying with just Canon there are three price points, 220EX around $160, 430EX $250 and the 580EX $400.

Will using an exteral flash help fix my problem? Do I need to spend more or is the 220EX a good product?

Thanks.

[Not4wood]

I have been taking digital photos for a few year now. This summer I upgraded to a Canon Rebel XT and have been taking more photos than ever before. A few of them are actually quite nice.

One type of photo I can't seem to get right is indoor portrait. Lighting/exposure is always off, especially is relatively dark rooms.

I think it is the small built in flash. I have looked at external flashes but even staying with just Canon there are three price points, 220EX around $160, 430EX $250 and the 580EX $400.

Will using an exteral flash help fix my problem? Do I need to spend more or is the 220EX a good product?

Thanks.

If your pics are too dark, maybe your too far from your subject. The small built ins are limited to about 60' or so. Can you give an example of what your talking about? What are your camera settings for the problem shots? An external Flash is always more powerful than the built in flash.

In basic a million years ago 35mm Photography, the standard Flash exposure settings first started at F8 @ 60 of a second. My new Digital Camera, which I am just learning can sync up to 200 of a second. Every camera is different you need to make some test shots to get your exposures down before you take on a situation where you need good shots aka like a party and you dont want bad exposures when you need it the most.

You have a very nice camera, but you do not have to buy or stick to a Canon Flash. There are a lot more available for a wider range of what you think you might need. For more information on Flashes that are offered, you can just look around at some of the major Online Photo Stores to hunt for whats available for your particular camera. Check with B&H on the net and just hunt around and you can see whats available then look at your local Camera store and see what they sell. Your local camera shop can also give you more explainations of a how and why. This is why I prefer smaller local shops over the big houses.

[RobertSchuldenfrei]

I have been taking digital photos for a few year now. This summer I upgraded to a Canon Rebel XT and have been taking more photos than ever before. A few of them are actually quite nice.

One type of photo I can't seem to get right is indoor portrait. Lighting/exposure is always off, especially is relatively dark rooms.

I think it is the small built in flash. I have looked at external flashes but even staying with just Canon there are three price points, 220EX around $160, 430EX $250 and the 580EX $400.

Will using an exteral flash help fix my problem? Do I need to spend more or is the 220EX a good product?

Thanks.

Hi Dan,

I have never been a big fan of flash. Studio lights are nice, but pricy. Try this: Sit your subject down by a window that has nice soft light. Get a large white piece of foam-core board and prop it up on the side opposite the window. This will act as a reflector. There you have it! Low cost studio lights:).

Cheers,

Bob

1639

[Not4wood]

Hi Dan,

I have never been a big fan of flash. Studio lights are nice, but pricy. Try this: Sit your subject down by a window that has nice soft light. Get a large white piece of foam-core board and prop it up on the side opposite the window. This will act as a reflector. There you have it! Low cost studio lights:).

Cheers,

Bob

1639

Bob, I agree with you and natural light can be very nice. Even if you set it up you can still use flash for fill using the Sun as the Main light. But, your also talking about an ideal setting. I used to be a "Wedding Photographer" and Flash Photography is a very big part of the total picture. Pun intended :twisted:. Flash photography does still have its place more now than ever in this Digital Photogaphy world. From my camera I can set the power of the flash, sync it at a multitude of shutter speeds and the most bizaar is I can change when the flash goes off in "Slow Synce". Which means in the example subject your talking about I can open my shutter, expose for the natural light, then have my flash go off (at the end of the exposure) at any power setting I can set, then close the shutter. My final exposure will have the natural light as well as the lit subject still showing off all the details.

As far as Flash goes, when we did weddings we always used two lights. Flash is our friend. For either indoors or dark situations like parties, upcoming Thanksgiving Feast indoors for example. You will need to use your flash for many situations. Dont write off any tools when they can be very useful.

[Chuck S.]

I have the 420 EX, predecessor to the 430 EX. If I were in the market now, I'd almost certainly go for the 580 EX for the additional 'reach' and controls.

[DMurray407]

I have the Sigma EF-500DG Super for my Canon DRebel. I'm not a big "flash person" so it doesn't get much use but from what I have seen and read, it is very similar to the Canon brand. It has ETTL-II and all the bells and whistles. I do believe that there are a few features that it doesn't have when compared to the Canon, but I haven't missed them (or even noticed that they were missing). The Sigma is way cheaper than the Canon and it is fully compatable with the DRebel XT.

[DanG]

Thanks for the advice. I have been looking around on ebay. There are some good prices on the Canon flashes (especially with the strong Canadian $). There are also a lot of non-Canon products on e-bay. I will have to investigate those as well. This weekend I will try Bobs white board reflector suggestions.

Dan

[lexcell]

Excellent suggestions regarding flash and natural light.
I'll throw my two cents worth in here...

I think you will get the very best results by sticking with Canon flashes for your Canon camera. While third party companies do a good job they are not privy to all the technology that Canon has to offer...they basically have to backward engineer the technology. As you learn more and improve your photography and build your system, you may want to go beyond say one flash and add additional flashes to the mix and Canon has the technology to fire multiple flashes wirelessly all the while maintaining TTL.

Sure, you can use the cords or the flash on camera with the third party flashes but, in time you may find that it limits your creativity.

As for actual output and quality of light the third party flashes are fine...it just depends on where you want to take your photography and how much you are willing to spend.

Within the Canon line, I would look at either the 430EX or the 580EX. The 200EX does not give you all that much more over your built-in flash. If you can afford it, I;d go all the way and get the 580EX...there are times when you can never have too much power and you can always dial the power down as needed.

[Not4wood]

Here we go, its only 06:39 AM and here I am reading and answerings threads. You want to say "I'm Addicted Already"?? LOL

This thread has taken off, and I would like to suggest that this can be another topic thread under the Title of Equipment.

As far as other company Flashes go, a lot of them are making the TTL compatable. The real expert companies like Norman should be making Flashes that are better then the actual camera company. If they say its compatible you can be sure to check it out and make yourself comfortable that you got a working product and not have to worry.

I found my old Vivitar 283 from a million years ago. I looked at B&H and would you believe they are still available and are now considered the best Flash of all time. Now they offer a few things that I've never seen like a shade for the eye to protect it? Dont have a clue what this is for. A power chord to use a standard electrical home outlet for studio lighting. Now this is a great add-on. I had heard that I can't connect it to my Nikon D80 and that I need some kind of adapter to protect the electrical components?? I hunted and dont even see this mentioned in a whole lot of places so tomorrow I will drift by the small Camera Store and see what they have to say. I know its not TTL compatible, but the 283 still works and also will fit on my old camera bracket. Whether I use a cable or something to hook up to my camera I can still set the f stop and I dont have to worry. If I take it off camera I can set the 283 and lower the built in flash power for modeling light. Theres always a way. LOL

[JulieM]

and Canon has the technology to fire multiple flashes wirelessly all the while maintaining TTL.

Laurie, I wonder if you mind explaining what TTL means for those of us who don't know. I think it stands for "through-the-lens" but have no idea what that means in terms of using an external flash... :)

[GeoR]

Laurie, I wonder if you mind explaining what TTL means for those of us who don't know. I think it stands for "through-the-lens" but have no idea what that means in terms of using an external flash... :)

Thanks for asking that question. I too cant get my head wrapped around TTL. I think I have an idea but then most of my ideas turn out wrong. :) GeoR

[RobertSchuldenfrei]

Hi All,

By saying I am not a big fan of flash, I did not mean to say I never use flash. Most of my flash photography is done outside as fill flash. I do have a vintage Sunpak 544. I like an off camera flash so as to minimize red eye and give the subject some 3D look that you cannot get with a camera mounted flash.

And if you are in the business, as wedding photographers are, there are no substitutes for an array of strobes with which to light the image.

I love this sub-forum. "Keep the cards and letters coming in folks!"

Cheers,

Bob

[lexcell]

Here's the definition from Wikipedia...I thought it was pretty concise.
"
In TTL, flash metering occurs after the shutter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shutter_%28photography%29) has been opened — the sensors record the amount of flash-created light returning to the camera through the lens and automatically shut off ("quench") the flash when an appropriate amount of light has been produced."

[JulieM]

Thanks for the response, Laurie. I think that is becoming a little more clear for me. Does that mean that it uses the camera's metering system to generate the appropriate light but a system which is "not TTL" decides on the correct light via some other method?

[DanG]

I found this link under the similar threads section. It goes back to March 2006. Norm F links to this article that looks very good.

Thread: http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7480


Article: http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/

Strangely the article is dated Feb 07 and the thread is dated March 06. I guess the article has been updated.

[JulieM]

Many thanks for pointing that out, Dan. The reference looks very useful...

[NickLewis]

Dan, going back to your original question......

The 220EX is a competent, compact and cheap flash. I bought mine for use when I want more light than the built-in flash on my 20D provides. It will help with exposure problems, simply because it is more powerful.

But because it is small, there is not much separation between the flash head and the lens. In addition, you can't tilt or swivel the head, so you can't employ bounce flash techniques. As a result, it produces the same sort of flat straight on lighting effect that a built-in flash does.

As I say, I don't use it much, and am happy with it for my purposes, since I don't want to cart around a large gun that I rarely use.

You'll get a more powerful and more flexible flash by spending more on the 430 or 580, but only you can judge whether the extra cost is justified by the use you'll get out of it. Also consider the handling of a large flashgun on a small body.

Nick

[lexcell]

Julie,
That's correct. If you use a flash that is not TTl or studio lighting, you loose TTL. In the case of "auto" flashes, there is a sensor (thyristor) that turns the flash off but it is not as accurate or sophisticated as TTL. And, if you use studio strobes, you basically need a light meter that tells you where to adjust the camera settings.

Nick makes a good point about which flash to buy...it depends on your needs and just how creative you want to get with lighting. With the bigger flashes, you can bounce the light of ceilings, walls, reflectors, etc so that you do not have direct, flat light. Think about how we usually see each other light naturally...with the light coming from above....

Something to think about.

Dan, very in depth articl you linked to. Thanks!

[Not4wood]

Hi All,

By saying I am not a big fan of flash, I did not mean to say I never use flash. Most of my flash photography is done outside as fill flash. I do have a vintage Sunpak 544. I like an off camera flash so as to minimize red eye and give the subject some 3D look that you cannot get with a camera mounted flash.

And if you are in the business, as wedding photographers are, there are no substitutes for an array of strobes with which to light the image.

I love this sub-forum. "Keep the cards and letters coming in folks!"

Cheers,

Bob

I apologize Bob. I didn't mean to sound as if I was attacking you. I used to be a wedding photographer and worked out of a small wedding studio a million years ago, and I also worked in the studio during the week. Using Flash to help us with a lot of the situations was second nature and is an integral part of the tools that we have as photographers.

I left the business after spending eight years as a manager of a small portrait studio and that was way back in '88. Now that I have rediscovered photography, I have to relearn some of the ways that we did things. The mind set is still the same, but the way we have to go about it has changed thru technology.


.

[RobertSchuldenfrei]

Not4Wood said: "I apologize Bob. I didn't mean to sound as if I was attacking you."

No apologies necessary! This has been an excellent thread. I continue to learn from the experiences of others in the forum. It is like a graduate level course in photography and the graphic arts.

Cheers,

Bob