are external flash important?

[Trash]

if ur mainly on macros and potrait shoots..

you may consider getting yourself a ring flash

Sony has one.

Sony only has a ring LED light, it is not a flash. It will be easier to find a blue moon than the old Minolta ring light with the MFC-1000 controller (even if you can find, the price will probably be objectionable).

in adi those lens with the D function will enable the camera do a calculation of the distance of the subject to the camera and output the flash accordingly,
in ttl there will be a preflash fired off to determined the overall exposure of the background to allow the flash to output accordingly

Adi is less likely to be affected by the reflectivity of the background
TTl will be affected

thus the reason some people having problem when shooting in metallic or mirrored area... the reflectivity of the background can easily fool the camera in outputing less flash that it suppose to be

In case there is confusion, ADI only work for direct flash. But for better effects, bouncing of the flash is required, ADI will not help there.

Hence ADI is not holy grail. (My personal take is ADI is only good to have. )

 

[yannh]

I like macro, and can't live without flash.

Depends no your budget, get according to this list.
Sony F58
Sony F42
Sony F56
Minolta 5600
Sony F36
Minolta 3600

I think you can forget about the rest.

External Flash can definitely let you venture into another big area of photography.

 

[doomslayerz]

don't rule out the 42, go down and check out the 58 and 42. u might find the 58 a little too large :dunno::bsmilie:
the f42 is a nice size and goes for about $250-300 2nd hand~ :thumbsup:

 

[synapseman]

If you're a street/landscape photographer, probably don't need.

But for portraits, it will come in useful. And macro photography, you'll need specalist equipment (lens, extension tubes, righlights) to get eye-popping shots like what you see here in CS.

But what people say about don't anyhow buy things is true. Many people (including myself) have bought a piece of equipment first, because we THINK we are going to use it for a particular situation, then end up using it just a few times and then it sits in the dri-cab forever.

If you're like me, perpetually on a budget, go out and shoot with what you have, then you will know the limitations of your equipment, and then you will have a better understanding of how you can fulfill your own needs. This takes time and patience, but in the long run, it makes better economic sense, and your kit will be more streamlined, without the rest of the un-necessary stuff that you won't use.

And next, buy as good as you can afford. Suntax etc may be cheaper, but if they don't meet your needs, you're going to end up buying a better flash anyway. Waste time, waste money.

 

[haqeel]

alright guys, after much replies from yall,
ive come to a conclusion to get the 58am one.
but, not for now. i shall collect money first. then i should get it by the end of the year. (

thank you all!

 

[greybear]

good for u~* I have got the 58AM after my purchase of the camera and have not regretted it... hope the same for u also! =)

 

[kelvint81]

greybear flashgun super good.
drool....
;p

 

[Agetan]

Although you are pretty much make up your mind, here is what I think...

External flash is important to have but it may not the most important item to use.

I own a couple 56 flashes which I do bring with me in case there isn't enough light around.

I shoot children and wedding and I normally don't need to resort to flash... I shoot 99.9% of my images with available light.

So it is important to understand light and flash is just one of those light that you can bring with you.

All the best.

Hart

 

[haqeel]

yeap. thanks!

anw, i was wondering,
yesterday, i went over to the Redbull xfighters.
and it was really hard to shoot because shitterspeed was too slow due to insuffieinct lightings..
will flash really help alot?
thats not really the question..
can u actually control the flash as in, how far can it go?
i mean, how far can the light travel. ?

thanks!

 

[achewlim]

previously i was thinking..ahh..i only need flash for night shooting..or events which i rarely do...but after i got my F58...i find it so $%^$#@ useful...macro wise..no need to say..definitely need a flash to counter the slow shutter speed when shooting in F1x~F2x... portrait wise..i find it very very useful too..like when ur subject has a bright background..u don have to sacrifice ur composition/background..u can use it to fill in some lights to get a good exposure on both ur bg and ur subject.....and lastly..wireless flash capability gives me lots of fun too...~ i think it worth the price(its cheaper compare to C n N brands anyway)..if not u could also get a F42 which i think would pretty much do the same job..

 

[YoungPictoraider]

If you're like me, perpetually on a budget, go out and shoot with what you have, then you will know the limitations of your equipment, and then you will have a better understanding of how you can fulfill your own needs. This takes time and patience,

With your permission, my young experience can help.

When i started practising macro , my teacher did insist that i go, shoot with what i have and don't use flash (either built-in flash or external flash) during my 6 first months . I must say he was right : it takes time and patience but there is no better way to have a better understanding of the beauty of natural lights and of how you can fullfil your own needs to recreate such approximative beauty with flash(es) lights.

A friend of mine is very good with flashes as you can see : http://simpho.free.fr/ but this suppose he has to know very well natural lights first.

Don't buy a macro ring, prefer a cheeper general purpose flash : i can show you how to build a ring bounce for free to turn it into a full TTL macro ring flash. If you are'nt on budget, a general purpose wireless flash would be a full-life most useful investment.

Concerning using external flash in general photography, you can refer to a very helpfull article by David Hobby from Strobist.blogspot : http://scottj.info/files/strobist-lighting101.pdf . The tutorial is available in french : http://www.photographe-mariages.net/strobist/Strobist_L101_French.pdf

You have also some real nice advices from Neil van Niekerk : http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/exposure-metering/ (in french version by Melinda Barrals : http://melina.barrals.over-blog.fr/...chniques_de_mesure_de_lexposition-419918.html)

YP

 

[haqeel]

woah. i now say i never regretted joining the clubsnap community. :thumbsup:
i really learnt alot since day 1. thank you guys alot

 

[kelvint81]

yeap. thanks!

anw, i was wondering,
yesterday, i went over to the Redbull xfighters.
and it was really hard to shoot because shitterspeed was too slow due to insuffieinct lightings..
will flash really help alot?
thats not really the question..
can u actually control the flash as in, how far can it go?
i mean, how far can the light travel. ?

thanks!

bro i thk i might have saw u.
are u using sony bag with a malay ger waiting for shuttle bus to flyer at the busstop next to the church at 5pm like that one?

 

[haqeel]

bro i thk i might have saw u.
are u using sony bag with a malay ger waiting for shuttle bus to flyer at the busstop next to the church at 5pm like that one?

oh, nope. im using the 7million crumplers.
the place yest was infested with photographers.
front back left right, i see photographers. then i was wondering which are from Cs community.

 

[kelvint81]

oh, nope. im using the 7million crumplers.
the place yest was infested with photographers.
front back left right, i see photographers. then i was wondering which are from Cs community.

oic.
Me also using same cam as you.
went to redbull event also
total disaster
all the photos too dark. no flashgun
even iso1600 also cannot make it
:bsmilie:

 

[haqeel]

oic.
Me also using same cam as you.
went to redbull event also
total disaster
all the photos too dark. no flashgun
even iso1600 also cannot make it
:bsmilie:

haha yeap. i had to boost it up to 3200.
but had the noise ninja to reduce the noise
but still pictures were damn sucky. :bsmilie:

 

[kelvint81]

haha yeap. i had to boost it up to 3200.
but had the noise ninja to reduce the noise
but still pictures were damn sucky. :bsmilie:

no choice.
our A200 is not up to the task.
:bsmilie:

 

[MontoyaSG]

no choice.
our A200 is not up to the task.
:bsmilie:

which lens are you using?? a F2.8 lens should be up to the job.

 

[kelvint81]

which lens are you using?? a F2.8 lens should be up to the job.

problem is i dont have.
Dont have such budget to buy a f2.8 lens

using A200 with beercan.

 

[haqeel]

hey same. im using beercan too.

wah. now the replies have got no link to the title of this thread.
:bsmilie: