Is it the lens or do i need a speedlight?

[Lord Soth]

To anyone reading this thread, I propose a third option.

Professor Kobré's Lightscoop

http://www.lightscoop.com/

This nifty little gadget works with your pop up flash. According to user reports and reviews, they can get results as good as expensive external flashes and diffusers.

 

[shareoffroad]

i don agree.
I shoot alot of indoor photos with flash.
I use high iso + flash + diffuser.
All the pictures turn out very good, with warmth, but without shadow and harsh light on face.

i use high iso to capture the background behind the subjects (not referring to bokeh for single-subject portraits). A lot ppl have the mistake of using low iso because they thought since they have flash.
End up all the pics have dark background. Or if not, there is no warmth in the pic because they 'long-throw' their blu-ish flashlight.

However, not all cameras can use high iso (> or = 800).

agree. of course flash + high iso + diffuser could deliver excellence.

sometime the preference is to capture the original ambience without additional light from flash... large aperture lens will be needed for that....

 

[stupidbloke]

my style for shooting indoor photos? set on shutter like 40-50 just enough to freeze movement. f4 for sufficient DOF and set my flash on ttl and let it do the calculating. iso at like 200-400.

beautiful thing about indoors is that you can bounce your flash off the ceiling. just point your flash up. at the most put some dudes white name card and rubber band it there.you can even point it behind you. dont need diffuser all la. if your starting out for your first flash the sb600 is good enough. if you wanna get a good one i would settle for a second hand sb800 which you can get around 400.

 

[sin77]

To anyone reading this thread, I propose a third option.

Professor Kobré's Lightscoop

http://www.lightscoop.com/

This nifty little gadget works with your pop up flash. According to user reports and reviews, they can get results as good as expensive external flashes and diffusers.

if you look carefully, they are using different settings or lenses for the comparison photos.

 

[boyboy]

To anyone reading this thread, I propose a third option.

Professor Kobré's Lightscoop

http://www.lightscoop.com/

This nifty little gadget works with your pop up flash. According to user reports and reviews, they can get results as good as expensive external flashes and diffusers.

wow! available in SG from stores? ;p

 

[boyboy]

if you look carefully, they are using different settings or lenses for the comparison photos.

well. for larger rooms, this lightscoop cannot compare with a mid-range to higher end ext flash. but for nikon wise, i'd take this over an SB400 anyday!

in fact, if this cost below $40 or so (still ex for the simple design, but paying for the idea), i'd get it.

 

[xintothezonex]

buy flash.. will do the job!
cheers!
happy new year!

 

[Lord Soth]

wow! available in SG from stores? ;p

It can be bought from online stores such as Adorama.

The current price from Adorama is US$29.95.

Despite what others say, this item was reviewed by an independent American Photographic magazine and was the Editor's Choice for 2008 photographic lighting accessories.

http://popphoto2006.popphoto.com/americanphotofeatures/5386/editors-choice-2008-lighting-page3.html

Cheers!

 

[Leykid1634]

To anyone reading this thread, I propose a third option.

Professor Kobré's Lightscoop

http://www.lightscoop.com/

This nifty little gadget works with your pop up flash. According to user reports and reviews, they can get results as good as expensive external flashes and diffusers.

if you look carefully, they are using different settings or lenses for the comparison photos.

Right. As the lightscoop is infront of the built-in flash, it do block out some power of the flash. That means you need to do some adjustment/compensation in order for a well lite pix.
And also dont forget, the GN number of built-in flash is much weaker than external flash, where the latter could reach far away subject. For example, SB900 could reach up to 200mm away subject.

External flash, Pro (better power and distant reach) and Con to some ($$$)

 

[stupidbloke]

And also dont forget, the GN number of built-in flash is much weaker than external flash, where the latter could reach far away subject. For example, SB900 could reach up to 200mm away subject.

External flash, Pro (better power and distant reach) and Con to some ($$$)

its not say the sb900 can reach up to 200mm away, it can focus the light it emits to 200mm away. apparently according to ken rockwell. sb900 vs sb600 the sb900 has something like a 2/3 stop advantage over the sb 600 at "maximum zoom" (ie 200mm & 85).

 

[Saycheese78]

Yo Bro

You using ISO 3200 + 1/20s + largest aperture.. Even You have a F2.8 lens, I think you only gain 1 stop advantage.. F1.4 lens is 2 stop advantage. Consider you already using ISO3200 + 1/20s, something must be very wrong... could be the flash..

Your setup is equivalent to some1 using ISO 1600 + F2.8 lens (PLEASE correct me..) Wedding photographer only use ISO800 + F2.8 + Flash.