Author Topic: Flashes  (Read 8785 times)

  • Offline zpyder

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Flashes
on: June 26, 2012, 22:32:32 PM
I'm meant to be giving a bespoke forensic photography course in a couple of weeks, part of which involves the use of flashguns, which is great as until now I've never used one.

I borrowed one of the Nikon camera kits we have at work complete with lenses and a flashgun, and had a play earlier.

All I can say is that I now want a flashgun. I was *really* impressed with the results of using the flash. Question is, what is a good gun at a good price for Canons at the moment?

And yeah, I should really get a ring flash for the kind of stuff I do, but meh.

Re: Flashes
Reply #1 on: June 26, 2012, 22:54:35 PM
I have no idea for Canon specific ones, but I bet its probably a good idea to pickup a 3rd party one for maybe £50-60 than jump straight in buying a £200 flash you find you don't use too much and if you find you are using it lots then you can buy a fancy one and after all you can never have too many flashes...

I've got Jessops 360afd, got it for £25 off ebay and its done me alright, although I haven't used it in a while.  I was starting to think about getting a yongnuo which went down to lower flash powers, my jessops only went from full to 1/16th power some of the yongnuo's do full to 1/64th power which is quite a bit of a difference when your wanting to stop motion with them rather than just light up a room or object.

Whatever you get make sure you get a set of yongnuo RF-602 wireless triggers, I got myself a hot shoe cord for maybe £10-15 but the RF-602's are only about £25 if I remember right and are totally worth the money, for no other reason than its less hassle.

Also have a watch of Zack Arias One Light Workshop.

Re: Flashes
Reply #2 on: June 26, 2012, 23:18:59 PM
Iv got a 430EXII and am very happy with it, the 7D can remote fire it as well.

Re: Flashes
Reply #3 on: June 27, 2012, 17:44:57 PM
Iv got a 430EXII and am very happy with it, the 7D can remote fire it as well.

 :thumbup: That's my setup

Re: Flashes
Reply #4 on: June 27, 2012, 19:20:20 PM
no need to spend money. google yongnuo - excellent value for money. no need to pay silly money for a flash... unless you want ttl
http://www.thephoblographer.com/2012/04/09/review-yongnuo-560-ex-ii-flash-for-canon-and-nikon/
http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/gadgets/277273/yongnuo-yn460-hotshoe-flashgun
http://speedlights.net/2012/04/09/yongnuo-speedlite-ex600-flash/
There are adapters also available to remote fire the flash.

Re: Flashes
Reply #5 on: June 28, 2012, 21:38:19 PM
I have a Sigma gun which is servicable and quite powerful for the money, I did have to send it back to be re-calibrated before it really performed properly though and the build quality feels quite plastic. I'd strongly consider a Metz if I were buying it again, the headline power figures tend to be lower but not by enough to really matter and the build quality is much better.

  • Offline ERU

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Re: Flashes
Reply #6 on: July 08, 2012, 10:38:29 AM
I got a Nikon D90 and sometimes have issues indoors with my 18-200mm. What is a cheap first flash to get is my budget is about £100?

Re: Flashes
Reply #7 on: July 08, 2012, 11:01:36 AM
This maybe? I retains the TTL functionality:

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/67558/show.html

Re: Flashes
Reply #8 on: July 11, 2012, 20:04:46 PM
This maybe? I retains the TTL functionality:

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/67558/show.html

I used to have a cheap Jessops bounce auto flash, it was plastic but it did what it said on the box. The only thing I'd be wary of is making sure the TTL works with digital bodies. I don't know on the Nikon system, it may very well be fine, but with Pentax I have to have a PTTL gun for my digital bodies and most of the cheap ones don't support it. With Nikon being a more common make they may well support the required protocol, but worth making sure before you splash out. Take the camera into a Jessops and see if they'll let you play (they should)

Re: Flashes
Reply #9 on: July 11, 2012, 20:16:16 PM
I've got a one of those jessops 360afds, not bad at all if you can get it cheap enough have a look on ebay they seem to come up quite a bit for less than what you'd pay in Jessops.  The TTL on mine works fine with Nikon, in fact its generally quite a good little flash as far as I tell my only problem with it is if you want to use it for strobist type stuff, it works but it doesn't go to low enough power levels for some stuff where you need a really now power level.  But its done me fine so far so I ain't complaining really.  Need to dust it off sometime soon don't seem to have used it for quite a long time!

Re: Flashes
Reply #10 on: July 14, 2012, 17:26:08 PM
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=271017027617
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=271017029620

2 auctions for 360afd's just came on an email from ebay, starting at £10 each with £4 delivery, might be worth keeping any eye on them and if they stay low having a punt on them.

  • Offline zpyder

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Re: Flashes
Reply #11 on: July 15, 2012, 08:07:42 AM
Sadly I need a Canon flash :(

Re: Flashes
Reply #12 on: July 15, 2012, 18:58:34 PM
Oh yeah, good point!

Although you do hear of people using any old flashes for off camera flash stuff.

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