External flash?

[WDWAurora]

Let me preface by saying that I *love* our external flash. We have a Nikon D5000 with the SB-600, and I feel like the flash has significantly upgraded all of our images. That being said...do you leave it on for walking around the parks? While I don't relish the weight around my neck, I do feel like I would be constantly putting it on and off if I don't leave it on (or make DH leave it on, who I am more likely to force to carry it).

Any thoughts?

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Fill flash is a wonderful thing to have, and I can look back and see some times I would have really loved to have had it on my camera. Having said that, I have a Canon 430II and I'm just not willing to lug it around. All in all, I don't think the benefits outweigh the extra effort required to deal with it. In a perfect world, yes. Walking around Disney isn't exactly a perfect world, not when it comes to lugging a DSLR around in crowds.

 

[traylorc]

I have been wondering whether or not I want to haul around an external flash. I agree with Wilsonflyer that fill flash is a wonderful thing. However, carrying a DSLR is difficult enough without having to worry about taking the external flash on and off in such a crowded place.

This is one of the reason I will bring my 50mm & 85mm f/1.4 primes with me to minimize having to use the external flash. That being said, even with the primes there are going to be times where I wish I had my external flash. Therefore, chances are I will bring my external flash, but I can see using it in certain situations.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Let me preface by saying that I *love* our external flash. We have a Nikon D5000 with the SB-600, and I feel like the flash has significantly upgraded all of our images. That being said...do you leave it on for walking around the parks? While I don't relish the weight around my neck, I do feel like I would be constantly putting it on and off if I don't leave it on (or make DH leave it on, who I am more likely to force to carry it).

Any thoughts?

I have it in my bag at all times. I use a combination of the the pop-up and external flash. For close-ups and minor shadowing, I use the pop-up. If I recognize a lot of shadowing or conditions that warrant the use of the external, then I pop it on. I let the conditions dictate which one I use.

 

[MICKEY88]

I have my external flash on one camera at all times in the parks, it helps get better parade shots when the floats are backlit..etc...

 

[WilsonFlyer]

You guys are going to talk me into finally trying this next week, aren't you? It's a conspiracy I tell you!

 

[mom2rtk]

I bought a smaller profile external flash that I keep on my camera at all times at Disney. I love character pictures, and I can't imagine taking them without an external flash. But I hated lugging around my camera with the full size flash attached (Canon 430 EX). My 270EX fit the bill perfectly. I doesn't have the flexibility to manipulate in all directions to bounce the flash, but I probably wouldn't do that at Disney anyway.

 

[boBQuincy]

That's my strategy too, I keep a 220EX on the SLR when I need more power or quicker cycling at WDW (like for meet & greets or character meals).

 

[mom2rtk]

That's my strategy too, I keep a 220EX on the SLR when I need more power or quicker cycling at WDW (like for meet & greets or character meals).

This is actually just as important to me in the character meets as the better lighting. The first time you miss a magical moment with the camera saying "busy" should be the last.

 

[boufa]

2 points, 1) I had my batteries die during a character meal. Major loss in quality, have regretted it. ( I also know to carry spares, rookie mistake)

2) on canons atleast you can turn off the flash in the settings and only use the focus assist feature. Huge benefit in darker locations where you cannot (or should not) use the flash. Even manually focusing the camera will give you its opinion of focus, the assist beam makes that better.

 

[TC09]

To the OP, have you thought about the Nikon SB-400? It's basically the equivalent to the Canon 270EX (as mentioned by mom2rtk.) Although, it won't swivel like the SB-600, it'll only adjust up 60, 75 and 90 degrees.

 

[WDWAurora]

OP here. I will be bringing the SB-600 no matter what, I am mainly debating whether to leave it on while we're carrying the camera. I'm leaning toward no, but maybe leaving the hot shoe cover off so that it's easier to pop it on when I want it. I'm thinking most of our pics will be outdoors in daylight, since we'll be getting DS back into the room fairly early (he's only 15mos). I'm not planning on taking dark ride shots or anything like that.

As for the 400...I'm not really willing to go there this close to my trip, and I'm not sure I would be happy with it given how happy I am with all the uses of the 600.

As an aside, I did buy the Crumpler Industry Disgrace based upon recommendations from this board, and we're really happy with it!

 

[disneyboy2003]

I always bring my external flash to Disney World. However, I usually attach the flash onto the camera only when needed. If I don't need the flash for the next several minutes, I usually take the flash off the camera. It's otherwise WAY too heavy for my neck to be carrying both the camera PLUS the external flash attached on there.

I use the external flash not only for fill flash, but also for the much faster flash recycle times, like others have mentioned. If I'm taking pictures at a character meet-and-greet or during character dining, I can fire off 3 consecutive shots with an external flash (just in case someone blinked, at least I'd have a couple extra photos to choose from). The built-in flash, on the other hand, is too small, not as powerful, and requires time to recycle.

I also hate that my camera's built-in flash will produce a seizure-inducing *strobe* at night. I think it does it to calculate flash exposure and camera focus. And sometimes, it needs to strobe for a few seconds before finally deciding to stop strobing! On the other hand, the external flash doesn't strobe like that, and I can usually get pretty instantaneous flash photos with it, rather than having to wait for the flash to think about the correct exposure.

I know that others may hate bringing an external flash to Disney World, and others may question whether to use flash at all. But I, personally, feel that some of my daytime pictures are better with a subtle touch of flash, but only in certain situations. And my nighttime and indoor pictures of people are definitely better with an external flash.

The external flash won't help me light Cinderella's Castle, but it will certainly help illuminate my subject standing in front of the Castle.

 

[handicap18]

I personally never used my external flash in the parks. I will just use the pop-up for fill and adjust the compensation down as needed. I also now will have a diffuser for my pop-up. I got the one Gary Fong makes the Puffer. It works pretty good. I don't use it to often mostly because I don't use my popup that often. It runs about $20 or so.

I will bring my SB-600 or 900 with me to the parks if I know we are going to be doing a character meal, thats the only time I use it. Otherwise, for me, the popup is good enough for fill during the day.