External Flash

[tjevans]

I finally decided to upgrade my dslr, and I purchased a Canon T4i. I'm now looking for an external flash (I didn't have one for my previous dslr).

I've had roughly half of the people I ask recommend getting a Canon speedlite, and about half recommend getting a third party unit (the main reason for this seems to be cost). And then I've had a few people recommend getting a manual flash (that is, one that doesn't use TTL (E-TTL in the case of Canon)).

I haven't asked here, though, so I just wanted your opinions on (1) third-party versus same-brand flash units and (2) the use of manual flash vs TTL.

 

[MolonLabe]

Fellow T4i owner here. I got a 430exII speedlight for mine.

The e-ttl is, from all I've researched, a crown jewel of auto flash setting. So much so, that most experts say, set and forget it. While at the same time saying change or manual everything else.

I honestly don't have any other experience with any other external flash or DSLR (at night or indoors) so take it for what it's worth.

I can say for a weeks worth of character meets and dinners and MVMCP, it did amazing, with and without a lightsphere diffuser.

I'll try and post a flash pic, I have been working like crazy and have nearly 7,000 RAW images to process from our two week trip.

 

[jimim]

I agree with the above comment canon is the way to go. I have the 430 cause i didn't need the features of the 500 series for slave unit use. I only looked at canon cause of the TTL use and pretty much it being set it and forget it.

I also use a Joe Demb flip-it saucer. I never ever leave home without it. It is the single best thing I ever bought for my camera. For $25 you can't go wrong. I also just got a Gary Fong LS but I don't feel it has the flexibility Joe's has. It's nice but not as flexible for different situations. You can control whitebalance with Joe's easier and you can also use it for fill flash outside much easier.

The other nice thing about shooting canon and flash is when in AV mode you can set ur exposure nice and easy with exp comp to get a faster shutter speed and then turn on the flash to fill and see if you need more or less power to fill. I know you can do this in manual but I feel it's a bit easier in AV.

Good luck! An external flash is million times better than the on camera one.

jim

 

[Frantasmic]

For my older camera (Canon XSi), I purchased a Quantaray Flash that served it's purpose well. For my Canon 60D, I upgraded to a Canon Speedlite (middle of the road model 320 I think). I have enjoyed both of them and they served their purposes for what I shoot.

I did a lot of research before the 320 purchase. Many people really like the Yongnuo flashes and say they serve as good a purpose as the Canon brand.

 

[photo_chick]

I finally decided to upgrade my dslr, and I purchased a Canon T4i. I'm now looking for an external flash (I didn't have one for my previous dslr).

I've had roughly half of the people I ask recommend getting a Canon speedlite, and about half recommend getting a third party unit (the main reason for this seems to be cost). And then I've had a few people recommend getting a manual flash (that is, one that doesn't use TTL (E-TTL in the case of Canon)).

I haven't asked here, though, so I just wanted your opinions on (1) third-party versus same-brand flash units and (2) the use of manual flash vs TTL.

Given that a flash works with my camera's power system and can easily cause damage to my camera I stick with the manufacturers brands here. The damage that occurs from using a flash that has voltage fluctuations or is the wrong voltage is a cumulative thing. So you don't generally know that it's going on when it's happening. It just gets to the point eventually where things no longer work. Personally I'd rather pay a little more and have the peace of mind I get from the manufactures brand (even if it's only in terms of warranty coverage) than to worry when using a third party flash.

Manual vs. TTL.. it's a lot like the difference between manual mode on your camera vs. Tv or Av mode. It's just a different approach. Most people who avoid TTL do so because they don't know how to use it.

 

[boBQuincy]

Given that a flash works with my camera's power system and can easily cause damage to my camera I stick with the manufacturers brands here...snip... Personally I'd rather pay a little more and have the peace of mind I get from the manufactures brand (even if it's only in terms of warranty coverage) than to worry when using a third party flash.

Manual vs. TTL.. it's a lot like the difference between manual mode on your camera vs. Tv or Av mode. It's just a different approach. Most people who avoid TTL do so because they don't know how to use it.

No disagreements here, about the only reason I can see to buy a 3rd party flash is to save $$$. To me it is not worth it.

If you want to use the features you paid for on your camera then there is little reason to not use TTL flash other than some special circumstances.

 

[SrisonS]

I've used Yongnuo flashes for both my T1i and T4i, and have never had any problems whatsoever with them. And price was definitely my main reason for going that route. I had also heard great things about them as well. If you do get one though, I know that the YN-468 II works with the T4i. The YN-465 (??) that I had for my T1i isn't compatible with that camera. And yes, the 468 is an E-TTL flash (I think the 465 is just TTL); and that works wonders.

 

[Bstanley]

I'm conflicted about Yongnuo Flashes.

I own a YN468 and it NOW works perfectly satisfactorily on a Rebel XS and a 60D in both E-TTL and manual modes. For the price of it's Canon equivalent I could have purchased 3 or 4 Yongnuo flashes (Amazon).

However - about 3 months after I bought it it began only working intermittently - a quick web search indicated that it was a known issue with the early 468s. A further search yielded a website that described the component that needed to be replaced and how to replace it.

As an electronic technician who had worked his way through college to a BS in Electrical Engineering I simply fixed it according to the directions - it took 30 minutes to find/buy the part and another 30 minutes to replace it.

It has worked fine for about 2 years now - I could have sent it back for warranty repair (others had done so) - but I could fix it so I did.

If waiting 3 weeks for a warranty repair is not your cup of tea and you wouldn't recognize a capacitor if it bit you on the ankle, well then, you might want to just pony up the cash for the Speedlight

Speaking personally I plan on buying one of the new Yongnu 565EX flashes - but Caveat Emptor.

 

[wbeem]

There are plenty of folks using 3rd party external flash with no problems at all. Many wedding photographers swear by Quantum lights. If you ever shoot with studio strobes, you're using 3rd party flash. Don't be afraid of them.

Remember, they all do the same basic job. They put out a burst of white light. The differences come in the amount of power of that light output, the recycling time, and any features that make your life easier as a photographer. If the power output is equal and appropriate to your subject, you can't tell the difference between a $70 Yongnuo or a $600 Nikon SB-910 or a Profoto studio light. What's important is the light modifier you put in front of it and how you trigger your flash.

That said, learn to trigger your flash off-camera as much as possible. That could be from remote triggering by the use of infrared or radio signals, or twisting your light to bounce off a wall. I tend to prefer the former to the latter, but we do what we need to do in different circumstances.

In any case, figure your budget and the features you want from your lights. The Yongnuo is inexpensive and you can get four of them for the price of one name-brand flash. On the other hand, those name-brand flashes often have triggers that let you change the power of the output without touching the flash. Once you put that light high up on a stand and get it just right, it's a pain in the butt to have to bring it down to change the setting and start over with positioning it.

Like everything in life there's compromises to make. Money or features.

 

[photo_chick]

There are plenty of folks using 3rd party external flash with no problems at all. Many wedding photographers swear by Quantum lights. If you ever shoot with studio strobes, you're using 3rd party flash. Don't be afraid of them.

Studio strobes should never be connected directly to your DSLR with a PC cable. Most of us wirelessly sync to them (whether through a pocket wizard or another method) and that keeps them totally separate from your camera and makes it a much different situation than using a third party flash that is directly attached to your camera. Using a third party flash off camera that's wirelessly sync'd creates the same kind of separation and in that use I'm OK with them. Because it is keeping that power separate from your camera's power systems. But that's a studio setup and I don't think that's what the original poster is talking about doing.

 

[DSLRuser]

I shoot nikon and stayed with nikon for my flash. but there are some decent third party flashes out there.

 

[wbeem]

Studio strobes should never be connected directly to your DSLR with a PC cable. Most of us wirelessly sync to them (whether through a pocket wizard or another method) and that keeps them totally separate from your camera and makes it a much different situation than using a third party flash that is directly attached to your camera. Using a third party flash off camera that's wirelessly sync'd creates the same kind of separation and in that use I'm OK with them. Because it is keeping that power separate from your camera's power systems. But that's a studio setup and I don't think that's what the original poster is talking about doing.

Perhaps you were confused when I said to trigger off-camera flash.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

I use the Sigma flashes. I have a ST and a Super. The Super has wireless ability along with all the bells and whistles of the OEM at a cheaper cost. Unlike Nikon, my system has not been known as having the best available flash system, so I didn't see it as much, if any, tradeoff. Since I can buy two for the price of one OEM, I look it as a win, win.

 

[photo_chick]

Perhaps you were confused when I said to trigger off-camera flash.

No... I wasn't confused. I was saying that using an off camera flash or using strobes in the studio is not like using a flash in the hotshoe which is what the OP seemed to be talking about.. And I've heard a lot of new photographers call a flash in the hot shoe an "off camera flash". I know we don't use the term that way, but I've heard many new photographers use it that way. You didn't clarify what you were saying very well and it left it open to interpretation. Apparently, I did the same.

 

[tjevans]

No... I wasn't confused. I was saying that using an off camera flash or using strobes in the studio is not like using a flash in the hotshoe which is what the OP seemed to be talking about.. And I've heard a lot of new photographers call a flash in the hot shoe an "off camera flash". I know we don't use the term that way, but I've heard many new photographers use it that way. You didn't clarify what you were saying very well and it left it open to interpretation. Apparently, I did the same.

Yes, I meant a hotshoe flash. I decided to spend the extra $ on the Canon, but I'm still in the return period and may change my mind.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[bob100]

I finally decided to upgrade my dslr, and I purchased a Canon T4i. I'm now looking for an external flash (I didn't have one for my previous dslr).

I've had roughly half of the people I ask recommend getting a Canon speedlite, and about half recommend getting a third party unit (the main reason for this seems to be cost). And then I've had a few people recommend getting a manual flash (that is, one that doesn't use TTL (E-TTL in the case of Canon)).

I haven't asked here, though, so I just wanted your opinions on (1) third-party versus same-brand flash units and (2) the use of manual flash vs TTL.

I've been using Yongnuo ETTL and manual flashes for the past four years without any problems. For my purposes (portraits, events, etc,) they work great.