Need a flash or not

[quetzal Profile Private message]

Hi everyone,
We need you help about flash. Is it true when we use a 200mm len or longer we need a flash?... Then, if a flash is necessary, what kind of flash you would buy?... We're pros, Many thanks for your help. quetzal

[quetzal Profile Private message]

Hi everyone,
We aren't pros. Sorry. quetzal

[gpsmikey Profile Private message]

No, that is not exactly true. While a flash can help in many cases, there are also some downsides to using a flash. For one thing, unless you have the studio/environment set up for working with the flash (or multiple flashes), a flash is a point light source and can give some fairly harsh lighting to a subject. You might want to consider looking at a book called the "Hotshoe Diaries"
(Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Hot-Shoe-Diaries- ... 0321580141 )
Another couple of books you might find interesting (not just about flash, but lighting in general) are "Light - Science and Magic"
( http://www.amazon.com/Light-Science-Int ... 0240808193 )
and "Lighting Photo Workshop"
( http://www.amazon.com/Lighting-Photo-Wo ... 0470114339 ).
Check them out, read the descriptions and what others have to say about them and see how that applies to what you are doing. Flashes are very handy and can save the situation, but they can also ruin the effect if not used right (then there are the thousands of flashes going off in the stands at the football games that have absolutely no useful purpose except to look good (or illuminate the back of the head of the person in front of you )). Anyway, check them out, read up on lighting (which can make or break your shot) and the options. There is no single answer that fits all situations (as is evidenced by the many many books and web pages on various lighting techniques). I seldom use a strobe for my stuff and am shooting with a 300mm lens on my Nikon D300s (equiv. to a 450mm lens on a 35mm camera). One thing to keep in mind - light from a light source falls off in intensity as the square of the distance so it takes a pretty powerful strobe to reach out a long ways. There are a couple of ways around that - one is to have the strobe off camera closer to the subject (remotely triggered) another way that can work is there is a gadget out there called a "better beamer" that helps focus the light from the strobe in a narrower beam giving more light in a small area (handy with long lenses). Here is an example of that gadget ... http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/4 ... r_for.html It all depends on what you are doing - a strobe (flash) for taking pictures of the night lights of the city ruins the effect. On the other hand, if you want to stop a hummingbird in flight under typical light, you better have a strobe set for fast exposure

mikey

[MG - Admin]

There are instances when an external flash can be of help when using any lens. It just depends on the situation at the time. I normally don't use a flash with my 70-200mm lens, but I photographed a student presentation in a very poory lighted room recently and by tossing on the flash I got the light I needed even though I was sitting back fairly far from the students. I have a couple of Canon 580 EXII flashes and they're great. A bit pricey, but they give me a lot of control and power as needed.

Like Mikey said, it will take some practice to get the lighting down so it isn't so obvious that a flash was used. Natural light is always best if available.

Mike

[debngar Profile Private message]

Mikey gave you some good info to start with and as he pointed out, there is no single answer to every situation.

My 2 cents...

The length of the lens reach has nothing to do with need for flash. It sounds like you're confusing lens length with f-stop.

A built in flash on the camera can only reach about 10-15 ft. If you're photographing something further than the reach of the flash you're using, it won't do you any good anyways unless you have flash off camera, closer to your subject or something else lighting your subject, whatever it may be.

A photography specific forum may be best suited for this detailed subject. There are so many options in addition to the learning curve that this group may not be the best source for that info. If you're a Canon shooter for instance, there's a Yahoo forum called Canon Rebels that might help. I'm not a Nikon person but am pretty sure you'd be able to find a comparable group for that one too.

[gpsmikey Profile Private message]

Yep - for Nikons, there is the "Nikonians" forums .. http://www.nikonians.org/ I would start by doing some research though - every situation is different and a flash can either make or destroy an image (also, the closer the flash is to the centerline of the lens, the more likely you are to get red-eye or animal-eye or reflections off of things).

mikey

[quetzal Profile Private message]

Hi Mickey, Mike, Debbie,
Thank you so much for your help. We have a lot to see and to read. quetzal

[Tarafrost Profile Private messageWebsite]

a flash is a point light source and can give some fairly harsh lighting to a subject.

Yup....and so if you do use a flash, often you want to use some sort of a diffuser, which is why many studio pro's have so many umbrellas, softboxes and the like.

However, many of folks don't have these and don't want to set up a fancy studio. Sometimes, it would be too inconvenient even if you wanted to.

For situations like that, when you need the extra light that a flash provides, but only have an on-board flash unit and want to soften the harsh light a bit, this new item from Gary Fong can produce decent results:

Puffer - Popup flash diffuser

I've got a few of these, and found them to be very convenient when I need to "run and gun" with the "do everything" 18-200 lens on my rig.

[Studio7Productions Profile Private message]

The Puffer - Pop Up Flash Diffuser. looks like the way to go, however it's a tad expensive... but searching on Ebay, pointed me to an Identical Item for £3.49 (GBP)... thats a result..... ordered one from china.....will report on its use after i have tried it....
Mel

[heckydog Profile Private message]

Interesting search around ebay. I saw them priced as high as (shipping included) $71 (from Australia) to 98¢(from Hong Kong). And the Hong Kong item included 3 different colors !! But it appears the shipping could be as long as a month or more.

I opted for a genuine Fong Puffer Diffuser at $19.95. It looks like a worthwhile accessory so thanks "curmudge" for pointing it out. It's okay if I call you curmudge, isn't it.

Joe

[debngar Profile Private message]

In a pinch, a small piece of thin, one-ply white paper napkin or toilet paper draped over the flash will do. My 5dMII has only a hot shoe, no pop-up flash. But that trick works on my SX1IS point and shoot pop-up flash.

[quetzal Profile Private message]

Hi,
Many thanks for the informations on the Puffer. The demo is very clear. quetzal

[Tarafrost Profile Private messageWebsite]

I opted for a genuine Fong Puffer Diffuser at $19.95. It looks like a worthwhile accessory so thanks "curmudge" for pointing it out. It's okay if I call you curmudge, isn't it.

I've been called much worse!

[Tarafrost Profile Private messageWebsite]

In a pinch, a small piece of thin, one-ply white paper napkin or toilet paper draped over the flash will do. My 5dMII has only a hot shoe, no pop-up flash. But that trick works on my SX1IS point and shoot pop-up flash.

Yup....a good tip for sure. I prefer the puffer, only because it delivers more consistent results.

But if you are gonna use toilet paper, you need an "appropriate" dispenser handy....how about one of these:

TP Dispenser 1

TP Dispenser 2

(Note: I changed these to links instead of inline images, since the delicate constitutions of some members here might be offended by such humour/products)

I wonder if Gary Fong promotes these....'cause doing so would definitely increase sales of his Puffer, when folks consider the "alternative".

[gpsmikey Profile Private message]

In a pinch, a small piece of thin, one-ply white paper napkin or toilet paper draped over the flash will do. My 5dMII has only a hot shoe, no pop-up flash. But that trick works on my SX1IS point and shoot pop-up flash.

Somehow, the vision of you running around a wedding with a toilet paper dispenser on your belt just doesn't make it (or maybe it does)

The problem with a lot of the "diffusers" is that they need reflective surfaces around them to work properly - they scatter the light in multiple directions which is great in a confined space with a white ceiling for example that can reflect the light back from a different direction softening the single point light source. If you are outside with no reflective surfaces around, they are not nearly as helpful. That is where the umbrella comes in since it reflects the light back from a 35" diameter light source instead of a point source for example. The diffusers do enlarge the "point source" somewhat, but they really work much better with nearby reflective surfaces.

mikey