which flash would be better

[mustanglover]

hey im currently looking for a decent flash for my camera to shoot at the drag strip for cars leaving the starting line i dont know which flash

the vivitar in link below
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?ci=9810&shs=vivitar+285hv&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=jsp%2FRootPage.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t&Go.x=18&Go.y=11


or this cannon flash im thinking this one bc of the recycling is faster but doesnt have a pivot head

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/121598-GREY/Canon_2262A006_220EX_TTL_Flash.html#features

[Tim S]

Hard to answer without any camera information.

[matonanjin]

hey im currently looking for a decent flash for my camera to shoot at the drag strip for cars leaving the starting line i dont know which flash

the vivitar in link below
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?ci=9810&shs=vivitar+285hv&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=jsp%2FRootPage.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t&Go.x=18&Go.y=11


or this cannon flash im thinking this one bc of the recycling is faster but doesnt have a pivot head

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/121598-GREY/Canon_2262A006_220EX_TTL_Flash.html#features

Isn't this during daylight?

[tenoverthenose]

I'd go with the Vivitar - more power.

[speedster00]

if you use recharchable batteries in either...its going to cycle pretty fast.

[Bumgardnern]

That Canon flash does not have much power at all. Between those two I think I would go with the Vivitar.

[mustanglover]

thanks im srry im using a canon rebel xti and its going to be at night i was also looking into the canon 430 ex 2 for the extra money

[nadtz]

How far away from the cars will you be? If you are going to be shooting at night and the track isnt well lit you would need to be fairly close for a hotshoe flash to do much of anything.

[matonanjin]

Between the first two you listed the Vivitar is going to be far more powerful, which is what you are going to need. The vivitar is purely manual.

The Canon 430 is Ettl which will help you get the proper flash exposure, but it will be a lot more money.

[Titus213]

If you can swing the Canon 430EX II you won't be disappointed.

[GCGuy]

What are you using for a lens? I shot drag cars a few years back with my 20D and a 70-200 2.8 and got decent results, but I can't think of a flash out there that will give you enough power and fast enough recycle times to get nice results if you're planning on shooting at max frames per second while they're leaving the line. At the last drag I went to this past fall, the pro there was using a Nikon D300 with 3 SB800's about 30 feet apart with wireless triggers to catch the guys coming off the line and decent results, but that was about one shot every launch as the flashes can't recycle fast enough.

[mustanglover]

im using the 55-250 mm canon tele lens with is and i will be like maybe ten to fifteen feet away and they have decent lighting

[S7000]

I'd go with the Vivitar. Not just the power, it's also a more versatile flash. You have control of the head, which will come in handy if you decide to use it for more than just drag shots. (which i'm sure you would. :p)

[Jim M]

I shoot quite a bit of drag racing and of the two presented, I'd go with the Vivitar 285. Use NiMH or hybrid batteries and you will get a much faster recharging time, but you will still only get one shot per launch. The 285 does not have E-TTL automatic flash, but it does have a form of automatic flash. Just read the instructions, put the camera on manual set to the maximum flash sync speed of your camera and the aperture set to whatever corresponds to the aperture indicated on the flash's little dial wheel and it will work fine.

[dtfuzzy]

Dude save up and get the 580EX2

[gonzogolf]

If you aren't seriously comfortable with using a flash go with the 430ex. The vivitar has more power but the rest of the benefits make up for the loss of power. Its not like either one by itself is going to give you nice even light across a drag strip.

[griptape]

Are you really allowed to blind the drivers right as they're taking off?

[mustanglover]

lol i would but im trying to build my race car and take pictures so i cant blow all my money on a flash i gotta pay for dyno time aswell lol

[mustanglover]

well usually the cars when they take off are looking into the air where i am i dont take pics of the street cars i take pics of the cars there for doing so called shows and wheelies

[mustanglover]

hey i recently picked up a vivtar flash where can i get the thing to make it portable

[runninmann]

hey i recently picked up a vivtar flash where can i get the thing to make it portableYou might need to explain a bit more? Are you referring to remote, wireless triggers?

[Lithian]

You might want to talk to the guy in this thread http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=672458