Pop-up flash

Thanks to all for your votes.
The answer is resoundingly "fill flash on the fly."
For me I would gladly give up the rain hole on top of my camera
because I lug the 580 everywhere.
Bouncing light and off-camera flash
with an ebay wireless trigger are very cool.
Good shooting to you all.

I don't know if I've fired my onboard flash once since buying my flash, what, almost a couple of years ago now maybe? It might not even work for all I know

Reign wrote in post #3845904
I switched from Nikon to Canon, so my old external flash won't be compatible. It'll be a little while before I can afford a flash, but I've found that using a spoon to redirect light produces some interesting effects

If your old Nikon will work on manual you can use
the ebay wireless trigger set to make your old guy
pop on command from anywhere you place it.
Tie it to a tree branch, tape it to a door post,
have your trusty assistant hold it, put your cam on a tripod
and timed shutter release and you hold it...
You'll have to figure the exposure yourself
but its not too hard. Check out Strobist website
for some instructions.

I answered only Speedlight, but I would like to put "intentionally" after my answer.

There have been one or two occasions with my 20D where I have used the on-camera flash when I did not bring a flash because I did not think I would need it or when the batteries in my flash went dead. If I think I am going to need a flash I bring a Speedlight, but now I check to be sure the batteries are charged too.

I carry my old D60 as back up, and the flash on that camera won't even pop up. I don't know how long it has been that way or if I could even get the flash to come up when it was new. The fact that I have never bothered to get it repaired may be an indication of how important I consider it to be.

ScottE wrote in post #3848323
I answered only Speedlight, but I would like to put "intentionally" after my answer.

There have been one or two occasions with my 20D where I have used the on-camera flash when I did not bring a flash because I did not think I would need it or when the batteries in my flash went dead. If I think I am going to need a flash I bring a Speedlight, but now I check to be sure the batteries are charged too.

I carry my old D60 as back up, and the flash on that camera won't even pop up. I don't know how long it has been that way or if I could even get the flash to come up when it was new. The fact that I have never bothered to get it repaired may be an indication of how important I consider it to be.

The big flaw with the Canon pop-up flashes is the little microswitch in the hotshoe that prevents the flash from popping up when a Speedlite is mounted. This switch will stick in the down position and the camera will think there is a flash in the hotshoe when there really isn't.

I carry my 550EX with me everywhere I go. Even if it isn't mounted, I have it with me. Even if they were reliable, the pop-up flashes don't have enough flexibility for my likes.

Is someone saying there's a popup flash on my 20D?

Yeah, I know it's there but is absolutely the most useless "feature" of the 20D that I can think of (next to all the "picture" exposure modes, I guess).

430EX all the time. Before I got it I used my popup flash only 3 times, and only got 1 decent picture with it.

I have used my pop up flash on my 20D maybe 20 times and I've had it for over 2 years now. When I was deciding whether to get the 5D or not, the pop up not being there actually was a plus. When you use the 24-70, the pop up flash will cast a shadow because the lens is so long and big. So, I could never use it with that lens anyway.

i currently have a 420ez flash, i have to manually expose and set the options of it, as it's quite old.. that being said though, i have had some nice shots with it.

i used my pop-up flash for about 200 shots when i first got my rebel xt / 350d.

Jim G wrote in post #3848287
I don't know if I've fired my onboard flash once since buying my flash, what, almost a couple of years ago now maybe? It might not even work for all I know

Same here.

i got my speedlite same time i got the camera. so maybe i use the pop up twice now. just to see if it's still work

Bill

I have a 380 ex - I don't think I have it set up right for fill flash . The pop up seems to work - I put in AV slide on 380 and shoot or the pop-up sometimes pops up in AV without the 380 on .
I like to take pictures of my flowers and start at f16 - have not figured out A-Dep . I lost my manual for XTI but it only had about 40 pages in english anyway .
Bought "Digital field guide by C K Lowie " but doesn't really cover fill flash or A-Dep .
I need a good book !!!

SuzyView wrote in post #3848520
I have used my pop up flash on my 20D maybe 20 times and I've had it for over 2 years now. When I was deciding whether to get the 5D or not, the pop up not being there actually was a plus. When you use the 24-70, the pop up flash will cast a shadow because the lens is so long and big. So, I could never use it with that lens anyway.

The pop-up on the 20/30/40D is a little better than the one on the 10D/D60/D30 cameras. It is taller when up so casts less of a shadow with the larger lenses.

20D on the left, D60 on the right...

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I like the pop-up flash. I have a speedlite when necessary, but don't like to lug it around all the time. The pop-up is great for a little fill light, in my opinion, and makes me want the 40D more than a "real pro" camera!

Don't think I've ever actually used the popup, stick to the 580EX II