Any Help WIth A New Flash?

Bonecollector wrote in post #17872355
I'm following Brian Petersons guide the way he teaches you to learn...
You start by using the settings the flash tells you, once your experienced enough you can do it how you wish.

I assume it's like when I learned to shoot in manual.... You start by following the rules he'll tell you iso 200 f 11 shutter speed 200 (or whatever) then once you start understanding how it works you realize how to choose what you want.

I think for camera exposure settings, which are nearly universal across all makes and models, the training wheels approach is a valid one. In this specific example of flash though, it's investing time in a feature and technique that becomes unusable when you take the next step. It's easier and less confusing to just skip this step IMHO.

Bonecollector wrote in post #17872355
As I stated above I’m purchasing a canon flash and will experiment and hope it works.

The 600ex-rt does have a way to show distance information, but I've never enabled it. As soon as you put any kind of modifier on the light (Sto-fen, light sphere, Rogue bender, umbrella, etc.), or add another light, that distance information becomes useless.

Bonecollector wrote in post #17872505
Do you put the f stop and iso info in the meter for it to calculate rather than in the flash?

In ambient metering you usually tell it ISO and either aperture or shutter speed, and it gives you the other value, much like a camera does in aperture or shutter priority mode. When metering flash, you are usually giving the meter ISO and shutter speed, and it gives you the aperture. If all your light is coming from flash, the shutter speed is irrelevant, because you'll be shooting at or just below your camera's x-sync speed and the light from the flash is what determines exposure, not shutter speed. The shutter speed will only factor in to things if you have significant contribution from ambient light.

If shooting above x-sync speed with some manner of HSS or super-sync flash, metering generally doesn't work, this is a special case.

^^ yup to the last two posts.

i have a Nikon speedlight that I use with my Canon, and my more powerful strobes don't communicate with my camera either, they all work just fine. So selling and buying a new flash is up to you, although you will get a lot out of a dedicated flash that is the same brand (or communicates in the same "language")

I sent the Sony flash back.... in your opinion (thank you very much for the help btw!) would you rather have a sony or nkon flash?

I don't have nough $$$ for both soooo if I get the sony I'll need to use it with the canon, If I get the canon I'll need to use it with the sony... Follow me?

I will have both a sony and canon camera, I have a sony now and will purchase a canon for wildlife.

I'm guessing I'll use the flash more on the Canon when I get it than on the Sony (I'm not sure so that's not really a factor right now, it depends what kind of wildlife photography I do with the camera).

I'm going to have one flash for both cameras so I figures if I get the Canon it has those options that will help me learn (whitch the Sony doesn't) and then I can not use those options when I don't need them. (If I understand correctly when I get better I won't be using them as much)

So my options are:
Sony flash (Without options) for a canon and a sony camera
or
A canon flash (With the options) for a Caonon and a Sony camera.


Which would you pick?

Thank you for all the help!
Seth

Thank you also for all your help... your info is helping me understand as well

Given the $400+ price tag on either of these options, I think it would be best to defer purchase of anything until you have the application nailed down. Most wildlife photography is done with long lenses and available light, except perhaps some insect macro and hummingbirds. Macro shots favor ringflash or DIY adaptations of flash heads to get lighting without a lens shadow in the scene. For hummingbirds, I tried flash years ago with a 500 series speedlite, but it wasn't really enough because I was trying to photograph birds in daylight, and to freeze them I needed the speedlite at near minimum power, which was too little light. An Einstein or two would have been better. I use my speedlites for people and product photos.

Thank you for your quick reply... I purchased a Sony A77II camera because I was told I wouldn't be able to learn how to use a full frame camera very easily. I wish I had got the A99 not A77II because I picked it up very quickly.

I don't have the money to purchase a sheap flash and an expensive one. So it will be the best flash I can get right now.


So would you pick Sony or Canon for a flash.

Thank you so mouch for your help!
Seth

Bonecollector wrote in post #17872617
So would you pick Sony or Canon for a flash.

They're going to be comparable for performance. The best choice is the one that matches the brand of camera you intend to use most for flash photography, since there will be manufacturer-specific system integration benefits. Identify your use cases as best you can, and go from there. If you don't know what you plan to do, that's a strong argument for holding onto the $400 until you do. Need-based gear purchases will save money over GAS-based purchases and return/resell cycles.

Thank you for all the help!


I think I'll go with the canon, as I think I wil use it on the canon more... I know I'm not following everything you're saying about not knowing for sure which I will use it for most and picking from that.

However I think I will use it on Canon more and also I got a really good deal on the canon.
If I change my mind or in 30 I figure out how to use the flash (Which I think I genreally will) than if I feel It will be best I'll return or sell and and shouldn't loose any money.

Thank you so much!
Seth

I don't think buying a Canon 600EX-RT will solve your dilemma. Canon designed the manual flash distance scale to be used on the camera in the hotshoe and only with the flash head pointed straight ahead. (no bounce and no modifiers).

If you use an ETTL wireless trigger setup for off camera, you will be able to input aperture, ISO, and distance information, but it will not be accurate unless the flash is pointing directly at the subject. If your flash is off to one side of the subject, not all of the light will be seen by the camera and the readings and settings will be off. How much will depend on the angle of the flash to the subject and the camera. If you shoot through an umbrella or softbox the settings will also be not accurate due to light loss of the modifier.


Is this the section of the Bryan Peterson book your are referring to?

Yes this is one and there's another page with a man in a white robe infront a a mosque.

As you saw eralier I already returned the Sony flash...

If you had to have canon or sony which would you choose?

I just don't know how to learn flash without strating with the basics?

If you can teach me that would be awesome!

I think you are too focused on that Bryan Peterson article. It is really bad advice if you ask me. The technique where you use the flash distance meter to set the aperture only works for straight ahead flash. Any experienced flash photographer will tell you to never use straight ahead flash as it produces unnatural, ugly photos. The girl holding the 13' sign is a prime example of how bad straight ahead flash looks. Bouncing the flash off a wall or ceiling is much more natural looking.

It is not that hard to learn to use a manual flash without using a flash distance scale. It just takes a bit of experimentation and trial and error.

If you would like to use one flash on both Sony and Canon, then get a generic Manual only flash like the Yongnuo YN560.

It might be a good idea to buy an ETTL flash that will determine the right exposure automatically. They also have manual modes so you can learn manual flash at your own pace. ETTL flash units have to be specific to the brand of camera so it wouldn't be possible to get one that works on both Sony and Ccanon.

oldvultureface wrote in post #17872196
My ancient Sunpak will show recommended distance when ISO, f number, zoom, and power are set on the flash. This assumes the flash is on the camera (or if off-camera, the same distance as the camera to the subject) and no modifier used.

The Sony manual, page 57, states distance isn't shown if the flash is used off-camera.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/CW6N​8i _MG_8012 by oldvultureface, on Flickr

I had no clue there were flashes that did this off camera. My apologies for my previous statement. It would help to just play around with your flash in manual to get to know the fundamentals of light. It's really not all that complicated.

Is the flash you mentioned high end?


I want a high end flash so I don't have to purchase another.


Thank you!
Seth

Bonecollector wrote in post #17873642
Is the flash you mentioned high end?


I want a high end flash so I don't have to purchase another.

don't take this the wrong way, i'm just trying to figure out what you really need/want, but "high end" is a pretty meaningless description. Also, given what you have already said, i tend to think you have been led down the wrong path by who-knows-what kind of information found on the internet.

So I think before anyone makes any more suggestions, we need to know:

• your definition of "high-end"

• what you know about ETTL

• exactly what you plan to take pictures of with the flash

• what you know about off camera flash and/or bounce flash