5D lack of popup flash - how do you deal with it?

I know, I know. The 5D is a 'pro' camera with no need for 'amateur' features so no popup flash

That having been said, the popup can often be useful saving my bacon in difficult lighting situations. As it has been said, the most useful tool is the one that you have when you need it most and there are some situations where the popup on my 350D has been very useful. But these days I find myself carrying my 5D more. How do you guys deal with the lack of a popup flash when high ISO and image stabilization aren't enough?

Not to say I'm solely dependent upon the popup, for serious usage I have a 430EX and I'm not afraid to use it, but carrying around the extra 3/4 pound of weight all the time isn't my cup of tea. I appreciate the convenience of an onboard flash because not every shot needs to be 'artistic', professional, or otherwise - sometimes I really just do need a simple straightforward snapshot just as a reminder or to illustrate something and it won't be assessed on its photographic value. Nothing more than a snapshot, nothing less.

Or.. go back to the 350D?

Go to ISO 3200 when in a pinch. The 5D is very usuable at ISO 3200

ISO3200 won't do you much good in the blazing sun when you need a bit of fill to brighten up your subject's face(s).

It also won't help if you're trying to freeze action and your external flash dies (like mine did once). Three pictures into some snapshots at a gymnastics birthday party my Sigma 500 stops working (batteries) and after looking in the camera bag and talking to the wife I learn that my spares have been appropriated for kids toys.

Good thing the 20D has a pop-up flash. I got some nasty red eye that I had to deal with in PP, but at least I could still take pictures.

Only thing I can think of with the fill flash is to improvise. Carry around white sheets of paper and sticky tape, shoot near a white wall.

Unfortunately the answer is simple - either carry the flashgun or you can't maximise the shot.

Oddly enough, I used my 10D for two years without once using the pop up flash. It could have been broken for all I know!

Um, I use a Canon Speedlite 580EX (or two). The bigger question is how do people with a Canon 20D deal WITH a pop-up flash? Photographs taken with the pop-up flash on my Canon 20D are inconsistent at best.

If you can't stand the thought of having a professional flash on your professional Canon 5D, then I would suggest investing in a combination of the following: faster lens(es), tripod, remote shutter release and noise reduction software for those shots taken at ISO 3200.

I know how you feel i spent hours trying to get my 1dmk2 to pop the flash up still carn't do it
Rob

I only used the pop up flash on my 20D as a last resort. Now that I have the 430EX, it gets used a lot.

Well, not to say I don't like a big flash on the camera (I do enjoy the power of the 430EX), it's just that I don't carry it every day, and there sometimes comes along a situation that would benefit from the flash. Inevitably, one having chosen not to carry their flash is now left with a tough call to make

Samiad has a good point, you either end up carrying the flash or not having it at all. That's where the benefit of the onboard flashes comes in, for quick-n-dirty work that does not need the power and precision of a big hotshoe flash.

I can't remember when I last used a pop-up flash. In most cases I am wearing my shooting jacket which has amble pockets for the 580 to go in. As has been said, the answer is really quite simple, either you have it with you or not. In those times when I had used the pop-up, I found it fairly useless for things like fill flash. I like the options that are available on the 580 for controlling the amount of light you can output.

Funny. Try taking your equipment on a 18 mile hike over 10,000 feet high and tell me you carry spare batteries and an external flash (er, or want to). It's another 400 dollar liability, and another item to worry about. And for what? A mere fill flash!? A buddy of mine was helping out in the yard, wanted a beer, and all I had was a cheap domestic beer (for the BBQ!!), and he cut an attitude just like some of you!, "Oh, I know it's 90 degrees, but I can't drink a domestic beer and for fill flashes, it's only a 400 dollar 2 pound flash that will do."

The 30D's pop up flash I find very handy for fill flash situations, and you can't tell it's the pop up flash. Obviously the pop up sucks for trying to do anything but take a family snapshot at night. But a nice built-in flash is pretty nice in a pinch, when snapshooting, and most of all, when you are trying to fill in foreground features.

So you 5D guys sweat a lot more or shoot a grainy image. Ouch, The price to be paid for integrity I guess.

Since I got my 30D my onboard flash was only used once.....just to test it. D:

I have never missed it. I almost never used it on my 10D before. The 5D is so capable in low light that there far fewer flash needs, and when I do need a flash, I want a real flash, not a pop-up-red-eye-harsh-shadow-producing built-in P.O.S.

*sigh*

It's almost enough to make me wish I'd never asked. Guess I'm stupid and I should just go back to my point and shoot in auto mode with auto flash.

Same for my 20D. I'd like to somehow get rid of the built-in flash and have a bigger prism/viewfinder lens for a bigger image looking through the camera.

If you use any of the larger diameter lenses or lenses with a large diameter lens hoods, the built-in flash is simply a wasted feature that I'd rather not pay for. None of my lenses are small enough to use the silly thing.