(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best shoe-mount flashes

Depends on what your goals are. If your goal is to have a nicer camera, then sure, it's always time for a new camera. (It's perfectly fine to want to buy something nice if it makes you happy. Just be careful about your budget.)

If you want to improve your photography, then ask yourself, "What is the thing that's limiting my pictures being better?" You might find that thing to be your tools, but it could also be the squishy bit behind the viewfinder. Find some photos that you like and ask yourself, "What's stopping me from taking pictures like this?"

The last time someone asked about equipment for beginner car photography, this was my advice:

> I think good car photography is more about composition, lighting and editing more than quality camera/lenses. For example, here's an interesting way of doing car photography with an ice light. They're $400 each, but if you're into DIY, I'm sure you could figure out your own solution.

> Off-camera flashes are also good - YongNuo and Neewer are pretty popular affordable solutions.

> Photoshop is also an extremely useful tool in car photography.

> I'd say to get the cheapest camera that has a hotshoe, shoots RAW, and has a remote trigger option. Get the cheapest lens with a useful zoom range. One example is the Sony NEX-5N. A tripod is essential. A circular polarizer is pretty useful for cutting down on unwanted glare & reflection.

Don't fall into the trap of getting a great camera and no lighting. Good luck :)

EDIT: Just realized pics 2-4 are of different lenses, flip them around and show us the other end. Assuming you have a 18-55 and maybe a 55-200 or a 18-135. Can't tell from the photos.

Google will be your friend:

First picture is the camera body, Nikon D40x, a decent but older camera, 10 MP, a pretty decent camera for a starter kit. Amazon for the camera and the kit lens

SEE EDIT: Second picture through the fourth are shots of what looks to be the Nikon "kit" lens, or the one that most likely came with his camera. 18-55mm, which is sort of the standard cheap but good zoom lens (zoom meaning adjustable) that gives you a mix of wide angle and a little bit of reach for farther away shots. This is most people's beginning lens.

Next comes a sensor brush. The sensor of a digital camera uses electrically sensitive sensor chips to capture an image, with a common downside being that the static of the charge can attract dust. This brush is specifically designed to attract said dust to it instead of the sensor for cleaning. I wouldn't recommend trying to clean the sensor yourself until you've read up on exactly what to do.

Next is a flash, I don't know much about this model, unfortunately, but flashes can run from a few bucks to hundreds of dollars, depending on the tech and quality. Assuming it is a real SB-600, it's a pretty solid flash and sells on Amazon for a few hundred bucks

The next one is the 70-300 Nikon lens, this is a telephoto zoom, meaning it's variable in zoom, but starts at a pretty modest telephoto range of 70mm to a really long 300mm. This is good for sports and such. Amazon link

Most of the rest of this stuff is miscellaneous gear:

Next photo is a flash cord, this allows you to control your flash (the SB-600) without having to have the flash on top of your camera. This allows for greater creative flexibility in your lighting. Most pro/sumers use wireless triggers nowadays, but a connected flash cord is great bceause it rarely fails. Cheap part.

Next are a series of converters. The wide conversions take your lens at whatever focal length it is set at, say 18mm with that 18-55. This then "converts" the image your camera sees to a wider image, say a 12mm, giving you a wider field of view. The teleconverters do the opposite, lengthening the focal length, say from 300mm to 400-something. This will allow you to zoom in deeper. The issue with these sometimes is that since they implement an additional layer of glass between the subject, your lens, and the camera, the quality of the converter can degrade photo quality and you get in less light, meaning you need to adjust the camera settings to capture what you want, sometimes making a shot impossible to get, or at least difficult. I don't know enough about these Nikon ones, but for Canon, they vary in price from $50-400 or more.

The rings look like lens adapters, allowing you to adapt lenses from other manufacturers to the camera. Can't tell what they're for, though. Does he have other non-Nikon lenses around?

I think the Stroboframe is to hold flashes or strobes off of the camera and also has an additional grip.

The rings with tinted glass are filters of some kind, placed at the end of your lens to produce an effect, like polarizing the image, reducing how much light goes through (ND filter) or cuts out some of the UV light that might be hitting your sensor. Can't tell what you have there, though. One of them says PL, that's most likely a polarizer. Both of them will fit a lens that has a 37mm threaded end, which will be written on the side of the lenses.

The last picture is a battery grip. This slides into the battery housing on the bottom of the camera, and provides controls for shooting vertically, as well as carrying 2x batteries instead of one for longer battery life. Makes for a chunkier camera, which is nice in a studio, but sort of sucks when you're out hiking or trying to be discreet.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

Unanswered question from the previous megathread

Author /u/caterix - (Permalink)

Hi all! I'm looking to make an entry into speedlight photography. On one of my threads a few months ago, the overwhelming consensus was to buy 3rd party flashes. There were a few recommendations given, but as it was some time ago, I'd like to know what is currently the best recommendations for 3rd party speedlights. I'm starting from scratch with regards to lighting equipment, so I'll need flashes, stands, transmitters/receivers etc. I'm looking to spend around £100, if possible.

Would this be a good deal? - https://www.amazon.co.uk/NEEWER-4-Color-Display-High-Speed-Speedlite/dp/B011BJXWOY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503048783&sr=8-1&keywords=Neewer%2BNW985&th=1

I also hear good things about Yongnuo. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

EDIT: and what about this, in terms of stands and umbrellas? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-Speedlight-Umbrella-600EX-RT-Youngnuo/dp/B01ABFSAPU/ref=wl_mb_wl_huc_mrai_1_dp

Hi all! I'm looking to make an entry into speedlight photography. On one of my threads a few months ago, the overwhelming consensus was to buy 3rd party flashes. There were a few recommendations given, but as it was some time ago, I'd like to know what is currently the best recommendations for 3rd party speedlights. I'm starting from scratch with regards to lighting equipment, so I'll need flashes, stands, transmitters/receivers etc. I'm looking to spend around £100, if possible.

Would this be a good deal? - https://www.amazon.co.uk/NEEWER-4-Color-Display-High-Speed-Speedlite/dp/B011BJXWOY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503048783&sr=8-1&keywords=Neewer%2BNW985&th=1

I also hear good things about Yongnuo. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

EDIT: and what about this, in terms of stands and umbrellas? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-Speedlight-Umbrella-600EX-RT-Youngnuo/dp/B01ABFSAPU/ref=wl_mb_wl_huc_mrai_1_dp

u/CaptainTime - below $100, here is what I recommend:

If you want a compact, budget flash, get the $57 Opteka IF-500.

But if you want higher output power, bounce and the ability to control your flash wirelessly, get the $85 Godox TT350O for Panasonic and Olympus cameras.

Gerald Undone says this is the best flash for Panasonic cameras and Graham Houghton seems to agree.

Hope this is helpful and good luck finding the best flash for your G7!

​

^(S)^(ome of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small affiliate commission. This costs you nothing extra. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe are a good value for readers. This disclosure is in accordance with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s) ^(16 CFR, Part 255)^(: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.)

The cheapest ways to do studio lighting is probably with large continuous bulbs, if you havent worked with lights before, this can be nice because you can see where the light falls, and get instant feedback on what it looks like when you move a light. The other option is strobes (rather than continuous), you can get into this relatively cheaply as well if you look at off brand, all manual flashes, and some radio triggers to hook them up to your camera. If you are planning on eventually working weddings and events, you will definitely need to learn how to work with on camera flash, and off camera is a plus as well. I would recommend buying some cheap manual flashes to play with if only because you want to do weddings, and you can use the same lighting set up for studio work and weddings if you use flashes rather than continuous.

Here is a link to a continuous lighting kit for cheap, its pretty basic, but get you some brollys and light stands to start with so you can play around!

Here is a link to a manual flash that may be a good fit for you starting out, it has a radio receiver built in so you don't have to add fiddly triggers to it. It's the Canon version, but there is one for Nikon as well. The trigger goes on your camera and tells the flash when to fire.

Here is another transmitter option for the above flash, it will let you control its power from across the room so you don't have to walk over and adjust it all the time. Again make sure you figure out if you need Canon or Nikon.

Here is a valuable research to teach you a little about the principles of lighting (both with flashes or continuous lights) if you aren't there already.

I definitely recommend the Amazon Basics one along with /u/DatAperture. There are a few different companies that make identical versions, and Amazon Basics is usually the cheapest. These are great for hobbyists because they tilt up and down, rotate left and right, and they have a basic (probably not terribly precise - I'm still testing) amount of power control which is incredibly useful and will take you pretty far into working with strobes.

Combine one of these with great lessons from Strobist, and you'll be set until you're ready for a great $100-ish Yongnuo knockoff of a Nikon/Canon speedlight. If you're looking to blow a hundred bucks right now, then these will work out really well and should last you a long time.

Worst case: When you upgrade, you'll have an extra piece for more complicated lighting setups. I'm having a blast with these $30 radio triggers on my Canon rig with a couple cheap, basic strobes.

>I was to do it in post do you know how I would be able to do it?

I don't know what software you're using but if it's Photoshop or something similar, I've seen it done with custom brushes and just clicking to paint it in. There should be tutorials around for it.

There are also probably apps that automatically add it for you.

> With regards to the flash, I was looking at a GODOX TT685S https://www.amazon.co.uk/TT685S-Wireless-Trigger-Speedlite-LETWING/dp/B01J3AUW2I/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=Godox+TT685s&qid=1555095326&s=gateway&sr=8-4
>
>Do you think this would do the job to get results like those portraits in the imgur link or would you recommend a better option?

Sure. Again, the model of flash doesn't matter much for these purposes.

> with the flash would you keep it mounted on the camera because I've been watching some youtube reviews of different flashes and they use a softbox for the flash rather than keeping it mounted on the camera.

You're talking about two different things here.

Like I said before, shadow placement is about light placement and angle. In your first linked example, see how the shadow of the subject is pushed off further to the right, suggesting the flash is located a little further to the left to cast the shadow that way. I'd want the flash off-camera or at least on a bracket to get that distance. Whereas the other linked examples show the shadows going more directly back, or offset to a lesser degree. You want the flash on-camera for that look.

I also previously mentioned that shadow hardness/softness is a matter of the apparent size of the light. A softbox increases the apparent size for softer shadows. But the examples you linked have harder shadows, like from a bare flash.

Just because a flash reviewer is using it one way doesn't mean that's the way you should use it for every purpose and look. That would be like watching a video review of a pickup truck where they're seeing how much gas mileage they can get on the freeway, and then expecting you should do the same things with the truck when pulling a heavy trailer up a hill. Different situations and goals call for different technique.

This Ramen cookbook would get lots of use.

If I won either this flash or a PS4, I would explode with delight (I really need a high quality flash), and for a cheaper-but-still-not-cheap prize, this hoodie would make me love you all forever, since I've been wanting it for years. And yes, it's linked to my Amazon wishlist :p

Bombs away!

It is... you can't do much with it. You can get cheap alternatives for the brand name flashes like nikon and canon. https://www.amazon.com/Altura-Photo-AP-N1001-Speedlite-Auto-Focus/dp/B00KEYPTO4/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1479218117&sr=1-4&keywords=nikon+flash+altura for nikon
or
https://www.amazon.com/Altura-Photo-Professional-APC-958X-Cameras/dp/B01BFONGL4/ref=sr_1_8?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1479218175&sr=1-8&keywords=canon+flash+altura for canon

once you learn how to use a flash like this your photos have the potential to be amazing. You can color the flash with gels and have some really cool photos.
I have the first flash for my nikon and it works really well. It's as good As the nikon one. If you look up tutorials on youtube how to use flash you can get amazing photos indoors with low light as well as outside. You can also shoot backlit things with ease.

The Yongnuo YN-468 II for $87 has E-TTL support, and as a Nikon shooter is definitely on par with the Nikon flashes, and about 1/4 the price (looks to be 1/5 the price of the 580EX II.

If you're not aware, TTL = Through The Lens, and means that it is able to automatically meter the light and adjust the power of the flash in tandem with the camera to get a decent exposure.

If you've not done any flash photography before, then I'd definitely recommend a TTL Flash.

Otherwise, you can spend even less, and get the Yonguo YN-560 II for $71, which is a manual flash (I bought two to accompany my older YN-467 TTL flash to use as off-camera flashes). I believe the YN-560 II has a longer range (more powerful flash), but I don't think it will impact you in your situation.

You might also try looking at the Yongnuo 568EX or the Yonguo 565 EX which are intended to be direct competitors to the 580 EX2 recommended by /u/arachnophilia but I have no experience with either.

Note there a bunch of Amazon pages for all of these flashes, so hunt around a little and read lots of reviews. I love my Yongnuo flashes :)

I have literally spent years searching for a good bracket for macro(ish) photography. I spend a lot of time trying to photograph salamanders/frogs/snakes in the wild.

I will likely try this flash next spring (or the newer model of it).

I built several of my own brackets over the years, including one like you're suggesting (it's too heavy to handhold for very long). I had best luck using a tripod collar to mount my flash atop my lens with a small ball joint tripod head.

Nowadays I just take out a little mini Manfrotto tripod to help hold my camera and move the flash around (on a flash cord) by hand. I really have my fingers crossed that the above-linked flash will be suitable for my needs when herping season kicks off again next year.

Oh, if wildlife is farther away (birds/mammals), I use a Better Beamer with my 430EXII in the hotshoe and skip brackets all together.

> the Canon speedlites are too expensive for me

I would honestly reconsider the Speedlite 430EX-III RT. It gets 4.8 stars on Amazon. Pretty much nothing on Amazon reviews that well.

I have a Canon EOS 650D and the first flash I purchased for it was the 430EX-II and it's a really good flash. Totally changed my photography game.

Also, this book is super helpful, too: https://www.amazon.com/Speedliters-Handbook-Learning-Craft-Speedlites/dp/0134007913/

First of all WOW. Thank you for replying to me in depth by breaking down each point, genuinely appreciate it!

I didn't think of the star filter which is something I will definitely look into now as well, also if I was to do it in post do you know how I would be able to do it?

With regards to the flash, I was looking at a GODOX TT685S https://www.amazon.co.uk/TT685S-Wireless-Trigger-Speedlite-LETWING/dp/B01J3AUW2I/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=Godox+TT685s&qid=1555095326&s=gateway&sr=8-4

Do you think this would do the job to get results like those portraits in the imgur link or would you recommend a better option?

Also I know this may sound like a stupid question but with the flash would you keep it mounted on the camera because I've been watching some youtube reviews of different flashes and they use a softbox for the flash rather than keeping it mounted on the camera.

Thank you again for replying like you have done!

If you want to help out the photography subreddit, buy through amazon using these links:

Here is the Canon 5D Mark III Body + kit lens. $4,299.00

But a real killer wedding photography kit for someone with unlimited funds would be:

Canon 5D Mark III Body only. - $3,464.00

24-70mm f2.8 lens - $2,179.98

85mm f1.2 lens - $1,999.00

600EX Speedlite - $579.00 (Be sure to get a diffuser for it, and/or learn to bounce.)

Amazon gives us a % of the profit when people buy from these links, I plan to use the profits to fund prizes for photo competitions, and other projects to improve the /r/photography community.

I haven't been pushing the link very hard though, and so far we haven't actually gained much money at all lol.

Of course - if you can get a better deal from someone who isn't amazon, e.g. a local seller or adorama, keh, or if you want to buy used, please buy from them.

You can re-sell the kit 24-105mm kit lens later if you wish. You probably wouldn't want to have the 24-105 AND the 24-70. The 24-70 covers the same sort of area, and is better in low light, and gives you better bokeh control. (That sharp-subject-with-a-soft-background look)

Some prefer the 70-200mm f2.8 over a 85mm prime lens... This might be easier to use, but if she learns to use the prime lens, her photos will be better.

Tip for buying canon cameras - buy a cheap broken one on ebay for less than $100, then ask canon to trade it in for credit towards a new Canon camera. It's their loyalty program or something. I'm not a canon shooter, so I'm unfamiliar with it.
***
Nikon is just as good as Canon. Pick whichever one your friends/family have, so you can share batteries, lenses, flash units etc. and they will be able to show you how to use the controls because they will be more familiar with their own system.

If you want the killer Nikon wedding kit, get a D4, 24-70 f2.8 and 85mm f1.4

Also, if anyone criticise you for buying thousands of dollars of gear for a beginner..... well, haters gonna hate. I'm sure a lot of people are jealous of your wife right now (myself included). But this is what happens when you pursue a career and earn money from something other than photography, and THEN get into photography.

It is much more comfortable to study something where you can get a job and earn money, then buy expensive cameras, than to study photography as an 18 year old in college, work part time, and spend 90% of your money buying a cheap camera!!!

Reading material:

CRI

Light bulbs:

1000bulbs


So, white balance can fix a lot of issues, but the CRI is what can help the color "look" right.

For shooting still's you need a lot of light, and a tripod will help too. I've used a 500w halogen work light and didn't get enough useable light out of it to do anything with.

In the end you would probably do better to buy some cheap manual strobes, it'll be better light and stay much cooler.

http://www.amazon.com/Vivitar-Digital-Swivel-Bounce-Auto-Focus/dp/B001TP6TDW

This thing works great, hugely improves indoor shots, and was an amazing deal when compared to Canon's line of bounce flashes.

Use these in it, because these things eat batteries!
http://www.amazon.com/Sanyo-eneloop-Pre-Charged-Rechargeable-Batteries/dp/B004RP2VNI/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1344621021&sr=1-2&keywords=sanyo+eneloop

Also, I dropped my camera once with this on it and it shattered the hot shoe mount area on the flash. I called Vivitar (in New Jersey, I think) and they sent me a new one for free!!!! I can't give them enough praise for that...

Yongnuo's probably the way to go. They make really nice 3rd party flashes.

If you do buy one, make sure:

1: It's made for Canon

2: It has TTL (basically means it has auto mode), probably listed as ETTL or something.

https://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-YN-568EX-YN568EX-powerful-speedlite/dp/B00DA8459G

This is the one I have, works fine on my 80D.

https://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-YN600EX-RT-Speedlite-YN-E3-RT-600EX-RT/dp/B01GMFQULE

This is the slightly higher end model with radio triggering for wireless off-camera flash.

Hope this helps! What camera are you using?

EDIT: Oh hey, I just noticed my suggestions are identical to another guy in this sub.

Speedlite holders: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JS3MINC

I own a couple of these and they are fantastic!

Gels: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00URG1C2C

No need to go with the expensive Rogue set. I love these by Selens.

Lighting gear bag:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LEE7J0U

This has been put through a bit of use and has held up great so far.


Lighting stands

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L4YR0BS/

Speedlites

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010XCEABO/

I picked up the Godox TT350O from Amazon recently. I haven't had much success with it because I'm a total amateur but the learning curve hasn't been steep thanks to TTL. Based on my research, it received the most mentions and generally positive feedback as a great entry-level flash with TTL.

My first DSLR was a D40 and remember being totally happy with the output of the onboard flash until i got my hands on a hotshoe mounted flash. There is a world of possibilities when using an add on flash unit. Eventually you will want to get into off camera lighting where having a separate flash is a must. I would suggest that you go with the SB-600 It is at a great price and worth every cent.

> And that is at least 3 or 4 thousand dollars of gear she is holding

How do you figure? It's a 70d which is $999, probably has a kit lens on it so make that $1350 total. Even if the flash is a 600EX (which is unlikely for the entry level "enthusiast" Canon DSLR - it would literally be half the cost of her camera), that's only bringing it to $1950 total (realistically (if her flash is even Canon) she's got the 430ex at $250 making her total $1600), nowhere near "at least 3 or 4 thousand".

> Also, on a Canon like that you wouldn't be looking through the viewfinder to fiddle with settings when the body has two screens and about 250 buttons.

Also it's worth pointing out that anyone with half a clue will fiddle with settings looking through the viewfinder - that way you're learning how to change settings on the fly while composing the shot rather than staring at the back of the camera like an amateur while you miss the shot - this is actually the reason it has "about 250 buttons (actually 30 tops).

> This is just a rich girl going all out for instagram.

I think you might be the one without a clue here.

I don't get which one of these I'm supposed to get


https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00MYUPOXC/ref=ask\_ql\_qh\_dp\_hza
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00UHJ6JH2/ref=psdc\_332217031\_t2\_B00MYUPOXC


They are pretty much the same as far as I can tell but one comes with batteries and one does not. The more expensive one is featuring a pair of cables I can't figure out what they are for. Also the recievers/transmitters look different, but I dunno if it actually makes a difference.


Using a D3200, thanks a bunch for the help!

> It won't have anything like TTL, HSS or rear curtain capabilities, but they're cheap and cheerful, and work.

I don't need TTL or any automated features. Manual mode is all I need. I'm in Ireland so Amazon UK is my usual place to buy gear. Would this flash with this trigger work? I know the trigger will set off the flash for sure but don't know if when the trigger is mounted to the GH4 hot shoe that the camera shutter button will set it off.

I recently got the Vivitar DF383 and have been pretty pleased. It also has a cheap (but useful) built in diffuser/reflector. If someone could compare this to the 580EX II that would be useful.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00UHJ6JH2/ref=s9_simh_gw_p421_d8_i1?pf_rd_m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=WV0ZFH5W2B4AD3SJFAJZ&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2443077022&pf_rd_i=desktop is the one that I got but these may be a better deal - NOTE: Be sure to get the one for your device!

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00QID6NM2/ref=s9_simh_gw_p421_d8_i2?pf_rd_m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=WV0ZFH5W2B4AD3SJFAJZ&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2443077022&pf_rd_i=desktop

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00N9T7PDE/ref=s9_simh_gw_p421_d8_i3?pf_rd_m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=WV0ZFH5W2B4AD3SJFAJZ&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2443077022&pf_rd_i=desktop

I am interested in getting into photography and recently ordered my first camera. I bought a Canon T5i w/ EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens and a EF 75-300mm F/4-5.6 III Autofocus Telephoto Zoom Lens.

I am mainly interested in taking portraits, landscape and event photos. The events I work at are in everything from hotel ballrooms, private homes to convention spaces, almost always indoors with fairly dim lighting.

I've been trying to do some research on different equipment and gear that I would need, and came up with the following list. Is there anything that I don't need or a better alternative than I have listed? Is there anything I'm missing?

Thanks

"Nifty Fifty" Lens - https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00X8MRBCW

Bag - https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00CF5OGP8

Memory Card - https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B007NDL54C

Battery Grip - https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0039VYN1Y

Speedlite 430 - https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B010W2MAOO

Lightsphere - https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01JPY41RO

Book 1 - https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1446302172

Book 2 - https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0134007913

GorillaPod - https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B002FGTWOC

Battery Charger - https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00JHKSMJU

Extra Batteries - https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00JHKSL28

If you've got a D60, you should have pretty much any tool that's available for a camera :D

I'd suggest spot metering the steel and going from there. A few inexpensive [Yungnuo YN 460II strobes] (http://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-Flash-Speedlite-Yn-460ii-Pentax/dp/B003IZ9XTI/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1369758608&sr=1-4&keywords=Yongnuo) (they're $50 vs $400 for my Nikon SB-800, and they put out the same amount of light) and some radio triggers will let you light up everything properly without washing stuff out.

If you have the luxury of staging your scene, a few strategically placed strobes will make an amazing difference.

Edit: When using strobes, I usually meter for the entire scene, and adjust the power level of the strobes to match whatever I'm trying to shoot. Usually this involves setting things up, taking a shot, looking at it, adjusting the strobe power levels and repeating until everything looks good in the shot.

I have a Canon T3i and recently acquired a speedlite flash as a gift (Neewer speedlite TT520). I have two questions: 1> I am planning to try some high speed water drops or similar photography at home. I found this cool DIY setup over here which I intend to try out. I have no idea how to work with the flash. My primary question is how to create a wireless flash setup? Do I need extra stuff for that? I am not willing to spend too much money on any new equipment now. If there is need for more lighting, I am thinking of a stick-in-a-can setup, but I really want to make use of this flash.
2> What are some circumstances where I can use this flash to get the maximum out of a photo? I almost never use the built-in flash when taking photos. I have used the built-in flash in some occasions where I had to take some indoor photos and playing with the shutter speed,aperture or ISO was not sufficient. Other than that, I usually try to avoid the flash. So I was wondering where can the flash be used to get the maximum out of pictures?
Thanks!

A couple of fun projects (if you're into macro photography) are smoke and water drop photography. Your kit lens should be able to focus closely enough, and if you get a cheap speedlight like this one, you can get some really neat results. Here are a couple of links to get you started:

http://improvephotography.com/1075/water-drop-photography-tips-how-to/

http://www.carynesplin.com/7-amazing-tips-for-shooting-water-drops/

http://www.digital-photo-secrets.com/tip/2949/how-to-photograph-smoke/

I'm interested in getting a flash to start learning with and I'm ideally looking for one that I can fire remotely off something like a light stand. I'd prefer to stay around $100, and so far I've narrowed it down to these two but can't really tell the difference.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PGTOX26?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_4&smid=A1NZ7IEFV816B1&pldnSite=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OUU7W8O?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_8&smid=A6EGA15UEFYEQ&pldnSite=1



Any help / recommendations?

I have a Canon T3i btw.

Looking into getting an external flash finally and here are the options I found on Amazon that don't break the bank...any recommendations on which one to go for? I'm still a beginner and wanna try some flash photography but also will be doing an indoor party shoot where lights will be dimmed down so will need a better flash than the built-in one on my Nikon D5300.

1.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004LEAYXY/ref=psdc_3109929011_t2_B00H84WRK2

2. https://www.amazon.com/Altura-Photo-Professional-Flash-NIKON/dp/B00H84WRK2/ref=sr_1_1?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1505793035&sr=8-1&keywords=external+flash+for+nikon&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011%2Cp_72%3A2661618011%2Cp_n_condition-type%3A6461716011

3. https://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-Professional-Speedlight-Flashlight-Olympus/dp/B00I44F5LS/ref=sr_1_1?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1505793779&sr=8-1&keywords=yongnuo%2Bexternal%2Bflash&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011%2Cp_72%3A2661618011&th=1

I bought a DBK off-brand speedlight as an auxiliary flash sitting beside the object with the defuser. It worked great surprisingly! Link to flash - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H3EBXJS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Is this the Yongnuo one that's equivalent to the Canon 600EX-RT?

What are the biggest differences between the YN565EX II and the YN600EX-RT? And is this recommended for beginners like me? Is more flash power the better?

I own two Neewer TT 520, the are pretty good for the price just add some wireless trigger for off camera and she should be set. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004KV4DNK/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00

Also I get about 350 shots with 4 AA rechargeable batteries.

I think you should absolutely use a flash!

Get a flash with a reflector/diffuser. They are great for getting action shots, and when you have the flash pointed up, it won't be as harsh on the eyes of people in the room.

Going to LA Convention Center for an anime convention. Will be taking solo and group pictures inside. Here are pictures 1 2 3 from previous years using the 550D/t2i without flash. Flash was making the background too dark and the subject light up too much. I'll be replacing the kit lens with the Canon EF 85mm f1.2 USM ii lens.

I was looking at the [Neewer NW-561](https://www.amazon.com/NEEWER%C2%AE-Dimmable-Digital-Camcorder-Panasonic/dp/B004TJ6JH6/r NW-561 speedlite flash. Someone recommended to get one with TTL, they recommended the Yongnuo YN-568EX II. The Neewer NW670 / VK750II E-TTL is cheaper and also has TTL. Which one should I get? Do I get a diffuser or softbox? Which way should I face the flash (walls and ceiling too far/high)?

I'm pretty cheap with my lights since I don't use them that much, but I've been using an Altura TTL speedlight for the last year or so.

TTL, AF-assist laser, etc. Solid thirdparty option.

a Better Beamer might be useful.

Canon T4i(650D) w/ Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 shot @250mm

Yongnuo YN 560 III

Better Beamer "Flash Extender"

1/200 sec f/5.6 ISO 100

Just started shooting with the flash extender. This was taken at dusk. There wasn't much light. The flash extender acts as a magnifying glass for the flash, directing a nice even wall of concentrated light.

What is your budget? That will play a huge role in what flash you can get. If it is really low, you are looking at a manual only flash. If you have a bit more, you can get into a flash that works with Canon's TTL system, High-Speed Sync, etc. I have the Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite (http://www.amazon.com/Canon-600EX-RT-Speedlite-Flash-Black/dp/B007FH1KX2) and it is a beast, probably way overkill for your first flash, depending on what you shoot. However, I also own the Yongnuo YN600EX-RT (http://www.amazon.com/YONGNUO-YN600EX-RT-YN600-EX-RT-Speedlite-600EX-RT/dp/B00OUU7W8O) which is essentially a copy cat of the way more expensive Canon flash. However, in my using them in the field I have not been able to tell a difference. $120 vs $470 and nearly identical besides some minor build differences, up to you. I would buy another Yongnuo in a hearbeat. In fact, I am looking at picking up another along with their YN-E3-RT (http://www.amazon.com/YN-E3-RT-Speedlite-Wireless-Transmitter-600EX-RT/dp/B00V62FTB6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1450215512&sr=8-2&keywords=ST-E3-RT) so I can get all my flashes off camera and still control every aspect of them.

Oh, one more thing, the Yongnuo and Canon radio systems are compatible, so they talk to each other which is beyond cool.

I've been trying to figure out flashes for the past week or so and just can't get my head around exactly what it is I'm looking for.

If I buy this and want to sync it off camera, will this or this do that for me?

I've got a Lumix GX7 if that makes any difference.

Thanks in advance. I just don't want to buy something and find out it's of no use to me when it arrives.

I'm considering dipping my toe into the waters of flash photography, and have been reading the Strobist articles. I've looked at the suggested gear, but unfortunately most of it is unavailable here in the UK. Could someone take a look at my list and make any suggestions on additions/alternatives?

Strobist kit: http://strobist.blogspot.sg/2006/03/lighting-101-traveling-light.html

My List:
Neweer light box https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00PIM3I6I/
3m Stand https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00MOM61AA/
Yongnuo YN-560 IV https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00PIIRO1C/
Yongnuo YN-560 TX https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00M1BVYYM/
Stand head https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006VTJQT0/

Sounds like the flash unit is not properly seated on the hotshoe. Make sure the pins are making contact with the camera's hotshot. If you're still having problems with it return it for a refund. Try the Yongnuo YN-560 III instead.

No matter what kind of lens you use, it really comes down to lighting. Properly diffused lighting. I would spend the $150-200 on a pair of strobes like this and product box like this. You'll also need this to fire the speedlights. It all comes out to about $135 before shipping.

> yongnuos does not have autofocus IR lights nor ttl

http://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-YN568EX-YN-568EX-Speed-Speedlite/dp/B0094O6GNI

TTL and IR auto-focus. Also comes with a built in bounce card and diffuser. I like to use it as a bounce flash. It is big, but the resulting quality in low light is more than worth it.

Is this full auto? I'm not very familiar with using flash, but I want to learn.

I use this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00M1BVYYM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Works flawlessly, and allows you to remotely control every aspect of the flashes

You can literally get a FLEET (>#) of cheap chinese flashes(http://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-YN-565EX-Speedlite-Flash-Canon/dp/B005HYMUX4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1347995743&sr=8-4&keywords=youngnuo) that meter through the lens for the price of an OEM flagship. (http://www.amazon.com/Canon-5296B002-Speedlite-600EX-RT-Flash/dp/B007FH1KX2/ref=dp_ob_title_ce) They do the same for Nikon. With an OEM master, these will slave to your body.

Or this one? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KEYPTO4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Flash

Flash Controller

Flash Holder

Stand

Octobox

The way we did it years ago was use a camera flash https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00H3EBXJS/ref=psdcmw_3109929011_t2_B01I09WHLW put it and the discs in a black garbage bag set it off 5 or 6 times and it will charge multiple at a time.

Can someone explain to me the difference between these two flashes? YN560 - III & YN560 - IV. I'm trying to buy a flash I can use off camera. Will both of these do that? In another comment someone mentioned the need to buy a trigger separately to make that work. Is that the case for both of these flashes?

I use the Yongnuo YN 560-III with the 560-TX transmitter. It is a manual only flash so no TTL or automatic mode at all. I love the things and they work awesomely. I don't think I could recommend spending the insane amount Canon charges for their speed lights when these are available (as long as you don't want TTL of course) Yongnuo does make a TTL flash, but I've read from others on Reddit that use them say that it isn't very reliable and underexposes a lot.

And what do you mean "with bounce"?

I'm a casual shooter and want to get a flash to step up my game.


https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Display-Speedlite-Cameras-Standard/dp/B010XCEABO

Will this suit a beginners needs? Can I wirelessly fire this as a slave unit from my Canon 40d? Is this good for portraits and doesn't have too steep of a learning curve?