# External flash questions



## biggdogg (Sep 10, 2016)

My wife is looking into getting an external flash for her camera. She isn't looking for a lot of bells and whistles but wants to make sure she gets the features that she needs. She is finding some with lcd screens, timers and remote flash. She's pretty sure she wants one that pivots and rotates, but are any of the other features really necessary? She doesn't really have any interest in doing portraits. She primarily takes action shots of the kids sports and landscape/nature shots. Not sure if that will make a difference of not.


----------



## ronfritz (Sep 10, 2016)

Yongnuo makes manual flash units for Canon and Nikon. $69 for the flash and $39 for the transmitter. You don't absolutely need the transmitter if the camera has a built in flash so I'd get the transmitter unless you are trying to keep initial investment to a minimum. You do NOT need TTL unless you are in an environment where the ambient light changes. It's a nice to have.

Godox is another option that I like. Godox makes a transmitter for Sony's as well. Check flashhavoc.com or lightingrumors.com or http://strobist.blogspot.com for a complete list of options.


----------



## natureman (Sep 10, 2016)

Well since she is shooting outdoor "action shots of the kids sports and landscape/nature shots" I would not recommend a flash because of distances involved.  You need a pretty powerful, heavy and expensive flash to get out over 15 feet or so.  Also, what I do to get enough natural light is just up the ISO on the camera and/or select a lower f/stop.  Now if it is indoors then a flash could come in handy.


----------



## rip18 (Sep 10, 2016)

If she will learn to use the flash, it can give her a LOT more creative control over her images.  Flash can be hard to understand, because it isn't like a big light on a stand where you can see what effect it is going to have.  You have to learn how to position your flash, what power to set it on, and how to use it with different modes on your camera to get the most out of it.  Once you figure out how to use it in a couple of different ways, then using it becomes SO much easier.  And that little bit of fill light (or that lot of fill light when flash is used as the main lighting) can make a TREMENDOUS difference.

For me natural light is USUALLY the main light with flash giving me a chance to bring out more details.  I use flash a LOT with kids sports and nature shots (and sometimes with landscapes).  All too often, when I decide that it is too much trouble to dig out the flash & a bracket & set it up to use, when I look at my images on the screen, I wish that I had.

I've seen folks using the Yongnuo flashes, and they seem to be able to make them work fine - though most of the time they are having to manually choose their settings as the flash doesn't "talk" to the camera body as readily as manufacturer-branded flashes.  I've got an old Vivitar flash that I still use sometimes.  And I've got another off-brand, specialty flash that I use from time to time.  But I mostly use my Nikon SB-800 (and sometimes my SB-900).

As I recall, your wife shoots Nikon.  With that in mind, I'd start off with the SB-800.  There are cheaper/older units, and there is one newer unit.  But the SB-800 is lighter and does pretty much everything the SB-900 does.  

It'll work wirelessly, but I sure like using a flash cord, that way I don't have to worry about covering the little IR port (and I only seemed to cover it when it was an important shot...).  So, I recommend a flash cord.  A flash bracket is important as well to get the flash off the camera body (don't just put it in the hot shoe...).  I also use a Fresnel flash extender (Better Beamer brand) if I'm shooting a lens longer than 300 mm.  I also use some diffusers & reflectors from time to time, but the diffuser & reflector built into the flash work 99% of the time, so I don't dig out another from my bag.

Good luck!


----------

