A couple of Flashgun questions.

hyperst · 6 Apr 2013 at 02:02

I'm looking to purchase a flashgun soon and was looking for advice, to get a ttl flash or a manual?

I have been reading up for a week or so and cannot settle on what to go for, ttl = a well balanced light as it's metered? but my concern is that I have an inbuilt flash if I want to use it head on, where the metering would work fine and dandy, but what if I started to bounce the flash to a wall or off camera, is ttl still viable or will it end up under exposed?

Manual flash, no metering, but is it more suited to bouncing the flash anyway and just trial and error to get the right exposure?

What should I do or what do you use?

Any suggestions on make or model will be helpful as well.
Thanks

D.P. · 6 Apr 2013 at 02:25

TTL is fine with bounce flashes, just like exposure metering you can apply compensation (which is key), for bounce flash I just dial in a little positive EC on the flash, checking histograms for appropriate exposure because different ceiling will have different reflectivity. Different uses of flash are accommodated by applying some positive or negative compensation, e.g. Sometimes just need a little flil flash, sometimes you want to overpower some harsh highlights or shoot with a strong backlight source like the sun etc.
like the automated metering modes for exposure you learn what and how much EC to apply in different situations.

You seem to be confused that a TTL has to be automated, you can put it into full manual mode if you desire.

A manual only flash is really only useful if you are always using manual metering modes (M, not A or S priority modes), in which case you are either dong some thing very specialist or are not using the camera to its full capacity. It is true that a lot of flash work will need full manual control but to throw away TTL is a shame, especially because it makes life very easy for things like bounce flash when you don't have the time or ability to cost malty check exposures manually.

hyperst · 6 Apr 2013 at 16:29

Well my question comes from wondering if the outlay is worth it to begin with, it will be my first flashgun purchase and have been looking at the budget side of things.

Yongnuo flashguns mainly, there ttl version the 565EX which is £100 or a 560 II with no ttl for £50, ttl being twice the price for the same kind of power from the unit's.

Then there is how much I can trust a budget flashgun in use with ttl to begin with, I have my doubts it will be perfect and if it is not, I would rather save up the extra for a Nikon SB700, but that will take a bit of time to get with cash being tight.

Where as if 80% of the time the flash is going to be manual use, I figure I can get a 560 II next week and be trying it out.

Hmmm, what to do.

Razor-BladE · 6 Apr 2013 at 17:05

Yongnuo flashes are a brilliant cheaper way to get into learning about flash. I have a YN-468 from 3 years back that I regularly use for club photography, so it's had beer and water splashed on it, and it's still working! And for £40 that it cost me, I've definitely gotten more than £40 worth from it.

I think it might be slowly dying though because sometimes (not that often) it shuts itself off randomly, but it's still usable for work. I'm probably going to get the YN-565/8 to replace it at some point.

Steves1982 · 7 Apr 2013 at 20:11

I've got a Nissin di622 Mk2 which I am really happy with. TTL seems accurate and works off camera with my D7000 very easily and competently. Currently £99.99 too so nice and cheap for what it is.

When bouncing it it normally needs turning up slightly with one button press on the back or flash compensation can be set and stored in camera.

mrk · 8 Apr 2013 at 12:36

I would highly recommend looking at this Calumet unit, I'd pick it over a YN now having seen its specs (output near enough matches SB900/580EXII) and it supports both brand wireless TTL transmittion.

http://www.calumetphoto.co.uk/eng/product/calumet_genesis_692c_canon_fit_speedlight/cf0170

The only thing it does not have that some may use is high speed sync it seems so if you don't need to use it as a kicker in daylight outdoors then all is fine really.

thebandit · 8 Apr 2013 at 13:22

If you require high speed sync you could get the Yongnuo YN568ex. I have this along with the YN622 triggers all bought from the rain forest place. I think the Yongnuo stuff is very good, the build quality surpassed my expectations (albeit, a persons expectations are a rather wooly metric) but I would consider them very well made. The only question I couldn't answer is how long they will last as I've had mine a mere 3 months.
All that said I would recommend them to anyone after a non camera manufacturer flash gun.

mrk · 8 Apr 2013 at 13:24

My 2x YN-560 guns are 2 years old and still feel tough. They've been dropped as well and are pretty tough.

RussD · 10 Apr 2013 at 03:32

That calumet flash has a recycle time of 5 seconds. A bit Too LONG. Look for one with 3 seconds & TTL. That way you got best of both worlds. So, ttl/manual/ss/etc. will keep you happy.

hyperst · 10 Apr 2013 at 11:55

I am going to order a Yongnuo 560 II, I think I can live without TTL for a while, the camera will be used on some nice days out so flash should not be an issue for now, also want to get into a little bit of macro (flowers and maybe some insects, going to get some extension tubes as I can't afford a dedicated macro lens this year anyway) so an off camera manual flash should come in handy, I think, thanks for the recommendations though guys.