Another Flash help thread :)

Genoma · 29 Jan 2015 at 22:13

So it's time I get out of the dark and buy my first flash, I'm set on the Yongnuos but trying to figure out which is best, read a bunch of threads here but just want to check my understanding.

YN 560 IV + 560 TX, manual flash, RT control + activation off camera, seems like an interesting option for creative work, thinking in getting some coloured gels, can get both of these for £80; has me intrigued, like the price for both. No TTL. Smallish, light.

YN 565 EX II - nice all rounder, can be light remote triggered off camera, TTL but no High Speed Sync - £65

YN 568 EX II - as a above, a bit bigger a bit heavier, has high speed sync. £85

YN 600EX - more than I want to spend at the mo

I seem to be leaning towards the 560+560 TX for some fun off camera, colour gells and I could get another cheap one after for a dual macro rig.. Then I have 2 friends wedding coming up, thinking the 568 would be great for on camera use and TTL. Then maybe get the 560's and handle the power on manual which is prob ok...

Am I on the right track? Other considerations? TIA!

(Canon 650D BTW...)

Phal · 30 Jan 2015 at 08:22

I went with the 600 with an e3-rt controller thingy as my first test with flash. Works pretty well as you'd expect.

As with most things, I'd always recommend buying the best you can afford but tbh I never really compared the pros and cons of the 600 and the 568 or whatever the next model down is.

Wireless is definitely a must though imo! Optical triggering just seems like an unnecessary handicap

gary996 · 30 Jan 2015 at 15:23

568 ex II and the YN622c triggers

Genoma · 30 Jan 2015 at 19:05

Read some horror stories about the 568 being 2 stops underexposed if the flash is bounced. Any merit to this?

Phal · 30 Jan 2015 at 19:18

Tbh I've never really read up on it but I'm not sure how a camera is supposed to expose correctly with a flash if it's bounced?

The camera measures the scene and the distance to the subject etc (I'm assuming) but how does it know how to expose correctly depending on what surface/surfaces you decide to reflect light from?

In the little use my flash has gotten, I just assumed it exposed for the scene and assumed the flash was directed at the subject?

Genoma · 31 Jan 2015 at 00:48

I might be wrong but I believe Canon's ETTL II tech uses a almost invisible pre-flash to help the camera evaluate the exposure before firing the actual flash, so it can adjust even if the light is being bounced.

Phal · 31 Jan 2015 at 10:08

Genoma said:
I might be wrong but I believe Canon's ETTL II tech uses a almost invisible pre-flash to help the camera evaluate the exposure before firing the actual flash, so it can adjust even if the light is being bounced.

Not sure how invisible a flash can be lol

Maybe we'll be lucky and someone will come in here and explain

Genoma · 31 Jan 2015 at 10:13

It's just a quick flash prior to the shot apparently

http://canon-digital-photo-pro.com/flashes/how-ettl-ii-technology-works-to-your-advantage/

Hunders · 31 Jan 2015 at 11:59

I have two 560iii speedlites and the 560TX and I'm happy.

Testing speedlites by Connor Hundley, on Flickr

Genoma · 31 Jan 2015 at 12:00

Hunders, exactly what I ordered yesterday!

Also ordered some coloured gels for some fun.

Hunders · 31 Jan 2015 at 12:02

Nice one, you won't be disappointed.

D.P. · 31 Jan 2015 at 12:44

Genoma said:
It's just a quick flash prior to the shot apparently

http://canon-digital-photo-pro.com/flashes/how-ettl-ii-technology-works-to-your-advantage/

Yeah, TTL is very smart and bouncing the flash can be done in automatic mode without much adjustment usually. As with all automatic exposure modes it sometimes needs a little help.

One thing that bounce flash can screw up if you don't bounce off a white or neutral colour end surface you get a color cast.

Vertigo · 1 Feb 2015 at 10:59

In a nutshell the "TTL" part of "ETTL" stands for Through The Lens - i.e. it measures the actual light coming into the camera to determine the amount of flash required. Whether it's direct or bounced doesn't matter.

If you're so inclined, this site explains it all in a fair amount of detail: http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/

Phal · 1 Feb 2015 at 11:41

Vertigo1 said:
In a nutshell the "TTL" part of "ETTL" stands for Through The Lens - i.e. it measures the actual light coming into the camera to determine the amount of flash required. Whether it's direct or bounced doesn't matter.

If you're so inclined, this site explains it all in a fair amount of detail: http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/

The bit I don't understand is how can it not matter if you're bouncing or not? How does it know the distance between your flash and the bounce surface and the distance between the subject and the bounce surface?

All of that information would seem to be what's required to calculate all that accurately in my head but I guess I'm wrong?

I should probably go read something

Vertigo · 1 Feb 2015 at 11:43

Because the system measures the actual light coming into the camera, it doesn't matter where it travelled on the way. If the distance the light travels is further then obviously the flash will need to stay lit longer to produce the same exposure but all that matters is how much light reaches the sensor.