Flash

hoodmeister · 16 Mar 2006 at 22:53

Just picked up a new SB-600 from the bay for £135

I'm looking forward to getting it - however, I've never really used flash before. Not even the lil' pop up one ( because I get shadow with most of my lenses ) ~ so has anyone got any hints or tips for using flash effectively?

TRiP · 16 Mar 2006 at 23:13

best tip is to experiment.

a good flash will give good results in full automatic mode but better results with the camera in manual mode. just try different things, you will get a lot of blown out shots at first, it takes practice.

have fun

hoodmeister · 16 Mar 2006 at 23:18

Cool, i'm not afraid to practice, so it's nice to be given the go ahead with that

However, I don't even pretend to understand the basics of manual flash control - is there any sort of basic guide I can have a read through, to get me started?

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 16 Mar 2006 at 23:39

You want to get to grips with fill in flash straight away. either depend on it for your main source of light by bouncing it from the roof (works best)
Or to control shadows, from a wall facing the other direction you want the shadows to fall.

As fill in.. Which is say using a Tv of 1/60th and using the flash to fill in..
Whatever compensation you feel needed aimed at about 45degrees (from marker on the speedlite)

hoodmeister · 18 Mar 2006 at 14:49

Flash arrived today, first impressions are great

I'm just fiddling around in iTTL at the mo' ~ dialling in compensation on-camera when it's needed.
Off camera flash is great fun!

Oh, and I think I'm blind - don't rack up the power and look at the flash to see "how bright it is"

Random shot of the dog sticking his tongue out a bit, in a dark room, just straight from the camera. I had the flash off-camera and reflecting of the ceiling, got some dodgy shadows...

Carrot · 18 Mar 2006 at 16:33

hoodmeister said:
Oh, and I think I'm blind - don't rack up the power and look at the flash to see "how bright it is"

LOL There was me thinking I'd be the only person daft enough to have tried that!

mrk · 18 Mar 2006 at 16:58

hoodmeister said:
Just picked up a new SB-600 from the bay for £135
I'm looking forward to getting it - however, I've never really used flash before. Not even the lil' pop up one ( because I get shadow with most of my lenses ) ~ so has anyone got any hints or tips for using flash effectively?

You're lucky because the SB600/800 are a pair of flashes that are almost the reference to awesome

I don't think you will have any problems with them at all, you don't even need to calculate anything, don't shoot with the gun aimed directly at your subjects though that's the only tip, shoot with the gun aimed 60 degrees up or use a stofen diffuser, the difference is very visible.

edit*

COmmander mode > *

hoodmeister · 18 Mar 2006 at 17:17

is it just me or are those diffusers a bit expensive for what they are?

Any way to botch one togethor?

mrk · 18 Mar 2006 at 17:38

Many peeps just elastic band a piece of white card the same size as the flash head on top of the head to bounce the light towards the subject when the flash is aimed up, cheap and cheerful

hoodmeister · 18 Mar 2006 at 17:39

sounds like a plan ¬_¬

Lostkat · 18 Mar 2006 at 18:01

Tracing paper secured over the flash will act as a diffuser

hoodmeister · 18 Mar 2006 at 18:03

Ooo, I just stuck a green post it note to the flash, and that seems to work pretty well!

Stunned cat :

Blinded cat :

Refuses to look at the camera anymore, cat :

TRiP · 19 Mar 2006 at 18:01

whatever you do, do not try and use the coloured plastic sheet from a dye sub cartridge as a coloured gel. they melt easily.