Pop-up flash

How are they useless? A choice between no flash and a popup flash I would definitely pick the popup! Better than nothing
 
As an emergency, better having a shot than none.

If you know what you are doing, you can get some cool shots.

Manual, 2 second shutter. Low ISO.
 
Fair enough I guess it's better than nothing, but I better everyone here either sticks some scotch tape over it or uses card to bounce it.

If manufacturers are going to include it, why not either a) allow it to tilt (expensive) b) defuse it (cheap), c) provide a bounce card (cheap)

Just curious really. I don't think the pop-up flash has changed much if at all in 20 years.
 
It does mean you get harsh direct flash, but it could still be critical to meaning you get a photo, rather than none at all.

At the end of the day the DSLR manufacturers don't care about improving pop-up flash because:

- Beginners looking to buy a DSLR would likely over look a camera if it didn't have a flash. These users also won't appreciate that you don't get the best results from a flash close to the lens, all they will care is that it has one.

- With the more advanced user, with a more expensive camera with pop-up flash, they could improve it and make it more useful, but then they want you to buy their Flashguns which have all those features, so there is little in it for them.

If anyone is going to improve their pop-up flash, it won't be Canon or Nikon.
 
englishpremier said:
Fair enough I guess it's better than nothing, but I better everyone here either sticks some scotch tape over it or uses card to bounce it.

If manufacturers are going to include it, why not either a) allow it to tilt (expensive) b) defuse it (cheap), c) provide a bounce card (cheap)

Just curious really. I don't think the pop-up flash has changed much if at all in 20 years.
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Not everyone like myself is an expert using DSLR so the added in built pop-up flash is a useful tool to have. :cool:
 
When I'm demoing an SLR for a customer I go through all the basics (scenes, auto, ability to do manual), zoom, lenses etc... 90% of them then ask where the flash is.

What would they do if I said it doesn't come with a flash?

So why no improvements? Beginners won't know that direct flash is bad news and that bouncing a flash is the best bet. The more advanced ones who will bounce flash will be wanting more power and more flexibility than the onboards can ever off.

So in short, onboard flash like resolution is a chocolate teapot catch all marketing term ;)
 
High resolution isn't ideal either (file size, noise, etc), but has it's uses... much like pop up flash, but the point remains, it's a marketing gimmick. Beginners see a camera with low resolution and walk away, beginners see a camera without flash and walk away. I've not once used on board flash for anything more than commander mode, and I've not missed it in the slightest on my D3, a small bounce flash is easy enough to carry around.
 
englishpremier said:
Why do these still come with DSLRs?

In their original form without any modification (e.g diffuser or home-made bounce card) aren't they practically useless?
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hey can be used as a wireless flash trigger, they can work in emergencies. I actually grabbed my camera and flash last night as my kitten was in a very cute pose, the batteries were dead in the flash so I had to use the on board flash, the results will be fine for my personal use and with some photos shop would happily be of commercial, expect the value of cute kitten photos is about 0.000000001p.


I used to diffuse the on board flash with a bit of tissue paper and used white paper or even alum-foil wrapped over cardboard as a reflector. Results with that setup were remarkable for being essentially free.

And on Sunday I when to an abandon gold mining town in the middle of no where. Didn't think you could walk down any of the miens but 1 of them you could. I had not torch so took photos with my camera using on-board flash, studied pictures and used the AF assist light as my guide. Actually found some giant creepy crawlies that I successfully photographed with the on board flash.


I am very glad Nikon tries to keep the on board flash, it can be invaluable when you need it. Of course it would be nice if they extended the functionality a little. Make it slightly higher so it goes above larger lenses, slightly beefed up power spec, a rotating head, at least in the vertical direction to bounce flash off the ceiling, and maybe a small built in diffuser that could be slid down Nikon had a patent years ago showing exactly that and I thought it would be a great addition for people that rarely use a flash so could go without buying an external flash. But that is probably why No one has every done that, they want you to pay the money to get a dedicated flash.
 
Auraomega said:
High resolution isn't ideal either (file size, noise, etc), but has it's uses... much like pop up flash, but the point remains, it's a marketing gimmick. Beginners see a camera with low resolution and walk away, beginners see a camera without flash and walk away. I've not once used on board flash for anything more than commander mode, and I've not missed it in the slightest on my D3, a small bounce flash is easy enough to carry around.
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I really don't see how you can refer to it as a marketing gimmick... It does exactly what it's supposed to do and it does it well considering the price which is free!
 
Well if a camera didn't have a pop up flash it wouldn't bother me at all, it certainly isn't a feature that makes any part of a buying decision I'd make either. Sure it does a job and could be better than nothing if you really really need a flash... What you have with you is always better than what you don't.
 
Since owning the 40D since launch I used the popup flash 0 times. That's from 2008~ to last month.

Needless to say, I do not miss it on the 5D3 :p
 
I didn't think I'd miss the pop up flash when I moved 30D to 5Dmkii but I am suprised by how much I miss it not really for serious stuff but there were a few occassions on my trip to South America this summer when it would have enabled me to quickly get a snap or two I wanted. I do have an external flash but there are always occasions when it's not with me or not attached!
 
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