Rant: About noobs using on board SLR Flash

SDK^ · 28 Nov 2007 at 10:39

Another great use for onboard flash is when you're travelling - I recently had a holiday in the US where I took my 20D everywhere and I used onboard flash a lot.

If I owned a Canon 5D or 1D series that don't have a built in flash would I carry around an external flash unit - no way!! I would leave them at home and pack my 20D.

Onboard flash = win

Schizophonic · 28 Nov 2007 at 10:40

Bubo said:
You hit the nail on the head there mate.

Maybe its because people who buy SLR think its cool but dont know how to use it and just want to show it off as it feels 'powerful' in one's hand.

Its like the same goes, buy a £75,000 AUDI R8 only go MAX 20mph in central london. :rolleyes:

Schizophonic · 28 Nov 2007 at 10:41

SDK^ said:
Another great use for onboard flash is when you're travelling - I recently had a holiday in the US where I took my 20D everywhere and I used onboard flash a lot.

If I owned a Canon 5D or 1D series that don't have a built in flash would I carry around an external flash unit - no way!! I would leave them at home and pack my 20D.

Onboard flash = win

Can you show us some the photos you took with the flash?

Sic · 28 Nov 2007 at 10:44

Schizophonic said:
Maybe its because people who buy SLR think its cool but dont know how to use it and just want to show it off as it feels 'powerful' in one's hand.

Its like the same goes, buy a £75,000 AUDI R8 only go MAX 20mph in central london.

maybe it's because it's their money and they can do what they want with it.

and you can't go any faster than 20MPH in central London, whatever car you're driving.

divine` · 28 Nov 2007 at 10:46

Schizophonic said:
Can you show us some the photos you took with the flash?

D70 with onboard flash because my SB-600 batteries were charging.

edit - sharpness has gone to pot because i ripped it off facebook as im at uni.

SDK^ · 28 Nov 2007 at 10:56

Schizophonic said:
Can you show us some the photos you took with the flash?

I was actually just thinking that I would post an example later.
I have the perfect comparison - A group photo without flash with a washed out sky and another with a perfectly exposed sky with the people illuminated by the flash.

I'll post it when I get home at 6pm

divine` · 28 Nov 2007 at 11:14

Eliminated by the flash? Christ, how bright is yours?!?! :eek:

Messiah Khan · 28 Nov 2007 at 11:15

divine` said:
Eliminated by the flash? Christ, how bright is yours?!?!

SDK^ · 28 Nov 2007 at 11:43

divine` said:
Eliminated by the flash? Christ, how bright is yours?!?!

hehe - corrected

robertgilbert86 · 28 Nov 2007 at 12:09

On-board flash + Sigma 10-20 at 10mm.

Tobes · 28 Nov 2007 at 12:43

Schizophonic said:
Thats why you would need to invest in a quick lens like the nifty fifty or find a telezoom lens with a high aperture. The stock lens isn't good enough for everday situations. So my suggestion is just to get a POS camera as it gives you a better result.

Or just get a new lens?...

Why would I want to buy a crap camera when I have a beast of a camera already?

Cosimo · 28 Nov 2007 at 13:59

Schizophonic said:
Its like the same goes, buy a £75,000 AUDI R8 only go MAX 20mph in central london.

and if you drive any faster you crash into the guy in front.....

GeX · 28 Nov 2007 at 14:06

Tobes said:
Or just get a new lens?...

Why would I want to buy a crap camera when I have a beast of a camera already?

no..no, he has a point. i had an old kodak 3.2mp camera (remember when they sold a load for £100ish by mistake, and it was actually a bargain) and it takes better pictures than my d50 with the kit lens..

..oh wait.. no it doesn't :rolleyes:

SDK^ · 28 Nov 2007 at 17:56

Schizophonic said:
Can you show us some the photos you took with the flash?

Examples below

Exposed for the subjects - no flash but washed out sky and fountain

Exposed for the sky - no flash and dark subjects

Exposed for the sky - with onboard flash \o/

33L · 28 Nov 2007 at 17:59

sdk its like you went out and just took them lol

SDK^ · 28 Nov 2007 at 18:04

33L said:
sdk its like you went out and just took them lol

hehe

They were taken at Epcot Disney World Florida 3 weeks ago.

Aod · 28 Nov 2007 at 18:14

i can't use the flash on my 400D, so i avoid it.

when using it, the camera doesn't change the exposure time at all (i almost always shoot in Av) so i get a crap image with horrible bloom.

i have a dedicated flash, but its for Olympus OM cameras, and doesn't work at all on the canon.

anyway, i'd like some guidance, obviously i'm not expecting that little flash to illuminate a street or something a mile away, but i'd like to know how to use it at all.

SDK^ · 28 Nov 2007 at 18:24

Aod said:
when using it, the camera doesn't change the exposure time at all (i almost always shoot in Av) so i get a crap image with horrible bloom.

Av puts the camera in Fill Flash mode - the flash will expose for the foreground and the camera will expose for the whole scene. This may mean you get long shutter times in dark situations or max the Flash X Sync speed in bright outdoors scenes.

Generally speaking
Indoors – Set the camera to M with a shutter of 1/125 and aperture F8 and the flash will correctly expose the scene; remembering your flash range of course

Outdoors – Fill flash in Tv or Av ensuring the camera’s X sync is not exceeded.

400D X sync = 1/200

Aod · 28 Nov 2007 at 20:44

SDK^ said:
Av puts the camera in Fill Flash mode - the flash will expose for the foreground and the camera will expose for the whole scene. This may mean you get long shutter times in dark situations or max the Flash X Sync speed in bright outdoors scenes.

Generally speaking
Indoors – Set the camera to M with a shutter of 1/125 and aperture F8 and the flash will correctly expose the scene; remembering your flash range of course
Outdoors – Fill flash in Tv or Av ensuring the camera’s X sync is not exceeded.

400D X sync = 1/200

ah, thanks muchly.