Good Flash?

[EhJsNe]

I know a decent amount of photography...but the only flash I know is the studio lighting at my Uncles studio (and the only thing I do is push some buttons to turn them on or off via a computer.)

I was thinking about flashes for my camera...and I showed my uncle mine...and he agreed with me its WAY to bright and takes WAY to long to recycle.(it overexposed part of an image taken in the middle of the light with a full moon out. (taken with Nikkor 36-72mm lens. (the picture was taken with it around 65-72mm)

The picture was of my brothers car with parts of it covered with frost. the car is a flat black. and I was standing 10 or 15 feet away.

My uncle told me that I want a flash with a movable head and with a fast recycling time.

Basicly he told me the most obvious things about them probaly because he knows little about flashes. he never really got into them, there just something hes always had.



I do not need anything that reads the lenses and the aperture and automticly sets the flash brightness thingy...I have a Fully Manual NIkon FM10....(oh FUN! but very good for learning)

All the controlls must be on the flash...and if it matters the max flash sync speed is 1/125 second

 

[Big Mike]

There are any number of flash units that would fit the bill...and should be very easy to find.

 

[EhJsNe]

There are any number of flash units that would fit the bill...and should be very easy to find.

so bassicly any flash that matches what i said will do?

 

[Village Idiot]

so bassicly any flash that matches what i said will do?

Flash sync is determined by the camer, not the flash.

What's your budget? I take it your camera is film? If so, you'll probably want a light meter too. If not, it's going to take a whole lot of film to get the flash working right.

Also, you need to learn about using the flash. Check out Strobist: Lighting 101. It's about off camera flash but has some principals that apply. Don't make that your primary source about learning how a flash works though.

Search google.

Also, "Light Science and Magic" by Phil Hunter is a good book on how light works in regards to photography.

I say this because you were trying to take a picture of a car with a direct flash. Auto photography is primarily about reflections and bouncing light and how they affect the final exposure by creating highlights and such on the reflective surface of a car (assuming it's not primered or doesn't have a matte paint finish).