Newbie with a flash Q...

JTrigger · Dec 6, 2004

Just awaiting my new Canon Rebel SLR and I really don't know much about which flash to get.. I presume the more expensive ones are perhaps better.. but if anyone could help out I'd be very appreciative... manual slave means?

http://search.ebay.com/eos-canon-re...tionZcompareQQcopagenumZ1QQcoentrypageZsearch

JT

PreludeX · Dec 6, 2004

I use the canon speedlight 420ex and its so far been super awesome to me, there also is quantaray/sunpak flashes that are cheaper but still pack a whallop
and those cheapies imo arent worth buyin.. spending a couple hundred on a flash is well worth it imo

Big Mike · Dec 7, 2004

A dedicated flash will allow you to use the camera's TTL (through the lens) capabilities. There are some third party units that ate dedicated for Canon but your best option would be a Canon Speedlight flash. The very best ones are the 550EX and the newer 580EX. These are the only ones that will give you the option of FEC (flash exposure compensation).

Some flash models will swivel & tilt which make it easy to bounce the light.

A slave flash is one that is triggered by a master. For example if you wanted to set up a flash unit off to the side of your subject while you are taking the photo from the front. You would need to trigger that flash some how. Some flashes can be optically slaved...that means that when you fire a flash on the camera, the optical slave will fire the other flash. You can also get radio or infrared slaves flashes.

I know that if you buy two 550ex units, you can set one to be the master & one to be the slave. Some other models may also be set as slave units for the 550ex.

You could also get an auto flash unit. They will be much cheaper than a dedicated model. They don't communicate with the camera (TTL), you just set them to match what your camera is set to and the flash will turn itself off when it has put out the correct amount of light for that setting.

Understanding flash photography can be very confusing...I'm confused myself so make sure to read up on anything before you buy it. Here is a great article that will help you understand how Canon EOS cameras work with flash. http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/