Nikon Flash

lamar328 · Mar 10, 2008

Hey, I recently bought a Nikon D40X. I don't like the fill in flash that it comes with, and I was hoping to upgrade with an external mounted flash.

I take pictures at concerts for bands, so I'm in a dark enclosed environment.

First question: Do I need a flash? I just can't seem to get enough light into my pictures without having to make the shutter speed extremely slow.

Second: What flash's would you recommend looking into?

JimmyO · Mar 10, 2008

You will need to consider your budget. You can of course spring for a sb-800 or sb-600, but they will set up back 175-300. But if your not looking to spend that much you can also look at some older models such as the sb-28 and sb-26. And yes, you will benefit from using a better flash.

compur · Mar 10, 2008

You'll either need a faster lens or a flash. Concert photographers often use
a 200mm to 300mm telephoto with f/2 to 2.8 maximum aperture or something
similar. Focal length depends on your distance from the subject. If you are
positioned on stage then a shorter lens will probably suffice.

But, if you're using the zoom that came with your D40X, it does not have
the maximum aperture wide enough for this kind of photography unless you use a flash.

Flash photography of concerts usually doesn't look so hot unless
you really know what you're doing. Again, the range from camera to subject
will determine a suitable flash unit. Get the best you can afford that has
a suitable range.

molsen · Mar 10, 2008

sb400 with stofen omni bounce is a good choice for average flash needs

for concerts, i would avoid flash altogether. a) bands usually don't allow flash photography and b) you really need to know what you're doing with the flash to make those kinds of shots look good (just use the flash to freeze movement in a 1/4 or so exposure)

look into the 50mm 1.8 lens for all your concert needs. that's what i used for all of these: http://www.flickr.com/photos/flibbajabba/sets/72157603597540244/

lamar328 · Mar 11, 2008

thanks a lot for the info! So I don't really have a final consensus, but would getting a bigger lens be more beneficial then a flash?

I take shots on stage generally, so it's not a huge deal.
I was just concerned about the lighting. I have my aperture fully open with a really high iso setting, and It was still a bit hard to get a clear image.

I also don't want to take away form the natural club lighting effects by adding in a flash... but an omni filter might help solve that issue.

JIP · Mar 11, 2008

lamar328 said:
thanks a lot for the info! So I don't really have a final consensus, but would getting a bigger lens be more beneficial then a flash?

I take shots on stage generally, so it's not a huge deal.
I was just concerned about the lighting. I have my aperture fully open with a really high iso setting, and It was still a bit hard to get a clear image.

I also don't want to take away form the natural club lighting effects by adding in a flash... but an omni filter might help solve that issue.

Well I agree with the others, a faster lens would be the way to go. If you look at the images from Molsen he seems to do a good job with the 50 the only other thing I could suggest is something like a fast 35 like a 35mm 1.8 might be a more appropriate focal-length for digital. If you have rental available to you it might be a good idea to see wich lens suits your style before making a purchase.

molsen · Mar 11, 2008

YES. a wider fast lens would be nice. 50mm on a d50's sensor is too long for live band shots often

Mav · Mar 11, 2008

lamar328 said:
I take shots on stage generally, so it's not a huge deal.
I was just concerned about the lighting. I have my aperture fully open with a really high iso setting, and It was still a bit hard to get a clear image.

I also don't want to take away form the natural club lighting effects by adding in a flash... but an omni filter might help solve that issue.

If you could post one of these photos along with the EXIF (shot) data like shutter speed, aperture, iso, etc, it'd be a lot easier to see what kind of lens you might need. Something like a 50mm f/1.8 for $100 is usually a good start, but of course you have to manually focus it on the D40x. Unless you're right up close, that probably won't be too big of a deal. If you need wider, there's the 35mm f/2 for about $300, and the 50mm f/1.4 which is even faster is also right around $300.