What to buy? lens or flash

loves_guitar

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Hey everyone,

I'm undecided as to what to do:
My financial advisor (my wonderful wife) has allowed me to buy another piece to my ever growing photography collection. Currently, I have a D70s with the kit lens (18-70mm) and the 50mm 1.8.

My current rock and hard place is the Nikon 70-300mm G lens for those times when I need to get those long distant shots, or the SB-600 flash for those low-lights situations.
I like shooting outdoors and hope to shoot more sports events if I got the 70-300mm (just friend's sports teams, nothing pro), but I have an adorable 2-month, and I am often taking pictures of him at home, and sometimes available light just isn't enough.

So my question to all of you - if you could only choose between one or the other, which would it be? lens or flash? Do you get more use out of a long telephoto, or with a better flash than the wee pop-up?

Thanks for all of your suggestions and advice.
 
No one can tell you the answer. It's all what you need. Do you find you wish you had a longer lens more often or are you saying I wish I could light up this scene better?

Personally I would go for the flash first (as I did and telephoto second) because I enjoy using flash photography to try and light things differently and play around with light.
 
I guess that's really what I'm after. What have you folks bought first? Long lens or flash?

I'm stuck because I have uses for both a long lens and a flash. Maybe with it being summer...more light...more outdoors...get the long lens now?

But I would like to know everyone's opinion.
Thanks.
 
I'd probably go for the speedlight. It's just too much fun on the D70.
 
Like DeepSpring said - it's all about what you prefer to shoot. DS went for the flash first, but i went for the telephoto and don't even own a flashgun.
As you know, each scores points for different purposes so it comes down to which purpose you need more.
 
And if you need both the same? ... Buy both and don't tell the wife ;)

Disclaimer: ZaphodB will not be held liable for any loss of life, limb or reproductive capability resulting from following the above advice.
 
If you like shooting indoors, and especially if you have a new member of the family the flash would be my first choice. It will simply benefit you a lot more than being able to go out and shoot sport.
 
Just for all those involved, I bought myself a SB-600 from B&H! Quite excited.
 
Your going to have fun with it I'm sure. You should read up on different techniques like bouncing and the various diffusers you can make yourself or purchase. You would be amazed at the different results some very simple home made products can make.
 
Yeah, in my excitement, I've been already been flying around the web trying to find any cool techniques and stuff I can do once I get the flash.
I'm a real 'ambient light' kind of guy, so I want to work hard on making the flash look very un-flash, if that makes sense.

Any websites, books, etc. that you guys would recommend? I've googled a lot, but there's a LOT more that I haven't got to that you may have sitting in your favorites folder.

Thanks.
 
I could have sworn I participated in this thread. Am I losing my mind or did my post disappear?
 
no mate... i have lost a few posts too

since the system was down for maintainance a few of mine have gone?

maybe that why there was maintainance..... they were deleting our posts!!!!

LOL :D
 
IT FELL INTO THE FIERY HELL THAT IS THE DREADED SERVER CLEANSING TO THE ABYSS! FOR THE SUN BROKE FREE OF THE CLOUDS AND GOD REACHED OUT AND PROCLAIMED THAT THE PHOTO FORUM BE FREE OF SIN AND WASHED OUT LIKE THE GREAT FLOOD OF OUR ANCESTORS! THUS BY THE POWER OF GOD HIMSELF, THE THREADS OF YESTERYEAR WERE DELETED AND TPF WAS BORN AGAIN!

:hail::hail::hail:




When I bought my SB-600, I also got a gel pack. Those can be fun, but I don't use mine much. Usually only when I'd have mixed lighting if I used the flash. Last time I used it was in a gym with flourecent lights, used a gel to balance my flash with the ambient lighting.
 
I got a long lens first, but to be honest, if the flash was closer in price to the lens i bought (70-300 for 200 dollars) I'd have bought the flash. I want a flash that tilts and swivels and all that jazz for indoor photography. Alas, the Sigma 70-300 f/4-5.6 Macro for 200 dollars was the choice I made.
 

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