Choosing a Flash

[Tanya]

Hi - and thank you in advance to taking the time to read my post!

I am looking to get a flash for my Nikon D70s. I am a beginner who does mostly outdoor photography but is looking to do more indoor (big rooms/small halls) photography (and from what I have read you can use the flash to lighten shaded areas outdoors as well).

Are teh other brands (sigma, tamron) good compromises in term of quality and price or should I go with Nikon products?

How do I balance going for the 800 (making it a more long term investment) with not wanting to go overkill?

Thank you?

 

[Mike_E]

If you are going to shoot in large areas then your flash is going to have to work harder which means you will need more power. The 800 can take a 5th battery and is about 1 stop more powerful. If you are wanting to do what I think you are wanting to do then you are going to need a frame for your flash to produce the quality you will be looking to achieve or get it away from the camera entirely. The Nikon will do very well but If you are really wanting to get into it then look into a Metz 45 cl 4 (you can get them used and it will plug into your PC socket-though you might want to get the adapter) and then save up for a set of pocket wizards. It, from all I've seen and heard, will do just about everything you want on auto and look beautiful. I wish I had known then... .

mike

 

[Tanya]

Thank you - though I admit I actually had to google that - it's abit over my head now - even just getting a flash is abit intimidating.

Any thoughts on buying a Sigma rather than Nikon? Should I splurge on the 800 or is that overkill? (even though you grow INTO it)

 

[Mike_E]

No, stick with the Nikon Speedlights for now. It will make up for any learning curve you may be experiencing with a lot of room for growth.

miike

 

[Garbz]

I say stick to the SB-800 or SB-600. The reason being is you save on the above mentioned pocket wizards. The Nikon D70 can act as a wireless commander for those two flashes which allows you to start getting really creative with how you use them. Also ignore the fact that the SB-800 takes a 5th battery. All it does is decrease the cycle time from 5 to 4 seconds after a full exposure. No extra life or power. I rarely use it.

Both are equally useful with the SB-800 being as mentioned a stop more powerful. I have used this fact a few times when snapping quick successive shots at parties. But other than that if you need an extra stop of power for your flash then just open the aperture one stop . Whether the extra power is worth the extra money is entirely up to you, but both are equally capable in creative terms.

 

[JIP]

I will be a third on staying with the Nikon. At least the 600 but if you can afford it the 800 is better.