dedicated flash

[amolitor]

I'm not really a lighting guy. I can jam some cheap strobes on 1/2 and 1/4 and bang out some pictures, but I don't *really* understand how modern lighting works.

What is the deal with dedicated flash? I'm always appalled when I price 'em -- $479.95 for some low powered thing, but it works seamlessly with Nikon's Creative Lighting System (or whatever, you get the idea, I hope). Given that I am an unsophisticated dunce, can someone explain in a few simple words what Nikon's Creative Lighting System, or Canon's Awesome Whateveritis System, and so on actually do for you?

I use stuff like Vivitar's 585 and the Sunpak 383, and some similar strobes that plug into the wall. I just take some test shots, fart around with modifiers and power levels, and then when it looks good, fire away. My needs are pretty simple and unsophisticated, though, I don't even generally use the "Auto" modes of the flashes that have 'em. These sorts of things are.. a LOT cheaper than the Nikon/Canon branded kit.

If it takes more than a few words to explain, or if it requires complicated words, feel free to say so and just move on.

 

[cgipson1]

CLS... remote control of settings, and exposure.... that is basically about it. You can do it all from the camera. Change power, settings, zoom, sync, etc.. without ever touching the flash.... as well as remotely fire the flash.

 

[kundalini]

Although somewhat of a sales gimick for branded flashes, CLS does work, but it also works on any flash that has an optical sensor, to the best of my knowledge. I've been using PCB Cybersync's for some time now and that makes CLS a moot point for me.

No complicated words were harmed in the making of this response.

 

[Designer]

I definitely consider myself a beginner with flash and digital, but here is a shot I did using my b.i. flash to trigger my SB-910 behind a white umbrella.

 

[amolitor]

Does the system replace a flash meter (or attempt to, or do a decent job of mostly..)? Can I pretty much just set lighting ratios on multiple flash units, and camera aperture, and it'll give me a good exposure by managing the flash outputs?

 

[Derrel]

What is the deal with dedicated flash??? Well...Nikon's color-aware TTL flash metering takes into account the focused distance the lens is set to; the ambient light level in EV value; and the entire "scene" is analyzed as far as red,green, blue AND reflectance values, and then an entire computer-modeled decision matrix is set in motion. Based on a bunch of data points, and cross-reference with actual photographs stored in memory, and computer models of various "types" of scenes, the flash exposure is tailored to the scene being exposed. The TTL part, the through the lens metering aspect of this, allows the flash exposure to be adjusted/set across a wide range of lens f/stops, ISO values, flash power levels, and so on. If one forgets to set the "proper" f/stop, TTL flash control can quite often (not always, but normally/often/reliably) correct for photographer errors, and make on-the-fly adjustments, for example emitting only a teensy-tiny burst of flash when a photog accidentally triggers a five-foot distance portrait at f/2.8, instead of at a more-normal f/8...

Nikon TTL flash units also have an AUto Aperture mode, where the user sets the flash to a specific Auto f/stop...let's say, f/4.8...and the flash either increases or decreases output as distances change. TTL flash control also compensates for filters and optical "devices"...if a photographer creates some weird kind of aftermarket lash-up, and shoots flash exposures through say a weird close-up lens setup, or whatever, TTL flash can correct, on the fly, for oddball circumstances.

In the old-school Vivitar 285, Sunpak 383 design ethos (two GREAT flashes which I am intimately familiar with!!!), as you know, the flash unit is pre-set to a specific aperture value, like say the "Red" or "Yellow" or "Aqua" color-coded f/stop (based on flash power and ISO in use), and then the user must set the lens aperture to the corresponding, correct f/stop, and then there is AUTO-Thyristor adjustment of flash output; if however, the flash setting and the lens's f/stop setting are not matching, then under- or over-exposure will easily result. TTL metering eliminates that kind of a stumbling block, which is why it was so useful and innovative back in the day (early- to mid-1980's) when it came on the scene.

TTL-BL or TTL Balanced Lighting is a setting that allows the flash and the ambient light exposure to be...."balanced"...as in not-so-danged-flashy, especially in lower ambient light levels.

Nikon SB 800, SB900, and Sb910, as well as the lower-tech SB 600 and SB 700 are expensive units, yes, but are very well-made and generally extremely reliable under normal use. They are made better than "those Chinese cheapies"...but we have seen an increase in strobist-type users overheating speedlights by using them in scenarios where the right tool is actually something like a fan-cooled, pro studio flash head or monolight. Firing off fifty full-power flash exposures from an external battery pack in less than two minutes is probably gonna cause many speedlights to overheat, and perhaps enter into a forced "cool-down/no firing" period.

 

[Robin_Usagani]

Auto (TTL) setting is good if you put several ligths around the reception.

 

[cgipson1]

Does the system replace a flash meter (or attempt to, or do a decent job of mostly..)? Can I pretty much just set lighting ratios on multiple flash units, and camera aperture, and it'll give me a good exposure by managing the flash outputs?

It will do TTL... and I would say does it as well as On Camera Flash does.

 

[amolitor]

Thanks, guys! I appreciate all y'all taking the time.

Yeah, TTL was the technical term I had forgotten.

 

[greybeard]

I'm not really a lighting guy. I can jam some cheap strobes on 1/2 and 1/4 and bang out some pictures, but I don't *really* understand how modern lighting works.

What is the deal with dedicated flash? I'm always appalled when I price 'em -- $479.95 for some low powered thing, but it works seamlessly with Nikon's Creative Lighting System (or whatever, you get the idea, I hope). Given that I am an unsophisticated dunce, can someone explain in a few simple words what Nikon's Creative Lighting System, or Canon's Awesome Whateveritis System, and so on actually do for you?

I use stuff like Vivitar's 585 and the Sunpak 383, and some similar strobes that plug into the wall. I just take some test shots, fart around with modifiers and power levels, and then when it looks good, fire away. My needs are pretty simple and unsophisticated, though, I don't even generally use the "Auto" modes of the flashes that have 'em. These sorts of things are.. a LOT cheaper than the Nikon/Canon branded kit.

If it takes more than a few words to explain, or if it requires complicated words, feel free to say so and just move on.

To be honest, you don't need it. Like my signature states, if it looks good, it is good. Dedicated flashes are just that, dedicated to the on camera metering system of the camera and are in many ways a solution without a problem and can create problems of their own. I have a Nikon D7000 and 6 different dedicated flash units and they won't do anything you can't do with some cheap units, a little knowledge, and some trial and error. I just like farting around with them.