flash!

paigew · Feb 15, 2012

Thanks to o-hey-tyler I have been loving using my pop up flash. I did the business card trick and the lighting looks so much better bouncing it off the ceiling. Up until now I pretty much avoided my flash, now I am feeling like I need more. I have heard many people talk about the speedlight . I have looked into them and found some around 250$ range (here). Which is pretty much at the top of my budget. So, with this I can angle the flash any way? Right now (using the business card) I can only take photos in landscape mode in order to bounce off ceiling, would the speedlight allow me to use portrait mode? Is the speedlight a good choice? Or is something else recommended? I have a canon, thanks :mrgreen:

o hey tyler · Feb 15, 2012

paigew said:
Thanks to o-hey-tyler I have been loving using my pop up flash. I did the business card trick and the lighting looks so much better bouncing it off the ceiling. Up until now I pretty much avoided my flash, now I am feeling like I need more. I have heard many people talk about the speedlight. I have looked into them and found some around 250$ range. Which is pretty much at the top of my budget. So, with this I can angle the flash any way? Right now (using the business card) I can only take photos in landscape mode in order to bounce off ceiling, would the speedlight allow me to use portrait mode? Is the speedlight a good choice? Or is something else recommended? I have a canon, thanks :mrgreen:

Paige! You can take photos in landscape or portrait orientation with flashes that have a swivel head. Take a look at the 430EX II. It's pretty reasonably priced as far as Canon flashes go, and it has a swivel head, TTL, HSS, and all that good stuff.

If $250 is really pushing it, I have one of these - SUNPAK?????? and it works decently. The light output isn't exactly the same and it's got cheaper build quality, that's why I use it as a backup for both 430's I have. It does have TTL though, which you will want for an on camera flash.

paigew · Feb 15, 2012

Thanks tyler! I was originally thinking of getting the 430ex 11, but the sunpack you posted is much cheaper

. Do you think it is worth it to just go ahead and get the 430ex? Is it that much better than the sunpack?

o hey tyler · Feb 15, 2012

In terms of build quality and features... YES. The 430EX is definitely worth it, and what I would go for if I were buying a first flash (well, it IS what I bought for my first flash). If you hold out for it, you'll be very glad you did. Pick up the Sunpak when you want a backup flash.