On Camera Flash really is worthless isn't it ?

[astroNikon]

This morning I tested focusing points on my d7000 but it was too dark to do much. So I popped up the on camera flash, and took a few shots.

With the results I noticed that shots were blurry. This was on my 24-85 AF-D lens. So then I was wondering if the lens really isn't tack sharp? So I put on the 18-105 lens and had the same result.

So I put on my sb-700 flash on the hot shoe, at a 45 degree angle with the bounce card in TTL mode.
WHAT a difference. Alot of clarity and sharpness. This duplicated on the 24-85.

Just thought I would share my epiphany of what everyone says about On vs Off Camera Flash to actual testing results.. I'm sure if I put up my umbrellas at 45 degree angles, etc that it would be be much better.

I'll let you figure out which is which .. SOOC with cropping






One of the two shots - The total shot at 105 before I cropped them in for detail.

 

[40737012 1]

I dont own an off camera flash. The built in one on my FUJI HS20 works ok within it's own limitations. I have a permanent fixture of a little bit of white tissue paper taped over it as it is way too harsh. Without the tissue paper or deflecting the light onto a floor or ceiling it gives every person I photograph a variation of pink / red / zombie eye. I have to get creative with bits of shiny plastic and sticky tape depending on the situation.

The flash does not synchronise with camera settings either. So with anything other than sports type action settings everything gets over exposed. Longer exposures require more layers of tissue paper.

Or I could just purchase a speedlight.........

Nah, I like the challenge of the tissue paper and sticky tape.

 

[tirediron]

Well... 'worthless' might be a little strong, but it is indeed very limited. It's fine for snapshots, but not so much for photographs.

 

[jaomul]

Not sure if this says something about your flash or focus system. Speedlight focus assist prob better than built in.
On camera flash is handy for lifting small shadows on sunny days and triggering other speedlights. Ask anyone who uses a pro camera would they like to have a built in flash

 

[40737012 1]

I always wondered why camera manufacturers put a built in flash that they must know is next to useless on a camera. FUJI must have tested the flash on my camera and concluded that everyone will have a supply of DIY flash filters in their bag.

 

[astroNikon]

Well... 'worthless' might be a little strong, but it is indeed very limited. It's fine for snapshots, but not so much for photographs.

I use my cellphone for SnapShots

 

[Designer]

It's easy to tell which one is which not only from the better focus, but also from the shadows.

 

[godsotherson]

I always wondered why camera manufacturers put a built in flash that they must know is next to useless on a camera. FUJI must have tested the flash on my camera and concluded that everyone will have a supply of DIY flash filters in their bag.

on board flash is not always used to illuminate the subject. it might be used to fire a remote optically sensored flash while being set at a low enough power as to not overcome the ambient light, so it does not affect the image but the stronger flash from the remote does affect the image. a good to know technique when you do not have a radio trigger or cable to fire your remote/off camera flash.

 

[astroNikon]

It's easy to tell which one is which not only from the better focus, but also from the shadows.

The problem is, the one that should have the better focus is opposite of the result
The On camera flash did all of the prefocusing stuff and yet was more fuzzy
The On camera SB-700 I don't think does this but yet was more in focus.

And I was focusing on one single spot both times (and many other times before these two example) right on the skewer end cap. AF-S Single focus point.

 

[astroNikon]

I always wondered why camera manufacturers put a built in flash that they must know is next to useless on a camera. FUJI must have tested the flash on my camera and concluded that everyone will have a supply of DIY flash filters in their bag.

on board flash is not always used to illuminate the subject. it might be used to fire a remote optically sensored flash while being set at a low enough power as to not overcome the ambient light, so it does not affect the image but the stronger flash from the remote does affect the image. a good to know technique when you do not have a radio trigger or cable to fire your remote/off camera flash.

Yeah, I've been there done that and moved on ...

 

[40737012 1]

on board flash is not always used to illuminate the subject. it might be used to fire a remote optically sensored flash while being set at a low enough power as to not overcome the ambient light, so it does not affect the image but the stronger flash from the remote does affect the image. a good to know technique when you do not have a radio trigger or cable to fire your remote/off camera flash.

If I ever buy an off camera flash I will give it a go.

 

[astroNikon]

I also did half releases several times to eliminate any potential focusing issues. So I don't think it's a focusing issue. I just think the light is better as it's not reflecting back on a single level like the one example that is fuzzy. going back to the book of Light & Magic stuff. I've just never really experimented this concept.

 

[JustJazzie]

I haven't found it COMPLETELY useless. using flash comp turned down, I've been able to bring back some shadows in weird uneven lighting. Sure it's mostly on snap shots, but in a pinch I'm glad to have it!

On another note, I do think that ALL on camera flashes should allow you to bounce flash off a ceiling like my NEX7 does! Such a genius option. Tell flash comp to over expose by 2-3 stops and bounce! I was even able to instruct my mom in less than 10sec. When u had her snap a photo of my hubby and I!

 

[astroNikon]

I haven't found it COMPLETELY useless. using flash comp turned down, I've been able to bring back some shadows in weird uneven lighting. Sure it's mostly on snap shots, but in a pinch I'm glad to have it!

On another note, I do think that ALL on camera flashes should allow you to bounce flash off a ceiling like my NEX7 does! Such a genius option. Tell flash comp to over expose by 2-3 stops and bounce! I was even able to instruct my mom in less than 10sec. When u had her snap a photo of my hubby and I!

I'll probably retest this with the flash turned down. For some reason I think the focusing will be better.
I didn't like the redeye et all from it so I bought a SB-600 a few years ago, then a SU-800 controller .. and SB700, 2x SB-800s .. and I haven't used the on camera flash since then. I take my sb-700 with me anytime I think I'll need some sort of flash. The other weekend I used my SB-700 on my camera as I was practicing/testing some stuff.

I just find it odd, that with on camera flash things looks out of focus. And I was focusing squarely on one spot in all my shots (I took many too and they were all the same), with repeated results.

 

[Derrel]

Looks like a focusing issue to me. I'e used on-camera flash as on-axis fill light, and also bounced it from the hotshoe; I think worthless is not an accurate word to describe on-camera flash. But seriously, it seems like the AF system is not "nailing" the focus on the one shot...it just does not appear focused, and the depth of field is somewhat limited too, at that f/stop at that range.

Looking at the writing on that small "cap" device, I can literally see that one shot has back-focus, the other encompasses that cap thing perfectly, and the lettering is sharp. I am wondering about the reflectivity of the target itself, if that is messing up the focusing? (My idea on this could be a hang-over from my experiences with the Konica C35 AF, one of the very first AF cameras: I owned one, and it would ALWAYS back-focus severely on silvery things, like salmon...the active AF beam it emitted would hit the silvery scales of the fish, and it would focus never in the boat and on the fisherman and his catch, but always wayyyyyyyyy behind the fish!)

Did you have the AF assit beam on? I ask because in AF-S mode, it CAN be emitted, if the system needs it.