Modern plug-on or system flashes are very easy to operate thanks to the automatic control by the lens (TTL technology). Past the times when only cumbersome guide calculations and distance estimates led to a properly exposed image. More – the latest developments expand the communication capabilities of the camera with connected flashes, so they are increasingly taking over tasks from studios.
Why a flash-on flash?
Furthermore, the flash-on flashes of Canon, Nikon, Sony and Co. constantly more flashpower and better adjustment possibilities. In doing so, manufacturers of cameras strive to design their flashes as exclusively for their cameras. However, specialist accessories such as Metz keep up with and surprise with intelligent innovations again and again.
What features are elementary?
The price is essentially strictly according to guide number. The larger the light output, the thicker and more expensive the flash. The sheer power is, however, less practical in practice than the possibility to realize faster image series with a weaker set-up flash. In fact, a powerful flash can cost more than the whole camera. Therefore you should consider before the purchase, whether the lightning is used to the creative light design - or only to light. This is also a device with less power.
What skills should the flash have?
You probably already have concrete ideas about what your flash should be used for - otherwise you would not have called this page. However, a brief overview at this point recalls the most important ways to use the flash. Because the flash is supposed to bring all the skills you need to make your kind of spectacular shots.
Lesetipp
This small list shows how the flash-on flash expands the creative possibilities of photography. Strictly speaking, flashing in times of digital simplification of the photographic process is a good way to distinguish one's own from the mass of good pictures. But not only that: Well-flown means time saved. Professionals avoid complex retouching in front of the computer in order to iron out missing or too strong contrasts. But it should be said: If you simply flashes uninspiring or uses the wrong flash, also creates problems that he would not have had without flash. The right features are crucial for best results.
In the ten applications listed above, the necessary and possible lightning functions are all included. Some should be part of the basic equipment - but it is precisely here that chaff of wheat
separates
Who, for example, as a frenzied reporter the group picture "must shoot", which respects the rotatable and tiltable flash head. Lightning, which is redirected over the wall or ceiling, loses its hardness and reproduces the motifs without hard shadows. In addition, the area to be illuminated is increased, but at the expense of the lightning intensity. A strong flash with a given guide number around 50 to 60 does not hurt if the celebrating group threatens to fall out of the (seeker) frame.
Partyblitzers should remember that it is usually dark when flashed: a bright and clear key and display lighting is worth the gold - just as the simple locking lever for the flash shoe - often the photographer has only one hand free to the device to the camera
The tiltable head should also be really tilted down - seven degrees down, otherwise it does not reach motifs directly at the photographer's feet. Even if small objects are to be screened in showcases, this tilt mechanism is practical. Just as practical as the diffuser, which is pulled out of the flash head for a particularly wide angle of view. If you want to shoot a portrait, the Eye-catcher instead of the diffuser - a small white plate, which shades the flash upwards - but provides for a nice eye-reflection. This gives many a portrait whistle.
In most flashes, behind a deep red plastic disc, there is an autofocus assist light that measures the distance to the object - and in the best case, it is transmitted to the camera - because without this, the camera's autofocus would not work - all images would be out of focus Darkness also only slightly recognizes something. Although most of the cameras have been installed as a helper, it is only visible when the built-in flash fires out. But if a strong plug-in is on the flash, this usually very weak, integrated flash can not fold out.
The communication between camera and flash is very versatile. Data on the focal length of the screwed lens can also be passed on to the camera. Then, in the flash head, the reflector travels with a clearly audible engine noise into a position which ensures that a suitable image angle is set for this focal length. If this reflector is set to telephoto (85mm), its beam angle is narrower and the subject is brighter than when it is at wide angle (about 28mm). Because the manufacturers are the most important parameter for the lightness assessment of flashes - the guide number - all with different reflector settings, there is no safe way to determine at first glance which flash is brighter in the offer. For this reason, Colorfoto measures all the flashes in its measuring procedure under identical conditions and establishes the guide number accordingly. That is why all the flashes are comparable in our tables. Our conclusion: Some manufacturers override their details.
Elementary on the flash is also the battery compartment. Easy to close and stable it should be, because it is often needed. Only the best qualities and only the most expensive lithium-ion batteries usually have a reasonable holding capacity, lightnings are energy guzzlers. If the batteries go to their knees, which can be felt in no-name products after barely twenty releases, the charging time will be extended until the flash is ready for use again. The portrait shoot quickly becomes a boring affair. Stupid also, when the readiness indicator of lightning to conceal its inertia lightens too early. Then the photographer always flashes with a different brightness yield. His pictures appear differently exposed. The Colorfoto flash test also exposes these early fires.
To stay with the power supply: If you want to flash intensively, you need an additional energy seal - for example in the form of an accumulator, which is offered by many manufacturers. It increases the performance tremendously. However, these battery packs only match flashes that have the appropriate connector - usually it is top models.
Further connections on flashes can be the remote release (PC connection, according to Prontor-Compur), which simplifies communication with other flashes and the camera or the USB connection. It ensures future security, as the flash can be updated from the PC to newly released cameras or new functions. This keeps the device up to date when the camera is changed.
One of the advantages of studios is their permanent light. Since the photographer constantly sees the effect of his lamps on the shadow throw and can even set the intensity in advance. For flashing flashes, the corresponding function is called modeling light. The flash then gives a staccato of flashes, which imitates a permanent light. This function can help with the use of several flashes, but needs precious energy.
Also a light staccato fires the flash off, if it has a Highspeed function. It also comes to a train when the shutter speed is shorter than the sync time of the camera (See chapter: How a flash works). This is very handy when a moving subject is to be brightened in daylight with the flash. The stroboscope flashing is similar, but the flash sequence is slower and the exposure time of the camera is also very long. Motion phases in front of a dark background are created, since only those parts of the subject are exposed that reflect light. This function must also be adjustable in the flash menu.
Top flashes come with accessories. Special diffusers or color films can be provided. In the first case, the flash then emits a softbox, the redirection via the ceiling is hardly necessary. The color films convert light, because the xenon flash is very cold, the light color is not uncommon over 6,000 Kelvin. Daylight at sunset or living room light is, however, much more homely - with a light color of about 3,600 Kelvin. Office neon light is about in between.
Anyone who flashes into these lighting moods produces color tones, which can hardly be retouched later. The superior color filter avoids this. Clever photographic apparatus, in conjunction with their system flash, can also precalculate the resulting color temperature and thus minimize the color stain. Good lightning flashes can of course be controlled in many ways or control even other flashes. This skill explains the chapter "How to control flashes."
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