Top 10 Dedicated External Flashes for a Pentax, Nikon and Canon DSLR Camera
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The Best External Flash Units for your Pentax DSLR and other Cameras :-)
I have always maintained that the coolest photographers are those that don't rely too much on a camera's flash. Heck I even had the notion (probably based on inexperience) that superzooms like the Sony's H50 can go head to head with any DSLR. That was before I earned enough to get me a Pentax DSLR. Now with a DSLR (probably the best dslr for folks on a shoe string budget), I have personally debunked the idea that superzooms are like dslrs. So here I go again with another self made opinion: I don't need a flash to get great pictures.
Fair enough. As long as there's light. Who needs a flash. But believe me... situations arise when a flash gun becomes a life saver. Now this here lens is about choosing the best flash for you camera be it a Canon, Nikon, Olympus (although I still maintain that the Pentax is the better camera). Ahahahahaha!!! Read on my frends....
Back to my Photography Lensography
Let there be Light!!!
...and then there was a flash
Light is the foundation of photography. Photography is after all about captured light. Without light, there is no such thing as photography. So let us consider flashes as canned light that you can use when the need arises. Yes I know that all DSLRS come with its little teeny weeny pop-up flash. But is this flash really enough? I have to admit that it is not enough. Some situations really require more power.I once invited to a wedding photo-shoot. My friends brought along their dslr (Canons and Nikons) with big flashes. I was like god-what-fools-these-photographers-be. At the end of the day, it turned out I was the big moron. They all knew about back lighting and the effects of the sun. So there I was with lots of pictures most of them back lit with the subjects all hiding in shadows. I compensated for it with my teeny weeny pop up flash but it lacked the power to punch out the glare of the sun. I was using a Sony H50 then. My friends pictures on the other hand where all properly exposed fit for a wedding magazine.
Back lit photo from the wedding I'm ranting about
- First things first. Determine your budget. Most flashes can get you another DSLR body.
- It should have manual control. We're after automatics but it should also have a manual option. Pentax: PTTL, Nikon: I-PTTL, Canon: eTTL. TTL, means Through The Lens, based flashes are in direct communication with the camera and evaluates the need for flash based on what you're actually looking at through the lens you've chosen.
- Of course you have to know also how you're going to use it. Macro flash is different from your regular flash.
- Decide if you're going to mix brands. Ideally I'd like my Pentax to have a Pentax flash. But being poor means I have to compromise. I'd probably get a Vivitar or a Sunpack.
- The flash head should have a Tilt:Vertical (-7/+90°) and horizontal /Swivel:(270°) swivel reflector option. This is important for bouncing your flash and some esoteric forms of flash photography. . (C'mon... give me a break.. not now... that's for another lens)
- It would be excellent if the flash has the following modes: TTL flash mode, manual flash mode with 8 partial lighting levels, HSS - high speed synchronization, 1st and 2nd shutter curtain, synchronization, manual flash exposure correction for TTL flash mode, automatic fill-in flash, flash bracketing
PENTAX
Diffuser, Swivel and Tilt
Diffuser - A diffusion device built into the flash to increase the spread of the output to cover the wider area covered by wide angle lenses.
Swivel and Tilt - Some units have heads that swivel sideways and tilt up, allowing you to bounce the light off a ceiling or wall to give a softer light.
Pentax "BUDGET" Dedicated Flashes
... arranged based on what I'd choose first
Guide Number (GD)
GD - Guide Number indicates flash power (how far it will reach at a certain aperture and ISO). The higher the figure, the more powerful. If you divide the number by the shooting distance (in metres) you will get your working apperture (or, divide it by your aperture to get your shooting distance).
Pentax "RECOMMENDED" Dedicated Flashes
...arranged on what I'd get first
Canon
PF Sync
PF Sync - Focal Plane, or PF, sync mode allows flash photography at any shutter speed. It does so by using a rapid pulse of light instead of a single burst, in order to illuminate the scene as the shutter travels across the sensor plane.
Canon "BUDGET" Dedicated Flashes
...arranged on what I'd get first
AF Assist and TTL
AF Assist-The flash can helps the camera's own illumination to give more accurate autofocus on long distance & in shooting in lower light or difficult lighting conditions
TTL- "Through The Lens" flash metering. It matches the flash power with the info from the camera's sensor for correct exposure.
Canon "RECOMMENDED" Dedicated Flash
...arranged in order to what I'd get first
Nikon
Zoom Head
Zoom head - Concentrates the energy of your flash when using telephoto lenses. Motorized zooms automatically alter the coverage of the flash output to match the focal length of your lens.
Nikon "BUDGET" Dedicated Flashes
... arranged in based on what I'd get first
Wireless Slave Compatibility
Wireless Slave Compatibility - This lets the flash control one or more off-camera units, or slaves, sharing selected shooting data for a coherently managed portable lighting set-up without the need for wires.
Nikon "RECOMMENDED" Dedicated Flashes
... arranged in based on what I'd get first
Strobists on the Google World
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Extreme Flash Equipment
Sharing, Sharing, Sharing
Flash of genius? Anybody having this feeling... that is with regards to an opinion or tip or hint or anything that would help anybody choose their won external DSLR flash? Then by all means, share it here.
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naheedahsan
Feb 29, 2012 @ 1:12 pm | delete
- i really love Camera specially Nikon SLR but this DSLR Cameras looks great. love it
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Back to my Photography Lensography
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