Would you use a flash? (photo/present related)

Re: Would you use a flash? (photo/present related)

• libbyann member

  October 2009

  I pretty much only use my flash when I'm doing weddings. I'll bump up my ISO as high as I can get it and open up all the way if I really want to get a shot and the lighting is crappy. I have a camera that can handle it pretty well though, so I guess that would be my first question - can your camera handle low-light situations w/o an external flash? It also depends on what kind of photography you're wanting to do. Is it something that you're going to need flash or you'll miss a moment (like at a wedding).
  

  I'd probably opt for a lens that I could open up more than the 18-200 or the kit lens. The 50mm 1.8 is a popular (and inexpensive) option, however I feel like mine isn't as sharp as some of my other lenses and I rarely use it. My other fave is the 85mm 1.8.
  

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• Mrs.Purdue

  October 2009

  I pretty much agree with Libby, although I do use my speedlight more than just at weddings.  My XTi doesn't handle noise very well at all, and even with a pretty good lens at 2.8, I still need the flash for alot of indoor pictures.  Does your house have good natural light?  If low-light isn't a problem in your own house, then maybe you could get by with your on-board flash and a diffuser, and then spend the money on a new lens.  The kit lens isn't regarded as a very good lens at all, so I'd look into spending some money there.  I have the 50mm 1.8 too, but I prefer zooms, so I used a Sigma 18-50 2.8 macro that was a great lens for me (used for $300 on keh.com). 

  other staples that I have:  tripod, 2 different camera bags (one for shoots and one for keeping my equipment safe and secure at home or on trips), extra battery, remote shutter release, extra memory card, memory card reader.  

  if you don't have photoshop or lightroom, you might find that more useful than a flash. 
  

   

   

    
  

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• Kristen&Doyle

  October 2009

  I very rarely use my external flash/speedlight.  If you want to get something else, I'd look into getting another lens.  Of course, I have a slight lens addiction, so you might want to take that with a grain of salt!

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• carlinlp member

  October 2009

  I would keep it.  I use mine a lot for snapshots around the house, in our darker rooms, at night, etc.  I don't have an on board flash with any of my cameras (except Ty's D50 that I never use) so if I want a flash, the external is my only option.  I use it ton at home, love that I can bounce it.  Rarely at a session unless absolutely necessary, but it does happen.  Learning how to bounce it to get a more natural result takes some practice, but it can produce some good results.  It's a nice piece of equipment to have in your back pocket.
  

  Here are a few I bounced my flash with:

  here

  here

  here

  here

  eta:  here is an example of it used during a session.  the last 4 shots of our very own jennynorene and fam on this post.
  

  
  
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• borah22

  October 2009

  I use mine a lot. sometimes just as fill or just to make some catchlights happen. I also have a softbox for it and use it as off camera flash.  I totally would be lost w/out my flash. Once you learn how to use it properly you would never know that a flash was used in images.  Just adding that since flashes tend to have a bad rep but if used properly they really add to an image.
  

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• naclh2otaffy member

  October 2009

  Thanks for all the advice and examples of when I might use it!  I was thinking about it today and it is something on my wish list - it was just much lower priority than other things that I wanted to get for the camera.  I think I'll probably keep it and just put the other things on my Christmas wish list. 
  

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