Flash Recommendation for My Situation?

Lautermilch

Senior Member
I do newbie models for free and as a hobby so I am not going to spend a lot of money.
I used multiple D50s until the last one died of shutter death.
I have a D200 with 18K clicks coming to me in a week.
I only used the 50mm F/1.8
I am looking for a recommendation for a fill flash for some shots.
My albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/lautermilch/albums

I don't think LED would be strong enough. I had a SB800 but don't want to shell out the money for another one.

so by looking at the images I am doing can anyone recommend a flash option that I should consider.

thanks
 

WayneF

Senior Member
Esp if price is a major concern, the good answers are:

Yongnuo YN-565
Neewer VK-750 II (slightly less power than the Yongnuo, same way SB-700 is slightly less than SB-800)

Both also do iTTL, both perform great, good as any. Reviews at sig link below.

For any flash, also get a white balance card, it is needed.
At B&H, Porta Brace for $5, or the WhiBal for a little more. I prefer Porta Brace. Whibal is slightly cooler, IMO a bit too cool for portraits.
 
Last edited:

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I do newbie models for free and as a hobby so I am not going to spend a lot of money.
I used multiple D50s until the last one died of shutter death.
I have a D200 with 18K clicks coming to me in a week.
I only used the 50mm F/1.8
I am looking for a recommendation for a fill flash for some shots.
My albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/lautermilch/albums

I don't think LED would be strong enough. I had a SB800 but don't want to shell out the money for another one.

so by looking at the images I am doing can anyone recommend a flash option that I should consider.

thanks
I concur with Wayne regarding the YN-565. While I *have* both Nikon and Yongnuo flashes, the Yongnuo's are the ones I *use*.
 

SteveH

Senior Member
I'd have answered earlier, but I got lost wondering around your Flickr feed!
I vote the Yongnuo flashes too, I have 565 & 568's - Not sure if the D200 you have does HSS (High speed sync) which is the 568's only real advantage over 565.
Personally, I'd say the 565ex and a 622 transmitter / receiver set which will let you get the flash off the camera - All in all together would bring you in well under what an equivalent Nikon flash would cost, and would give you better flexibility.
 

WayneF

Senior Member
With the hot shoe flash in its TTL mode, the Nikon flash metering system typically does TTL-BL metering by default, which is the Balanced Fill Flash system (exception is when in camera Spot Metering mode). In bright sun, flash is typically down near -2 EV, for fill level. This number is not shown, that is just what it does. This number varies depending on bright or dim ambient conditions.

However, it is automation, which means its notion may or may not always match exactly what you had in mind. But you can then adjust camera Flash Compensation slightly, to maybe + or - 1/3 or 2/3 EV or whatever, to control more the flash level what you want. There can be trial and error attempts involved in this, but real soon you learn pretty much what to expect... if you think about it a bit.

Nikons Exposure Compensation affects BOTH flash and ambient exposure, where Flash Compensation affects only flash. If you choose to darken the ambient background a bit with minus Exposure Compensation (to make flash subject stand out), then you would need to add that opposite value back to Flash Compensation just to reach where it was. Then perhaps a bit more or less for the desired Flash Compensation value to fit your goals. A little practice makes it easy.
 
Last edited:
Top