Adding flashes GOOD.

As readers here know, “one flash” gives you “OK light” – provided you bounce it off a wall or ceiling, usually behind you.

But off-camera flash is better. This image would really not be as good if the flash was on the camera:

Jason in July 2010

Jason in July 2010

That is because good lighting is all about what you do not light.

And multiple off-camera flash is better still.

The great news is that all modern camera systems support multiple off-camera TTL flash.

TTL flash is enormously sophisticated. For instance, a modern TTL flash will tell the camera its colour temperature with each flash fired (yes, it can vary per shot); that way, as long as your camera’s white balance is set to “Auto” or “Flash”, each picture will automatically have the right colour temperature set. Bet you did not know that.

This site is called “speedlighter” for a reason: I teach people this stuff (the last Mono workshop, on April 23, contains a full “Advanced Flash” course). Even before or without that, I strongly recommend you all try some off-camera flash using TTL remote control.

  • On Nikon cameras you need just the camera and its popup flash and any remote flash (SB700, SB900).
  • On Canon 7D and 60D cameras, the same: just the camera and its popup, and any Canon slave flash.
  • On other Canon cameras, a 580EX flash or a wireless IR transmitter on the camera

Attention Canon users: two new small flashes are now available. I love the specs on the all-new 320 slave flash, which brings remote flash into many more people’s reach:

Get a few of those and you have a full flash setup. Full slave functionality. 32 Guide number. It also has a continuous LED light for video, and a remote switch – it is a remote control for cameras like the 7D, 60D, 1D, 5D and so on. I am getting one or two as soon as I can!

4 thoughts on “Adding flashes GOOD.

  1. Hi Michael
    I’m not sure what you mean by “On Canon 7D and 60D cameras, the same: just the camera and its popup, and any Canon slave flash.”

    My Canon 430EX flash doesn’t have a light cell would be needed for triggering by the popup. I think I have to get the ST-E2 or a pocketwizard to trigger it.

    Is there a way to trigger it with the popup?

    Thanks
    D

    • It can be triggered in TTL slave mode by:

      – ST-E2, or
      – 580EX on any canon camera, or
      – popup flash of a 7D or 60D only

      OR, it can be triggered in manual mode by:

      – pocketwizards plus flash zebra pw-to-canon-flash cable

      Does that help?

  2. Hello Michael,

    Will you be at the Oakville Henrys location teaching the flash course scheduled on Friday April 15th?

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