An on-camera flash (also called an external flash) is a useful modern accessory in a photographer’s photographic arsenal, which helps expand the creative range and helps develop creative abilities, as well as efficiently solve problems assigned to professionals.
Before you buy an on-camera flash, you need to decide on its main indicators. Pay attention to the power of the on-camera flash, which is usually several times greater than that built into the camera. Knowing this is necessary in order to correctly photograph distant objects.
In the Fotogora online store you will find a flash for Nikon, Sony, Canon, and any other camera with which you can organize professional lighting in the studio or on the road. Our catalog contains products from all popular lines of Falcon Eyes, Godox, Sigma, YongNuo and other trusted manufacturers.
You can buy on the website
- compact on-camera flashes with long-lasting LEDs, a metal leg, compatibility with the ETTL system, etc.;
- non-automatic - models with master/slave auto mode, radio receiver and radio transmitter can be used in Master mode for remote synchronous triggering of other external flashes;
- with a rounded head and a Fresnel lens - this camera flash produces softer light than a regular one;
- adapted for work on the road - with lithium-ion batteries large capacity, design designed for active use;
- the ability to shoot video and synchronize with a video camera;
- high-speed HSS sync, rotating touch screens, multiple power levels, strobe mode, etc.
There are also flash kits on sale - with a beauty dish, radio transmitter, diffuser dome or other devices.
Our advantages
We provide professional consultations - we will help you choose a model from the catalog according to the characteristics of the camera or the area of use, and we will find suitable devices for creating a system of several elements that is compatible with EOS.
Each model is sold with a manufacturer's warranty. We deliver purchases throughout Russia and sell flash units in Moscow - through our store and pick-up points. Leave a request in the online chat or call us and we will tell you about offers, prices and answer all your questions.
Glad to welcome you again! I’m in touch with you, Timur Mustaev. You know, I’m not always happy with the performance of my Nikon camera; sometimes it doesn’t suit me - the shots I get are darkish. Sometimes I have to try to adapt and do exposure compensation and post-processing, but most often I adjust the conditions to suit my needs.
And an external flash helps me with this! Therefore, the main topic of the article is how to choose a flash for Nikon. Below is a short introduction. Further in the article we will look at what important qualities lighting fixtures have, and we will devote several paragraphs to modern flashes and their purchase.
I already wrote in a previous article, you can read it.
External flash
First of all, let’s answer the question: what does an external flash (EF) look like and what is it? This is a device for additional lighting in photography; it is of a pulsed nature, that is, it works in the mode of temporary light flashes.
Unlike the built-in one, the external one has a number of advantages. For example:
- this is a lot of power;
- they are flexible in operation and have several modes;
- equipped with a rotating head, etc.
Such a source of artificial light comes in handy every time when shooting in an unlit room and also outdoors. In this case, you won’t have to fiddle with the camera settings (open, long or high) and lose image quality because of this, because a long shutter speed will give a lot of blur, and a high ISO will result in noise. If, of course, you have a professional camera, then everything is simpler here.
When using an explosive, remember that it does not consume a lot of energy, but in fact it still drains both its own batteries and the camera’s battery. Therefore the additional kit rechargeable batteries desirable to have.
Flash models and selection criteria
When purchasing any equipment, including photography, pay attention to its properties. So, we will list the important characteristics of the flash that you need to focus on.
- Design, plus sizes. Standard flashes, which are often seen among photographers, have a single emitter. But there are also two-lamp ones, which are located on the lens itself. Due to the fact that the position of each lamp can be controlled, the object is perfectly illuminated from all sides. Another type is a ring-shaped flash, fixed on the optics and illuminates the subject so well that it eliminates any shadows, that is, it acts as fill light. The fourth option is represented by a special – underwater – photo flash.
- Fastening. Typically, the explosive is attached to the top of the camera body - on the “hot shoe”. Other types of flashes have a threaded mount and can be placed on a tripod, while the mentioned ring and dual-lamp flashes are equipped with a special device to stay on the lens.
- Flash rotation. The part of the flash called the “head” is always more or less movable, allowing it to be directed in different directions to reflect light from walls, ceilings, etc. The rotation angle is a significant indicator that increases the capabilities of the device. It is different in the upper position, in the lower position and horizontally.
- Power, or guide number(in meters) - how far the flash can spread the light pulse. Together with this parameter, we can consider the width of the illumination angle, which directly depends on the focal length number. Alas, a large F can significantly narrow the area of light, while a small one can increase it.
- Flash duration(seconds) – the duration of the flash pulse, or, roughly speaking, how fast it can go off.
- Synchronization. It can be adjusted using the curtain-slot shutter, selecting either Slow Sync (slow) or FP (high-speed), and there is also front or rear curtain sync.
- Modes. A good flash will give you multiple ways to shoot! Choose any one you like: bracketing, strobe or, say, just constant light.
- Control. The best option is wireless control, with cable or remote control. Then you can use not one, but several flashes to fully illuminate a subject or create an unusual, complex light-and-shadow pattern: the main flash on the camera synchronizes the others (slave ones), transmitting the current settings to them. At remote control you don't have to be near the camera light.
Flashes by category
It is worth separating the types of flashes, since some may not be suitable for a particular camera. In general, we can talk about three main options, which differ in both price and functionality.
Budget
Their undoubted advantage is their low price, as well as their small dimensions. These are ordinary photo flashes, which have very few control options, most likely, this is only power. Perhaps such a BB can be used to begin with, but you will soon grow beyond its limitations.
An example is the Nikon Speedlight SB-400. It is not expensive and, in principle, will suit all Nikon cameras. It is logical to use it with amateur cameras - d3100, d3200, or d3300, as well as d5100, d5200, d5000.
You only have one button at your disposal on and indicator. There are no special modes here other than auto and manual. In addition, it can only work with new lenses that provide autofocus. The range of the photo illuminator is small - only 21 meters. There is a rotation of the head, but in the subsequent model SB-300 it was increased from 90 to 120 degrees.
Semi-professional
A class of flashes that will work more adequately with mid-range cameras.
Here I would name Nikon d7100 and a flash for the Nikon Speedlight SB-600 or SB-700. The features of this and the second type of explosives are great possibilities. This includes a rotating head, an information screen, and control of power and lighting angle.
What's important is that you can now use a group of different flashes and experiment with lighting.
Professional flashes
Large, expensive and high quality.
What can you recommend for Nikon? Quite – Speedlight SB-910. The flash has a standard lamp and mount, a display, and a rotating head in all directions. And then things get interesting: the illumination angle varies at F from 17 to 200, exposure correction, several types of synchronization, and most importantly, an excellent guide number of 34 meters.
This also includes the Speedlight SB-5000.
The given flash models for SLR camera models do not indicate their limitations. You can use, for example, a professional flash with an entry-level Nikon D3100 DSLR camera.
If you don’t quite understand your DSLR camera, but you want to get the most out of it. Do you want to achieve excellent results in photography? And you understand that the instructions for the camera do not give the desired results, then the course is “” (if you have NIKON) or “ My first MIRROR"(if you have CANON), your lifebuoy. Study this video course from cover to cover, and you will notice the progress it has brought you. The right investment is an investment in self-education.
Digital SLR for a beginner 2.0— who has a NIKON camera.
My first MIRROR- who has a CANON camera.
All the best, readers! My blog is always open to you - come in, subscribe and invite your friends!
All the best to you, Timur Mustaev.
On the Internet you can find two opposing opinions: they are all the same and such and such a brand is better than such and such.
I don't agree with either one or the other. There is still a difference, although I would not say unequivocally that Canon is better Nikon or vice versa.
I deliberately do not mention other manufacturers, firstly, a separate section will be devoted to Olympus cameras, I am only familiar with Sony/Minolta and Pentax cameras in absentia, and other brands (Sigma, for example) are so rare that I will save my time on them :)
Now I will not touch on professional cameras (for example Canon 1D Mark 1, 2, 3... or Nikon D3S, D3X...), since photographers who pay the price of a new compact car for a camera probably know what they are doing as well as I do.
I would like to limit myself to entry-level (for example, Canon 1000D, 450D, 500D, 550D, Nikon D40(x), D60, D3100) and amateur cameras (Canon 40D, 50D, 60D, Nikon D80, D90D, D7000 can be considered their prominent representatives) levels.
Go...
1. AF illuminator
If there is not enough light for autofocus to work, the Canon camera will raise the flash and irritate your friends' eyes with flashes of bright light. It works effectively, it just requires you to raise the flash and is very annoying to those you are photographing.
Nikon has long installed a special light on its DSLRs (near the index finger of your right hand), which does the same job, but not so annoyingly.
It should be noted, however, that this light may be partially blocked by large lenses at a short distance to the subject.
2. Controlling an external wireless flash.
In my deep conviction, a flash allows a photographer to make a much more significant leap in the quality of photographs than buying an expensive lens.
Moreover, if it is possible to point the flash at the ceiling or, even better, remove it from the camera and place it somewhere, pointing it at a tulle window or a white ceiling.
The problem is that not every flash and not every camera on their own can provide automatic detection flash power, which I consider a special blessing!
So, Nikon, starting with the old D70 (this tradition was continued by the D70s, D80, D90 and D7000) supports the so-called. "controlling external wireless flashes" (Nikon calls this Creative Lighting System - CLS). To do this, you just need to purchase one (or maybe even more than one) external branded flash: R200, SB-600, SB-700, SB-800 and SB-900. In this case, the flash built into the camera will issue control pulses for the external slave.
Canon provides this opportunity only starting with the 50D (its tradition continues with the 60D and the camera is more high level 7D). At the same time, 60D can control only one channel, the rest - two channels A and B.
Older or less advanced cameras can also work with external flashes, but to do this you will have to buy either a top-end flash (SB-800/900 for Nikon or 580EX-II for Canon) or a control module, at a price not much different from a top-end flash (SU -800 for Nikon or ST-E2 for Canon).
3. Optics
Both Nikon and Canon have many decent lenses. However, the following points should be kept in mind:
2.1.
Modern Nikon cameras have a mount (Nikon F) that is compatible with lenses made as much as 50 years ago. They won't always support autofocus, but they will work and will often provide automatic exposure detection and aperture control. Canon developed the EF mount in 1987, eliminating any compatibility with older lenses. The EF-S mount is even younger: 2003, I think.
2.2.
Any Nikon lenses, including DX (i.e. designed for cropped cameras) can be attached to any Nikon cameras. In this case, full-frame cameras automatically switch to crop mode. Canon marketers decided to separate the lenses into different groups. And you basically won’t be able to put an EF-S lens (that is, designed for working on cropped cameras) on a full-frame camera. Let me make a reservation right away: of course, it’s stupid to use cropped lenses on full-frame cameras, but theoretically you can come up with a situation where this could be useful (for example, you find yourself somewhere with a full-frame body without a lens, but there is a friend nearby with a fleet of cropped lenses).
2.3.
Canon always has an autofocus motor built into the lens (they just come in two types: conventional and ultrasonic, the latter designated “USM”), while Nikon has two fundamentally different types of lenses: AF-S and all the others. The first ones are an analogue of USM from Canon, all the others (which do not have the designation AF-S in their name) have an autofocus drive from the camera (this is the so-called “screwdriver”). Not all cameras have a screwdriver: D40, D40x, D60, D3000, D3100 and D5000 do not have a screwdriver and in order to have autofocus you will have to buy only AF-S lenses. More details here:
2.4.
Model ranges Canon and Nikon lenses are largely repeated simply 1 in 1. However, there are exceptions that should be kept in mind when choosing a system based on your needs:
- Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX Nikkor is one of the best primes for cropped Nikon cameras: the closest direct analogue of Canon can be considered the Canon EF 35 f/2. It's more soapy, doesn't limp as much, and is 30 percent more expensive.
- Canon EF-S 18-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS. Nikon, in fact, has a complete analogue in terms of focal lengths (Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor), however, it does not have a stabilizer, which for me personally is very inferior to Canon .
- Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor. The closest analogue to Canon is perhaps the above-mentioned 18-135, which is 20 percent more expensive.
4. Control and ergonomics.
In fact, anyone accustomed to working with Canon will certainly find Nikon inconvenient and vice versa.
For example, on Nikon, the direction of rotation of everything is reversed: the lens rotates in the other direction when you put it on the camera, the zoom ring must be rotated in the other direction, and to set the exposure compensation to “plus,” you must turn the control dial to the left.
5. Equipment
Canon marketers taught the company to make money on literally everything. Therefore, when buying a lens, you most likely will not find a lens hood in the box, the camera will not come with a screen protector (such protection is included in the package for Nikon amateur cameras), or a hot shoe plug.
6. Exposure metering
An exposure meter is a device that allows the camera to evaluate how illuminated the scene is and, based on the assessment result, select the exposure setting (shutter speed, aperture and ISO). My ancient Zenit ET had a photosensor above the lens that deflected the needle and gave the photographer a rough estimate of the light. On modern digital SLRs, exposure is measured through the lens (TTL = Throug The Lens) - this allows you to take into account the actual light transmission of the lens and its angle of view. The sensor moved inside the camera (to the area where the prism is located - this is where the viewfinder is, but closer to the front wall of the camera) and was divided into zones, allowing more correct processing of scenes with large differences in illumination (for example, a person’s face against the sun against a background of white snow). Full-color (RGB) sensors have also been introduced, allowing even more accurate exposure of scenes with bright colors that might be missed or overexposed in one of the channels in a conventional black-and-white light meter (for example, a blue sky may be overexposed in the blue channel).
Finally, the increased resolution of the exposure sensor (which receives light when the mirror is down) allows data from it to be used to dynamically select the focus point, which is very useful for shooting moving subjects.
At the cameras Nikon Traditionally, full-color, high-resolution light meter sensors are used:
- D100: 10-segment exposure meter
- D40, D40x, D50, D3000, D3100, D3200, D60, D5000, D5100, D80, D90: exposure meter 420 zones RGB
- D70, D70s, D200, D300, D300s, D700, D2x, D3, D3s, D3x: exposure meter 1005 zones RGB
- D5200, D7000, D7200, D600: exposure meter 2016 RGB zones
- D800, D4: exposure meter 91000 zones RGB
Now Canon:
- 1D, 1D Mark II, 1Ds, 1Ds Mark II: 21 zone exposure meter
- 1000D, 300D, 350D, 400D, 450D, 500D, D30, D60, 10D, 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D, 5D, 5D Mark II: 35 zone B&W
- 1100D, 100D, 550D, 600D, 650D, 700D, 60D, 6D, 7D, 5D Mark III, 1D Mark III, 1D Mark IV, 1Ds Mark III: 63 zone BW
- 1D-X, 1D-C: 100,000 RGB pixels in 252 zones
Conclusion: All Nikon cameras except the ancient 100D have an adult at least 420-zone full-color light meter with a resolution of 420 to 2016 sensors. And the D800 and D4 and all 91000. Canon only have the super-expensive 1D-X and 1D-C with high-resolution exposure sensors (but 100,000 pixels at once, but for some reason they are divided into 252 zones, why - I don’t understand yet, maybe there’s something wrong Is this a clever marketing ploy?). All others, including advanced fives, sevens and even ones, are content with, at best, a 63-zone black-and-white sensor.
7. Light trap with flashes
Many Nikon flashes (SB-700, SB-800, SB-900 and, of course, SB-910) have a built-in light trap. Those. these flashes can be ignited by a light pulse from ANY flash: built-in, system, studio, LED, point-and-shoot flash, flash of another system, any Chinese, finally.
Canon flashes do not have this mode. But it can be useful in conditions when some equipment (synchronizers, for example) is missing. And you never know what can happen in the life of a strobist?!
To be fair, I note that the latest Canon 600EX-RT flash has a built-in radio receiver! True, the benefit of this is not too great until Canon starts making cameras with a built-in radio transmitter.
8. Autofocus tracking mode
For Nikon cameras that support autofocus tracking mode, the starting tracking point can be any point. U Canon cameras- only central.
And in this article we will talk about the use of Nikon external flashes on Canon cameras.
There is absolutely nothing difficult about getting a Nikon Speedlight to work with a Canon EOS camera. Hot shoes of Nikon and Canon external flashes mechanically compatible. Thus, any Nikon Speedlight can be easily installed into the camera’s hot shoe and secured as expected - with a regular latch.
But electronically, of course, Nikon Speedlights are not compatible with Canon cameras. This means that the camera will not know that there is a flash on it, and the flash will not receive data from the camera. This is not a problem, since Nikon Speedlights can only operate using one central sync contact.
The Nikon Speedlight flash is very convenient to use in manual power control mode 'M'. To do this, you simply need to set the desired power on the flash from 1/128 (minimum) to 1/1 (full). When the camera shutter is released, the flash will release a light pulse of the specified power. By trial and error you can very quickly get it right.
'M' mode can be simplified, switching to 'GN' mode, in which in the flash menu you will need to specify the distance to the subject, the focal length of the lens, the ISO sensitivity value and the aperture value. The flash will automatically select the power of the light pulse.
If manual control of flash power may seem difficult, you can use it (without the need for TTL). In this mode, in the flash menu you will need to set the parameters of ISO, aperture and focal length at which shooting will be carried out, and the flash will select the pulse power independently. This is a very convenient automatic mode.
Please note that on Radozhiva comments do not require any registration at all; any reader can add a comment. I'll be very happy, if in the comments you express your opinion, describe your experience or supplement the material with useful information.
To select photographic equipment, I recommend using useful links to large catalogs of various photographic equipment, such as E-katalog or Magazilla. A lot of little things for photos can be found on Aliexpress.
Nikon Speedlight flash on a Canon EOS camera with an Industar-50-2 3.5/50 lens
Due to the fact that I do not have a native Canon Speedlite flash, I use Canon and Pentax cameras with Nikon SB flashes. There is absolutely nothing complicated about this. The easiest way for me is to use the 'M' flash mode and, using a few test shots, determine the desired flash power.
Important: Flashes cannot be used with Canon cameras,
NiceFoto N6- This studio flash, which “communicates” with the equipment wirelessly, runs on an independent battery and is designed for Canon and Nikon cameras. Francesco Rizzato, a photographer specializing in portrait and fashion photography, looks at why it is useful - and whether it can be useful at all.
If you, like the author, do not like tangles of cables, you have probably paid attention to battery-powered wireless flashes and, perhaps, managed to try them. Francesco, as a professional photographer, was sent NiceFoto N6 “for testing”. Previously, he had not even heard of this brand and began experimenting with curiosity. The test results are presented in the article.
Spoiler: He was so impressed with the results that Francesco now uses this flash more often than any other. Let's figure out why.
NiceFoto N6 - 600W flash/GN89 with the following characteristics:
- duration - 1/20"000-1/800 seconds;
- number of operations after the battery is fully charged - 500 (maximum);
- recharge time (at full power) - 2.5 seconds;
- lamp - LED 10 W;
- 2.4G transmitter with 100m range;
- transmitters for Canon and Nikon (with TTL support) - TX-C02 / TX-N02;
- modes - TTL / M / Multi / High-Speed;
- second curtain sync (Nikon only);
- HSS - up to 1/8000 seconds;
- power - in the range from 1/128 to 1/1;
- weight with battery - 2.5 kg.
The flash has a fan, a Bowens mount, a 3.5mm port, and an optical slave mode. The device comes with a built-in handle, a small reflector with a built-in plastic diffuser, and an optional . The flash and transmitter have USB outputs and an LCD display. All this will cost about 800 euros, including trigger latches for Canon and Nikon - one for each camera.
First impressions - first about the pros
Francesco Rizzato notes that he really liked how durable and well-made the flash is - it's a thing that's made to last. Navigation in it is simple, without complications, understandable at first glance. The built-in reflector is good, and the Bowens mount did not disappoint in any test (unlike other devices used by the author). There is a nice addition - a bag for transportation.
The manufacturer offers several flash colors to choose from. The equipment is clearly designed for active use - it looks and feels in the hands like solid, durable equipment. The outer covering is metal, the handle is comfortable, stable, and has a useful additional handle. The reflector on the bowl is able to protect the lamp from damage and in general, upon first acquaintance, NiceFoto N6 makes a pleasant impression.
The transmitter also does not disappoint, although in terms of quality it is slightly less “premium” than the flash - for example, dust had accumulated inside the display of the device that Francesco received. You can control all settings remotely, the screen is clear, and the response speed is high. The display is “responsive”, it even shows output power. The kit includes two transmitters - for Nikon and Canon.
Francesco immediately liked the set - it is light, soft, but made of shock-absorbing materials. Thanks to the extra space, you can carry all the little things a photographer needs - extra batteries, charging device or cables. The yellow stripe gives the bag a special, recognizable look.
What could be better?
First of all, the power switch is located at the bottom of the flash, near the front edge and is inconvenient. To turn on the equipment, you must first press it, and then also the button next to the display (and hold it for several seconds). Francesco says that he did not immediately understand what to do and in what order. The photographer is also concerned that the switch is located in such a way that it can be accidentally pressed while working.
Another drawback is the unprotected lamp. The flash does not have a glass dome for it, which means that you will have to be extremely careful when handling the lamp. Of course, when installing equipment, it is difficult to damage the lamp, but additional protection would not hurt. These shortcomings are rather an opportunity for growth, and, in the author’s opinion, there is no point in finding fault.
Conclusion
Francesco Rizzato is confident that if you shoot with Canon or Nikon and are looking for a stand-alone flash, you can end your search. NiceFoto N6 is what he needs, in any case, he chose it for himself. Of course, there are many alternatives, and it is impossible to try everything, but with this flash you have a chance to get rid of wires, while working calmly on quality equipment. The only thing that needs to be double-checked is the compatibility of the camera of new models with a self-timer if TTL is important.
Here are some photos taken with NiceFoto N6
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