Flash question

[HuguKYM]

Hi all,
I need some advice on Flash. Currently I am using D90 kit + 50mm. It is hard for me to get a good indoor photos because sometimes the light condition is not ideal. Using of the pop-up flash with diffuser sometimes help, but then it is too harsh... Sometimes I take a step back to make the pop-up flash become softer, but sometimes it is not possible because of my lens limitation.

So here I am, asking for advice from you all. I did my research from google and this forum, but can not really get any comparison between 'original' flash, 'exp' 3rd party flash, and 'cheap' 3rd party flash. Anybody can help me to suggest some reading about flash, flash photography, or sharing exp are very welcomed.

Thinking to get between 2nd hand Nikon Flash, or new 3rd party flash (Nissin, Tumax, Sunblizt??). Hope to get some opinion about these because I am really new about flah and have no exp in using flash.

Thank you. Cheers...

 

[alabe]

if you get a flash, do get one that allows you to rotate vertical and horizontal, say a sb600.
that lets you bounce flash off walls and reduces the harshness of the flash, which is wat u intended.
nissin seems to be ok for a third party brand and slightly cheaper.

on a side note, what i did for my pop up flash was that i used a white name card and slant it such a way that it reflects the flash up towards the ceiling. the effect was reduce brightness but less harsh. can try it along that line.

 

[Rashkae]

Since this is Nikon-specific, why not ask in the Nikon forum?

 

[redmonsoon]

'The Hot Shoe Diaries' by Joe mcNally is a gd and easy to read book, that can be borrowed from public library.

 

[catchlights]

Hi all,
I need some advice on Flash. Currently I am using D90 kit + 50mm. It is hard for me to get a good indoor photos because sometimes the light condition is not ideal. Using of the pop-up flash with diffuser sometimes help, but then it is too harsh... Sometimes I take a step back to make the pop-up flash become softer, but sometimes it is not possible because of my lens limitation.

So here I am, asking for advice from you all. I did my research from google and this forum, but can not really get any comparison between 'original' flash, 'exp' 3rd party flash, and 'cheap' 3rd party flash. Anybody can help me to suggest some reading about flash, flash photography, or sharing exp are very welcomed.

Thinking to get between 2nd hand Nikon Flash, or new 3rd party flash (Nissin, Tumax, Sunblizt??). Hope to get some opinion about these because I am really new about flah and have no exp in using flash.

Thank you. Cheers...

stepping back will not make the light softer, might just lower the flash light ratio between the subject and background and give you the feeling softer light. but which is not.

softness of light is depend on the size of light source, relatively to the size of your subject. For a simply example, if you stand at a field on a sunny day, the sunlight give you a harsh lighting, but when a cloud cover the sun, the sunlight become a softer light, why?

cos altho the sun is big, but at that distance, is just a pointed light source, smaller than you. the cloud is small compare to the sun, but it is so much bigger than you, and it become a large light source. and give you a soft light.

you want softer light at indoor, the simple and best way is use a hotshoe flash to do ceiling bounce, you will get soft light everywhere, cos nothing in the room is bigger than the ceiling.