Speedlight Questions

[ssping83]

Hi all,

I have a question about third party flash manufacturers in the market. Took a walk around Chinatown lately and passed by some shops selling external flash carrying a brand called Suntax. It claimed i-TTL compatibility with Nikons and are selling much cheaper (if I didn't get the model numbers wrongs) than the propriety Nikon SB400-800s.

Have any of you used these third party brand before? Any advice?

Thanks in advance!

 

[zerartul]

Im not very good in this but ttl by third party brand do work. I dunno how they really stack up to the orginal but on general they should meter decent enough and being fully automatic. The best is still bringing a camera down yourself and try them out though. I use a Canon camera and tried a Sigma Flash before. It works decently.

 

[ssping83]

thanks for the reply zerartul.. seems like not many people around uses third party flash hor.. lol.. (particularly this brand).. =)

 

[zac08]

thanks for the reply zerartul.. seems like not many people around uses third party flash hor.. lol.. (particularly this brand).. =)

Nikon is famed for their flash system. Thus I dun see many of the Nikon users using other system flashes unless they have some other requirements (like a warmer tone as with the Metz system)

 

[waileong]

Nikon is famed for their flash system. Thus I dun see many of the Nikon users using other system flashes unless they have some other requirements (like a warmer tone as with the Metz system)

The logic is all in the camera, not in the flash, believe it or not. The flash is controlled by the camera, it cuts off when the camera tells it to, and the camera figures out when it should issue the cutoff, based on the focus distance, EV, and other info it uses in its calculations.

As for warmer or cooler tones, frankly a good flash is supposed to give neutral ie pure white light. If you want warmer, go to PS and choose an 81B filter, or put a real filter on.

 

[catchlights]

the only third party hotshoe flash I will be consider to use with my Nikon camera is Metz, anyway I do have 2 pcs of Metz 45 and 1 pc of Metz 60, don't have any hotshoe mount Metz flash.

go for Nikon flash, you will not be regreted using it.

 

[zac08]

The logic is all in the camera, not in the flash, believe it or not. The flash is controlled by the camera, it cuts off when the camera tells it to, and the camera figures out when it should issue the cutoff, based on the focus distance, EV, and other info it uses in its calculations.

As for warmer or cooler tones, frankly a good flash is supposed to give neutral ie pure white light. If you want warmer, go to PS and choose an 81B filter, or put a real filter on.

Then why the difference between the Metz and Nikon? There are also electronics in the flash which will also affect the colour temp due to the amount of light thrown.

 

[catchlights]

Then why the difference between the Metz and Nikon? There are also electronics in the flash which will also affect the colour temp due to the amount of light thrown.

the Metz flash is design like a workhorse, with proper care, you can use it for more than ten years, one of my Metz is about twenty years old and still kicking.

the only components affect the color is the flash tube, and yes, the color produce by Metz is more pleasing, but not warm.

and also, if you would notice, we have warmer tone when we do ceiling bounce compare to direct flash, even the ceiling is pure white, this has nothing to do with the color temp of the flash.

agreed with waileong, it is more practical to add warm by using filter, in camera setting or PS. We are Asian, add anymore warm will be disaster.

 

[waileong]

Then why the difference between the Metz and Nikon? There are also electronics in the flash which will also affect the colour temp due to the amount of light thrown.

1. My point is that warmth or coolness are easy to adjust.

2. As to whose colour is more accurate (ie nearer to pure white), all you need is to read the specs or use a colour temperature meter to measure.

3. I don't think colour temperature is affected by electronics. Intensity can be affected by the amount of light thrown, but colour temperature isn't.

4. As to why Metz is "warmer" than Nikon, you'd have to ask the companies. Why is a philosophical question.

5. While you may choose a flash for its "warmth", I think others may choose flashes on factors such as quality, reliability, specs (eg recharge time), features, price, etc. As you may know, apart from its famed reputation for quality and reliability, Metz is also known for its interchangeable foots, which make it possible to use one flash on multiple systems.

 

[zac08]

Points noted.

Thanks for the pointers.

 

[ssping83]

thanks all for your inputs.. =)