Flash poll

Flash poll

  • Yes

    Votes: 20 22.0%

  • Sometimes

    Votes: 44 48.4%

  • What's a flash?

    Votes: 27 29.7%
  • Total voters
    91
  • Poll closed .
Nikon SB-25 x2
Nikon SB-15
Vivitar 283 x3

The SB-25 are the ones I use the most...
I never liked using a flash but I have to...It's getting better and the results are more consistant...lately I've been playing with the settings, Rear Curtain and dragging the shutter...
Also been playing with umbrellas and reflectors...bought a Luna-Flash adapter for the Luna-Pro...this has helped a whole bunch...
I don't hate using the flash like I used to...
 
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I have 6 or 7 Vivitar 283's and 285's; a tiny Nikon SB30 (which at least is always in my bag if I don't have any other flash); a couple of Metz flashes, and a few A11's and A16's for the Olympus XA's. This is not counting the studio strobes.

I shoot in available light plenty, but when the shot I want or need calls for it, I will happily use flash- sometimes several of them- to light a shot. I spent part of this afternoon looking at film a client shot in not-nearly-enough available light. The negatives were basically useless; so much for that couple's wedding pictures. People who refuse to use flash when it's called for are just being silly.
 
When needed, flash is essential. Norman strobes in the studio. Nikon SB-16 on the F3. Bulb on the Speed Graphic.
 
I love flash, here are a few of my favorite flash cameras (35mm):

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These are just my 35mm favorites. I have many 120s with leaf shutters too. When you get good with flash you can really change your images subtly. I find fill to to be the best to get good at first then branch out to beating or bettering or overpowering the sun, and indoor or low light flash that also has ambient light added.

This is fill with one of my Polaroid cameras:

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Or just a slight beating the sun (Topcon Unirex):

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And low light indoors using added ambient light (this was bounce flash, DSLR):

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The trick is to not make the flash too obvious.
 
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Most of what I do is little kids in a big church nursery or my daughters playmates and I would never pop a flash in a toddlers face. Besides, the Leica is perfect for this. Small, quiet and very precise with focus. Really, if you want to do flash, you need three of them to do it right. Joe
 
I use a Nikon SB600 on and off my D80. Used creatively, flash opens up so many possibilities in low light. And it's certainly not necessary to be popping flash in anyone's face. Here's a shot taken with the on-camera flash bounced off the ceiling and to the side.
 

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Yeah I use one with my holga and also with FL RF's for fun.
Tiny contax tla200 is my favorite. Also use a starblitz slave at times.
 
Old Nikon sb20 is nice-- works really well with bounce flash indoors on my R3a. It's stuck me as a little odd that the collective wisdom is that SLRs are good for flash and RFs are not-- being able to see the effect of the flash as you shoot (which you can't do with an slr, is really handy. Would love to see some sort of leaf shutter lens in m-mount that would allow all speeds flash sync as was the case in flash bulb days.
 
I mostly use fill flash when there's too much light and deep shadows. A Leica or my Canon P are not optimal for fill flash because their sync speed is so low. My favourite flash is a Metz or Vivitar with thyristor metering because they are so versatile.
 
Always on camera...

Always on camera...

Livesteamer said:
Most of what I do is little kids in a big church nursery or my daughters playmates and I would never pop a flash in a toddlers face. Besides, the Leica is perfect for this. Small, quiet and very precise with focus. Really, if you want to do flash, you need three of them to do it right. Joe
Click to expand...

Geez, I pop No.11 and 40 bulbs right up front in little kids faces with my Kalart and Baby Speed and they love it. I tell them "follow the dots" and they all go crazy. Am I missing something here ?

Even my mom took many pictures of me in the bassinette and afterwards as a little kid with a Brownie Flash 620 using big bulbs. It didn't effect me except for a slight bit of brain damage.

So, what's the story Joe ? Why not flash and toddlers ?
 
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It's a pity that my Bessa-T needs accessory finders in the shoe, leaving no space for a flash. On all my other cameras I use it quite a lot; to open up shadows, to freeze motion, to fix troublesome color balance, for introducing highlights.. The list is almost endless.
 
Why not flash and toddlers? These are other peoples kids in a public setting and that requires respect and discretion. A week ago it was two week old Maggie with a lovely but tired mom. Further, it's intrusive. I don't want the kids to notice the camera and the more equipment you have, the more they notice it. But to each his own. I use an M6 .85 with upgraded finder and mostly a 50mm Summilux asph altho for Maggie it was the Noctilux. Joe
 
When I think it will improve my photo or is the only way to get a photo, yes. It doesn't matter if it is SLR, RF, or digital P&S. I have Vivitar 283s and 285s, Sunpak 344s, and Tilt-a-Mites for bulbs (which I haven't used in a while). I used to have a Sunpak 544, that at full power was like a piece of the sun going off, but it sure could reach out and was great for bounce.
 
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