Best flash gun to buy for around £50 ?

[northantsboy]

Hi am looking to buy the above for my Nikon D80, to use everyday anyone recommend one, I looked on eBay and their was lots of them, got a bit confussing.


Thanks in advance.

[jet_kit]

It is confusing isn't it?
If you want an everyday flash that gives you a bit more than the pop-up one on your camera the Nikon SB-400 is a lovely little job and you should be able to pick one up second-hand for that price. Failing that Nissin are very good and a lot cheaper than Nikon, so you'll get more bang for your buck. But, if you want lots of power and don't mind sacrificing auto-functions and living with an instruction book that still looks as if it's in the original Chinese AFTER translation! Then you could try the Yongnuo 560. I bought one because I needed another flash for a specific setup and didn't much care if it only work the once, but that was a year ago and it's still going strong.

[MattUK]

Chris, does the yongnuo work with wireless triggers? I've since found out that my Nissin di622 doesn't, and it's annoyed me somewhat.

[thefonz78]

I don't know where to start with a flash i know nothing? I wouldn't mind a yongnuo for a wedding next year. So does it fire when the built in flash fires? Don't you jus have 2 flashing going off whats the advantage?

[MattUK]

If you don't know much about flashguns (strobes) then I'd recommend reading up here: http://strobist.blogspot.com/

As for your questions, any flash can sit on the hot shoe slot on the top of your camera, and it replaces your camera's pop-up flash. Some flashguns have a red panel on them which is an infra red receiver. This means you can set the flash up off of your camera, and use your camera's flash (or the pre-flash IR signal that it emits) to trigger the off-camera flash. It's a bit of a pain though, as you need to use your camera's pop-up flash to do it, meaning your camera's flash will light up the scene as well as the off-camera flash.

An alternative is to get a flashgun that can use wireless triggers. This means that you use that instead of your pop-up flash to trigger the off camera-flash.

One other thing I've learnt: if you want to shoot with the flash at a shutter speed of over 1/250 sec, you need to get a flash with high-speed sync capability.

[thefonz78]

Thanks Matt i've just been reading reviews of the Yongnuo yn-465 flash and Yongnuo wireless trigger on youtube. People are saying it great and cost £60 for the lot! It also has I-TTL function on the Nikon.

Check out the review below. The guy says it shoots up to 1/250.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5shvFGUf3g

[greenwing]

Originally Posted by MattUK

One other thing I've learnt: if you want to shoot with the flash at a shutter speed of over 1/250 sec, you need to get a flash with high-speed sync capability.

There's a few things that I might pull you up on in your post, Matt, but to exceed the camera's sync speed you MAY need a different camera, as well as a flash that supports it.



Chris

[greenwing]

Originally Posted by thefonz78

Thanks Matt i've just been reading reviews of the Yongnuo yn-465 flash and Yongnuo wireless trigger on youtube. People are saying it great and cost £60 for the lot! It also has I-TTL function on the Nikon.

Check out the review below. The guy says it shoots up to 1/250.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5shvFGUf3g

He's on Canon, though. Nikon CLS flash works as well if not better, indoors and short range. Can't comment on long range, and of course it doesn't do remote shutter triggers.

Chris

[MattUK]

Originally Posted by greenwing

There's a few things that I might pull you up on in your post, Matt, but to exceed the camera's sync speed you MAY need a different camera, as well as a flash that supports it.



Chris

To be honest, please do - I'm not very well versed in strobes

[thefonz78]

Yes the guy using the remote is using a canon. The TTL is when its mounted on the camera. The ebay description only mentions the ttl working on the Nikon but it probs works on other brands.

I no nothing on strobists i have only heard the term today when matt sent the link. I'm gojng to watch a few more videos and order the flashgun.