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| 'Flash Guns' |
I
fu you're taking picture in low light, or just adding some fill-in, a dedicated
flashgun will expand your range and allow you to balance even the strongest
backlighting.
Choosing
a Flash
Many
DSLRs have built-in flash units, which are adequate for general snaps, but have
limitations. If you want to get creative with flash, or just fire out more
power with better light, a separate unit is essential. Like lenses, though, you
need to find a flash that's compatible with your camera - a Canon flash won't
work with a Nikon camera, for example. There are also independent manufacturers
who make versatile and powerful units in a variety of fits, while you may want
something more specialized such as a hammerhead or ring flash. Modern units
offer tremendous automation and much of the mathematics that used to be
required when using flash is now redundant. However, manual control is still
useful to have for unusual situations or creative purposes.
Another
advantage of a separate flash unit is that it will offer faster recycling times
than on-camera units, which is useful if you're taking many photographs quickly.
There's also battery power to consider; flash draws a lot of power, and this
can seriously reduce the life of your camera battery, but a flashgun has its
own batteries - usually a set of AAs. Finally, the danger of redeye is reduced
because the light is further from the lens axis.
What
to Look For
When
buying a flashgun, it's worth bearing in mind that you generally get what you
pay for. Cheaper flashgun are a mainly automated affair, with a few preset
settings that match with the aperture that you are using. More expensive models
benefit from better build quality, greater coverage and manual control.
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