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Why You Need an External Flash
Getting great photos often requires more than just pointing and shooting. One of the most important accessories any photographer can have is a good external flash. External flashes provide a number of key benefits over relying solely on your camera's built-in pop-up flash.
More Power and Intensity
External flashes have higher guide numbers, meaning they can project intense light over greater distances. This extra power gives you more flexibility with lighting and allows you to overpower bright sunlight for fill flash shots.
| Flash Type | Guide Number |
|---|---|
| Pop-up flash | Around 12 |
| External hot shoe flash | 25-190 |
Having a more powerful flash lets you achieve the right exposure in challenging lighting, freeze motion with faster shutter speeds, and extend the range of your flash shots.
Bounce and Diffusion
External flashes include a tilting or rotating flash head that can be angled to bounce light off walls, ceilings, or reflectors. This bounces the light around the room for softer, more flattering illumination rather than the direct harsh light a pop-up flash provides.
Many external flashes also allow you to attach a diffuser or bounce card to further soften the light. These accessories are invaluable for event or portrait photography.
Off-Camera Capabilities
With an external flash, you can take your flash off the camera, firing it remotely to achieve more interesting directional lighting from the side or back. Off-camera flash creates more natural results with highlights, shadows, and contrast that uplift your subject with dimension and shape.
External flashes often have built-in wireless triggering, or you can use radio triggers, a sync cord, or optical slaving to connect your off-camera flash. This opens up a whole new world of creative lighting options.
Faster Recycle Times
Recycle time refers to how quickly your flash can fire again after discharging a burst of light. External flashes generally have faster recycle times ranging from 0.1 to 8 seconds, while most pop-up flashes need 3-10 seconds to recharge.
Faster recycle times mean you can shoot continuously with flash, a huge advantage when trying to capture action or kids.
Consistent Output and Color
External flashes provide a more consistent and reliable light output compared to pop-up flashes. There are also high-end models available with stable color temperature across the power range for excellent color consistency.
TTL Flash Exposure
Most external flashes support TTL (through-the-lens) auto exposure, allowing your camera and flash to communicate for quick easy exposure calibration. The flash fires a pre-burst to calculate required power before the actual exposure.
This automated TTL exposure gives you one less thing to worry about as you photograph events, people, or fast-moving subjects.
If you want to get the most out of your photography, an external flash is one of the best accessories you can buy. The added power, bounce capability, creative controls, faster performance, and TTL auto exposure give you the tools to conquer challenging lighting and take your photos to the next level.
Benefits of Using an External Flash
Whether you're just starting out in photography or are a seasoned pro, using an external flash can make a huge difference in the quality of light in your images. Let's look at some of the key benefits of adding an external flash to your camera gear.
More Power and Intensity
External flashes have higher guide numbers, meaning they can project intense light over greater distances. This extra power gives you more options to overcome challenging lighting situations:
- Fill flash - Overpower bright sunlight as a fill light on your subject
- Light large areas - Illuminate groups, interiors, or distant objects
- Stop motion - Freeze fast action with faster shutter speeds
Having a powerful external flash lets you get the exposure you need, wherever you're shooting.
Softer, Bounced Light
External flashes include a tilting or rotating flash head that can be angled to bounce light off walls, ceilings, or reflectors. This bounces the light around the room for softer, more flattering illumination rather than the direct harsh light a pop-up flash provides.
Many external flashes also allow you to attach a diffuser or bounce card to further soften the light. These accessories are invaluable for event or portrait photography.
Off-Camera Lighting
You can take your external flash off the camera to create directional side or back lighting for more natural results with highlights, shadows, and contrast. Popular techniques include:
- Remotes - Built-in radio or optical wireless triggering
- Sync cords - Connect via a sync cable
- Optical slaving - Triggered by on-camera flash bursts
Off-camera lighting greatly expands your creativity for portraits, macro shots, still life, and more.
Faster Recycle Times
An external flash can fire consecutive bursts much faster than a pop-up flash, which needs time to recharge. Recycle times of external flashes are typically under one second, letting you shoot continuously with flash.
Consistent Output
External flashes provide consistent light output shot to shot. Some high-end models have very stable color temperature across their power range too, for excellent color consistency.
TTL Auto Exposure
Most external flashes support TTL (through-the-lens) auto exposure. The flash fires a pre-burst before the exposure to communicate with your camera. The power is automatically adjusted to provide the right amount of light.
This makes on-camera flash simple and foolproof when you need it.
Manual Flash Controls
External flashes provide full manual control over flash power, zoom, and other settings. This creative control is invaluable when setting up wireless off-camera lighting.
Battery Power
Having an external flash powered by AA batteries means you don't drain your camera battery nearly as much. Some higher-end flashes take proprietary external battery packs for ultra-fast recycle times.
Advanced Features
Higher-end external flashes provide advanced features like stroboscopic flash, autozoom for lens coverage, and external power ports. This unlocks even more creative options.
As you can see, adding an external flash to your camera bag gives you so much more creative potential compared to relying solely on your pop-up flash. The power, control, and flexibility make external flashes a necessity for unlocking your full photographic potential.
Types of External Flashes
There are several major types of external flashes available to suit different budgets and photography needs. Here's an overview of the most common options.
Basic Flashes
These affordable basic flashes provide simple control over flash power and zoom head position. They are lightweight, powered by AA batteries, and have manual and TTL auto exposure modes. Popular models include:
- Canon Speedlite 270EX II
- Nikon SB-300
- Godox TT350
Great for beginners getting started with off-camera flash. Recycle times are a bit slow.
Advanced Flashes
Mid-range flashes add more power, faster recycle times, and advanced features like autozoom and wireless triggering built-in. They offer excellent value for enthusiasts. Some examples are:
- Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT
- Nikon SB-700
- Godox V860II
Capable flashes for demanding off-camera lighting needs. Many include radio wireless triggering.
Professional Flashes
Pro-level flashes have metal housings, external battery packs for ultra-fast cycling, and sophisticated features. They are robust workhorses for paid photography jobs. Top models are:
- Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT
- Nikon SB-5000
- Profoto B10
Advanced HSS, TTL, manual control, and power for complex lighting setups.
Studio Flashes
Powerful studio flash heads are designed for complex lighting in a fixed studio setup. They pack up to 10 times the power of a speedlight, for intricate multi-light arrangements and lighting over long distances. Brands like Profoto and Broncolor dominate studio flash equipment.
Macro Flashes
Specialized twin-head macro flashes provide evenly diffused light ideal for extreme close-up photography. They attach to the front of lenses via a bracket. Popular options are:
- Canon MT-24EX
- Nikon R1C1
- Yongnuo YN-14EX
Allow intricate light sculpting for tiny subjects and details.
Smartphone Flashes
Compact LED flashes that sync with your smartphone headphone jack or wirelessly via Bluetooth. Typically clip onto your phone for easy portability and flash selfies or other smartphone photos on the go. For example:
- Anker Ultra-Slim Flash
- Vello LED Flash
- Aduro FLUX LED
Fun flashes that unlock new creative options for mobile photography.
Flash Triggers
Flash triggers remotely fire external flashes via radio, allowing you to get your flash off camera. Many plug into the flash hot shoe, or operate as small handheld transmitters. Such as:
- Godox XPro
- PocketWizard Plus IV
- Cactus V6 II
Essential for creative off-camera lighting and flash photography.
So whether you're looking for a simple, affordable flash, need high-power studio lighting, or want convenience for smartphone shooting, there is an external flash option to meet your needs and budget.
Features to Look For in an External Flash
With so many external flash options on the market, it can be tricky to know which model matches your needs and budget. Here are some of the key features to evaluate when shopping for an external flash.
Power and Guide Number
The guide number indicates the maximum distance your flash can illuminate a subject at ISO 100. Higher guide numbers mean more power. Look for GNs from around 30-190 depending on your needs.
Recycle Time
Recycle time is the time it takes your flash to recharge for the next shot. Look for recycle times under one second so you can shoot continuously.
Flash Modes
Important modes to have include:
- TTL - Auto exposure
- Manual - Adjust flash power settings
- High-speed sync - Sync with fast shutter speeds
- Multi - Fire multiple flashes at once
Wireless Flash Control
Having built-in radio wireless allows you to easily sync multiple off-camera flashes. Optical slave modes are helpful too.
Swivel/Bounce Head
A flash head that swivels vertically and horizontally makes it easy to bounce light for softer illumination.
Zoom Control
Having control over the flash coverage or zoom setting gives you more control over the spread of light. An autozoom feature automatically adjusts coverage to match your lens.
LCD Screen
A back LCD screen makes it easy to view and change settings on your flash.
Flash Exposure Compensation
FEC allows you to adjust flash output up or down from the camera-set level for more control.
Battery Type
AA batteries offer affordable power. Proprietary external battery packs provide faster cycling times.
Durability
Metal hot shoes, bodies, and foot brackets add ruggedness for frequent professional use.
Port for External Power
Some high-end flashes allow you to plug into AC power for faster recycling in the studio.
Sync Port
A PC sync port allows you to connect flash via sync cord. Useful for many off-camera setups.
Compatible Camera Brands
Many third-party flashes offer TTL compatibility with multiple camera brands.
Budget
Determine how much you want to spend. Flashes range from $50 to $600+. Consider your needs and how often you'll use the flash.
Choosing an external flash with the right set of features for your style of shooting will help you get the best results. Evaluate power, control, ease of use and your budget when shopping around.
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Choosing the Right Flash for Your Needs
With so many flash options out there, it can be daunting to pick the right one for your needs and budget. Here are some tips for choosing an external flash tailored to your specific requirements.
Consider Your Experience Level
If you're new to flash photography, start simple with a basic flash that has TTL auto exposure. More advanced photographers can benefit from full manual controls and wireless flash capabilities.
Power Requirements
Think about your typical shooting situations - do you need overpowering daylight, shoot fast action, or fill large spaces? Look at guide numbers to evaluate flash power output.
- Basic fill flash - GN 30-50
- Outdoor/action shooting - GN 100+
- Large groups/interiors - GN 135+
Recycle Time Needs
Faster recycle times under 1 second allow for continuous flash shooting:
- Standard portrait/event shooting - Under 2.5 seconds
- Action/sports - Under 1.5 seconds
- Fast-paced events - Under 0.5 seconds
Features for Creative Control
Consider wireless triggering, flash exposure compensation, manual control, and other features for creative lighting flexibility.
Bounce and Swivel
The ability to tilt and swivel the head is great for bouncing light.
Easy Portability
On-camera event shooting requires a lightweight flash that won't weigh you down all day.
Rugged Build
Pros may need a sturdy metal housing and foot to withstand heavy daily use.
TTL Compatibility
Make sure to get a flash compatible with your camera brand's TTL system.
Number of Flashes
Consider getting multiple flashes for complex lighting setups.
Budget
Determine how much you want to spend for your needs. Flashes range from $70-$600.
Choosing the right flash takes some consideration - pay attention to power, features, portability, and budget based on the type of shooting you do. This helps ensure your flash meets your needs for years to come.
Beginner's Guide to Using a Flash
Adding flash to your photography can be intimidating at first. However, grasping these basic techniques will help you get comfortable using your speedlite or external flash.
Getting Started
To use an external flash:
- Mount it on your camera's hot shoe connector
- Turn on the flash and camera power
- Set your camera mode to ETTL or TTL autoexposure
The flash will automatically sync with your camera's shutter to provide the right amount of light for each shot - easy!
Flash Modes
Most flashes have different modes to control light output:
- TTL (through-the-lens) - Automatically calculates flash power
- Manual - Set your own flash power levels
- Multi - Fire multiple flashes with coordinated output
Start with TTL until you have a handle on manual control.
Positioning Your Flash
Direct on-camera flash can create harsh shadows and glare. For softer light:
- Tilt the flash head up to bounce off ceilings
- Angle it sideways to bounce off walls
- Use a diffuser attachment to soften light directly on your subject
Modifying Flash Output
You have options to modify the intensity of your flash:
- Turn flash exposure compensation up or down
- Adjust manual flash power settings
- Use flash diffusers or bounce cards
- Step your flash power down for closer subjects
Using Flash Accessories
Add-on flash accessories can shape and diffuse your light:
- Bounce cards and diffusers - Soften direct flash
- Gels - Color your flash light
- Reflectors - Bounce flash where you want it
- Light modifiers - Flags, snoots, umbrellas, softboxes
Experiment with accessories to shape your ideal lighting.
Going Off-Camera
You can take your flash off camera by:
- Using a sync cord
- Adding a wireless flash trigger
- Using your flash's optical slave mode
Off-camera flash creates directional side lighting for a more sophisticated look.
Start exploring all the possibilities of flash photography by grasping these fundamentals. With a little practice, you'll be taking your lighting to the next level in no time!
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"6 Reasons I Only Shoot With Profoto Flashes"
Here are six possible reasons why someone might only shoot with Profoto flashes:
- Consistent and reliable performance in any lighting situation.
- Wide range of compatible light modifiers for creative control.
- Durable and long-lasting build quality for professional use.
- User-friendly interface and intuitive controls for easy operation.
- Compatibility with a variety of camera brands and models.
- Excellent customer support and service for troubleshooting and repairs.
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