Inexpensive functional Flash unit for Canon EOS Rebel T1i

[rvpals]

Hi All

I'm a fairly newbie when it comes to DSLR photography. I spent a lot of time and I think I mastered a lot of controls on my Canon EOS Rebel t1i. I find most of time the built-in flash simply do not do a good job light up the subject when I try to do a portrait in door.

I need some recommendations of a basic unit that:
- it's not expensive (not like the $300, 400 Canon Flash
- it's bright enough to leave no shadow around the subject in a portrait in door.

I have no idea what kind of external flash I need to get. Or how to start looking at one. I was thinking: the range of how far the flash could reach; how fast it recharges; and the Camera controlled syncing. Any advise is appreciated.

Thank you.

[prabbit237]

Take a look at the Yongnuo line of flashes. Range from $40-90 (depending on model) on ebay.

Yongnuo Speedlites | Speedlights.net

[inkista]

Originally Posted by rvpals

...
- it's bright enough to leave no shadow around the subject in a portrait in door.

It's not about the brightness. It's about the diffusion. I say read a lot more about lighting before buying a flash. Once you know what you actually want it for and how you want to use it (on camera? off camera? eTTL? manual?) you'll have a better handle on what to buy.

I would also stress that until you are comfortable shooting in full Manual mode and swapping stops among iso, aperture, and shutter speed, you probably should not be getting into flash photography just yet. You are going to need to know how to shoot in full Manual to balance flash against ambient.

Master your ambient lighting, first. I would also say that a fast prime lens is, to my mind, a much more basic piece of equipment than a flash. The EF 50mm f/1.8 II might be what you really need, so that you can get more light for indoors shooting. It's only about $100.

And there are reasons to get a $300/$400 Canon flash, just as there are reasons to get a $300-$400 lens.

[rvpals]

Originally Posted by inkista

It's not about the brightness. It's about the diffusion. I say read a lot more about lighting before buying a flash. Once you know what you actually want it for and how you want to use it (on camera? off camera? eTTL? manual?) you'll have a better handle on what to buy.

I would also stress that until you are comfortable shooting in full Manual mode and swapping stops among iso, aperture, and shutter speed, you probably should not be getting into flash photography just yet. You are going to need to know how to shoot in full Manual to balance flash against ambient.

Master your ambient lighting, first. I would also say that a fast prime lens is, to my mind, a much more basic piece of equipment than a flash. The EF 50mm f/1.8 II might be what you really need, so that you can get more light for indoors shooting. It's only about $100.

And there are reasons to get a $300/$400 Canon flash, just as there are reasons to get a $300-$400 lens.

Thank you for all the pointers. Appreciate it.

I do have the 50mm f1.8 II prime.

[CharlieJ]

Originally Posted by inkista

It's not about the brightness. It's about the diffusion. I say read a lot more about lighting before buying a flash. Once you know what you actually want it for and how you want to use it (on camera? off camera? eTTL? manual?) you'll have a better handle on what to buy.

I would also stress that until you are comfortable shooting in full Manual mode and swapping stops among iso, aperture, and shutter speed, you probably should not be getting into flash photography just yet. You are going to need to know how to shoot in full Manual to balance flash against ambient.

Master your ambient lighting, first. I would also say that a fast prime lens is, to my mind, a much more basic piece of equipment than a flash. The EF 50mm f/1.8 II might be what you really need, so that you can get more light for indoors shooting. It's only about $100.

And there are reasons to get a $300/$400 Canon flash, just as there are reasons to get a $300-$400 lens.

+1... as I am learning quickly. Learn lighting before you start buying flash guns, reflectors, etc. There are some good tutorials on sites light studiostyles.net. Yes, you will need a flash, AlienBee type lighting or something -- but learning about lighting will help you make an informed decision on what to purchase next (since you already have a nice fast prime lens).

However... If you're deadset on buying an inexpensive flash, you might look for something like a nice, used Vivitar 285 and a set of trigger/receiver so you can shoot off-camera flash right from the start. Strobies, CowboyStudio and others sell decent beginners' trigger/receiver sets for less than $30.00. Pocket Wizard is more advanced... and well worth the extra money. A small softbox on the front of the cheap flash will be a good addition -- and some of the "cheaper" ones are less than $30.00. NO, these will not be the last setup you buy because they won't last if you use them a lot and in difficult situations. But, you wanted an inexpensive solution... so I thought this might be a starting point.