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03/12/2006 10:53:49 AM · #1 |
Before I call the store about my lens. Does anyone have a suggestion for a flash? Best bang for the buck?
Edit: Please note I have a KM 7D.
Message edited by author 2006-03-12 11:46:04.
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03/12/2006 11:46:16 AM · #2 |
Anyone? I was looking at 3600HS-D Maxxum Flash. Minoltas have a dedicated hotshoe, but Sigma makes flashes for them too.
Message edited by author 2006-03-12 11:47:47.
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03/12/2006 12:13:35 PM · #3 |
| I'm very pleased with my Sigma flash...you can read about the model for the Maxxum here. |
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03/12/2006 03:29:14 PM · #4 |
I've been very happy with my 5600HS-D - but I can't comment on bang-for-buck vs. the 3600HS-D because I got it on insurance (replacing a stolen 5200i), so I didn't have to weigh up the choices.
Sorry, no experience with Sigma or Metz flashes so I can't comment on any differences.
Perhaps you might find //www.photozone.de/2Equipment/minoltaflash.htm useful.
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03/12/2006 06:35:53 PM · #5 |
The key to buying a flash, any flash, is "Guide Number" (GN) you can get all gooey-eyed about the pretty features later.
The guide number is specified for each and every flash unit and is a direct indicator of how powerful it is. So like all technology, bells and whistles can blind you to the actual ability of the hardware to do the job well.
The higher the guide number, the more powerful it is. Guide numbers will usually be published alongside the ISO figure used in the setting the GN ("GN116 @ ISO100"). I have never seen one quoted at other than ISO100 so just make sure that you're comparing all GNs @ ISO100
Importantly in the buying process, it will tell you what the maximum distance (flash to subject) that unit will give you with each of your lenses. The formula for calculating this is...
- Guide Number (GN)/Max Aperture of the lens = max distance of flash. Assume using a flash with a GN of 118 on your favourite lens which has a max aperture of f3.5. GN118/f3.5 = 33ft maximum distance to subject.
I bought a 12yr old Sunpak 555 for $125 on Ebay. That is a behemouth of a flash with a GN of 150. Using that flash instead of the GN118 means GN150/f3.5=42ft which is a huge gain in usefulness. My lens is f2.8 at all zooms, so it gets even better GN150/f2.8=53.5ft. Now that's superpower. I put up with not having TTL metering and automatic control for the ability to have it do some really serious work.
A Guide Number is normally used to tell you what your f-stop should be for any given shot (if you don't have TTL metering) The formula for determining the f-stop for a setup is...
- Guide Number (GN)/Distance(Ft) = f-stop. Assume using a flash with a GN of 118 on a subject 12 feet away. Your GN of 118 is divided by the distance of 12 feet = f-stop to set. 118/12=f9.8 so you make the choice between f8.0 and f11
Remember that shutter speed has NO affect on exposure when using the flash, only your f-stop does. A long exposure will allow other things in the picture to be exposed but the flashed subject is largely unaffected. (There are of course exceptions, so please lets not get too anal about the generalisation)
So ... I would suggest buying on GN number first and letting everything else follow.
Brett
Message edited by author 2006-03-12 19:03:17. |
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03/12/2006 06:38:33 PM · #6 |
| Brett, that was AMAZINGLY helpful and informative. Thanks! |
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03/12/2006 06:43:52 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by rachelellen:
Brett, that was AMAZINGLY helpful and informative. Thanks! |
You got that right!!!! Thank you. I wish I had someone with me when I was buying my lenses. Now it's costing extra to upgrade to some decent lenses (yeah, I can sell the old ones). I won't make that mistake anymore.
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03/12/2006 07:20:27 PM · #8 |
Eeek ... no, not the lenses! That's way too hard. Guess why I have a camera with one lens that doesn't need swapping about all the time :)
Brett |
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03/12/2006 08:37:55 PM · #9 |
Hmmmm, you got some pretty nice pics to only be one lens.
Thanks again
Eddi
P.S. What would be an average guide number to have? By the end of my spending spree, I will have/or have already:
Sigma 70-200 2.8
Tamron 28-75 2.8
and no choice on a wide angle yet, it's a toss up between 4 lenses.
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03/12/2006 11:10:53 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by MrEd:
Hmmmm, you got some pretty nice pics to only be one lens |
Yeah, it's quite a lens though Eddi. 35-432mm all at f2.8 is a hard act to follow. Your lenses are pretty cool too, good brands, nice and quick.
Anyway, back to flashes - what Guide Number? Well dollars will probably dictate that in the end but you obviously would try and get the highest GN for the money. Perhaps that makes it easier to consider new vs ebay. See how far your money will go both ways. To my mind, it was pointless buying something that wasn't powerful - whether I needed to shoot stuff at 55ft or not, that wasn't the point. One day I might want to. Like you said before, there's not a lot of point in buying cheap glass just because it's cheap.
Of course there are other considerations like the Konica's TTL metering and connectivity if you want to be fully automated. The big-mutha flashes like mine can operate off a TTL camera, all you do is buy a shoe that matches all the Konica-Minolta connectors and that has a cord to the flash. The other way is no wires at all, you can use a trigger and slave arrangement.
Brett |
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