Driv300mph

Just received my brand new 430EX... and I haven't been able to experiment too much with it yet. I plan on going to Hobby Lobby today and getting some materials to make "A Better Bounce Card" that was listed in this forum a while back: www.abetterbouncecard.com

I'm just wondering how often you guys use your flash... - Now its understandable if you use it to get rid of the shadows in outdoor photography, but when you're indoors and you are carrying a 50mm 1.8, it seems the shots come out better using ISO 800 at f/2.0 vs using my flash, bounced, at ISO 100 & F/3.5.

I guess I'll find out how they turn out with the bounce card, but what's your take on using a low ISO with a flash vs using a high ISO and no flash for indoor portraits?

e3opian

I don't think my 420EX has been off my camera since I got it. Sniped an eBay auction and got a bargain not thinking I would really need it that much. It's already turned out to be a better value than I could have imagined!

F1-Fanatic

Personally, I use my flash as much as possible unless I am shooting subject matter that is reflective. Fill flash even when it's sunny out can really help make your images pop! But instead of a bounce card, I use what is called a Sto-Fen Omnibounce Check their stuff out HERE

Penforhire

For me, almost entirely fill-flash use. I only do flash-dominated images for parties and snapshots. I'm never pleased about the light harshness and fall off, even though I use Lumiquest modifiers.

My use of flash is normally a slow process, figuring out just how much and where. I show the following picture too much but only because it illustrates so well.



The nearby sign is lit up with a nearly perfect, for what I wanted, fill flash. I started shooting at this location with no flash and the sign was a touch dark. But it is not obvious. There is a hint of shadow from the weeds but so slight that you wouldn't guess. I suppose I could have also corrected in Photoshop later but there's nothing like getting it right in the field.

IIRC, it was an unmodified SB-800 flash pointing straight ahead, set to about -3.5 stops.

flitcroft

With the 430EX on-camera you have E-TTL II at your disposal so shots like the (great!) one above take a little less trial and error. That said, I shy away from flash when I can. You'll like fill flash on most people but if you're shooting landscapes or trying to be at all discreet you won't want to use flash. Also, shooting at very wide angles you sometimes can't quite cover the frame evenly with any method of on camera flash so it can help to shoot in natural light. I shoot maybe 50/50 with flash but it varies greatly by subject, many are 100%.

GT_2003

IMHO, some people use flash way too much, but then I almost never use it. There are circumstances where flash is appropriate, IMHO. But the harsh shadows it causes rarely improve an image vs. a higher ISO.

I find fill flash to be occasionally worthwhile, just to compensate for backlighting or harsh overhead light. Bounce flash works pretty good in settings where there is a lighter ceiling and walls to even out the lighting. A soft reflector would probably help when bounce isn't an option. But I usually find flash use destroys the setting I'm trying to capture in the first place, which is why I rarely use one.

rosodigital

I currently use a 430ex with a stoffen-cup(sp)
It works great. I try to avoid using a flash at all costs, but there are situations when its necessary, like fill light under harshly sunny conditions.