# Flashing



## weepete (Mar 4, 2013)

Hi all, I've been wondering lately about light, and more spesifically today about using the built in flash that's on so many dslrs. Ok, I realise that I'll get better results using a speedlight or other flash that can be bounced or used off camera, but could the much maligned built in flash be used to get some half decent results? Is it even any good used as a learning tool to help me understand the basics of flash photography and lighting? Bering in mind I'm skint just now, and not likley to be able to justify the cost of any flash unit anytime soon, it will be the only source of artificial lighting I'll have access to for the forseeable future should I even bother with it or just stick to natural light?


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## tirediron (Mar 4, 2013)

Your pop-up flash can be used to good effect; not great, but definitely good.  Read your camera's manual and become familiar with the settings and how to control, and then spend time reading up on manual flash (which is a lot easier than it might sound).  The main problem people experience with built-in flash use is that they use it in auto or on full-power without a diffuser.  Even a piece of tissue in front of the flash will help a lot, and there are plenty of inexpensive diffusers you can buy on eBay or at your local camera store for pop-up flashes.  In short, with the exception of getting it off of the camera and it's lower power output, anything you do with a "real" speedlight, you can do with the pop-up.


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## Designer (Mar 4, 2013)

weepete; try the following:

Use the BI flash as "fill" in daylight photographs.  Set it to "fill" so it will go off even in good light.

Find a smallish translucent piece of white plastic that you can jury-rig to the camera in such a way as to bounce part of the light toward the ceiling, and part of it will go straight through the card onto your subject.

Use an opaque reflector, such as a mirror to bounce the flash off a wall or ceiling.

Also, start saving up for a speedlight, because you will want one.


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## Ysarex (Mar 4, 2013)

It's much maligned for good reason. Use it if you have to but make yourself drop a euro in a jar each time it goes off and label the jar (real off camera flash fund).

Here's my favorite make-shift adjustment for built-in flash.

Joe


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## cgipson1 (Mar 4, 2013)

Ultimate pop-up flash diffuser:  Photogitems.com has a lens mounted flash diffuser with free shipping
I have two of these... different sizes. I use them for macro sometime with a on-camera SB-900. But they would rock that pop-up flash.... more diffusion area than anything else I have seen for the pop-up! That link was the only place I could find that had them... don't remember where I got mine.


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## KmH (Mar 4, 2013)

The more you learn about the fundamentals of photographic lighting, the more effectively you will be able to use the built-in flash unit.

No doubt, because of the built-in flash unit's location on the camera directly above and on the lens axis, lack of power, and small size, it has some significant limitations.


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## pixmedic (Mar 4, 2013)

I tried flashing once...I was asked to leave before they called the cops.


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## cynicaster (Mar 4, 2013)

KmH said:


> the built-in flash unit's location on the camera directly above and on the lens axis, lack of power, and small size,



Quote for truth.  I was going to list these same limitations.  

It'll never compare to a proper speedlight, but you can mitigate its crappiness.  Just take the characteristics above and try to counteract them:

lack of power -> use your fastest lens, bump up your ISO, supplement with natural light as much as possible, keep subjects close
small size -> using a diffuser increases the apparent size of the flash
location right above camera axis -> probably the worst thing about pop-up flash, and the hardest to "fix".  I've seen products that clip on to reflect the light upwards, effectively eliminating the on-axis problem and giving "you bounce flash" capabilities, but I have never used one and don't know if they work worth a damn or not.


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## Mike_E (Mar 5, 2013)

I've used a business card's white back held up to the built in flash with white ceilings to good effect.  About 45 degrees out to bounce the light up and forward.


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## Rick58 (Mar 5, 2013)

cgipson1 said:


> Ultimate pop-up flash diffuser: Photogitems.com has a lens mounted flash diffuser with free shipping
> I have two of these... different sizes. I use them for macro sometime with a on-camera SB-900. But they would rock that pop-up flash.... more diffusion area than anything else I have seen for the pop-up! That link was the only place I could find that had them... don't remember where I got mine.



Good link Charlie. Thanks. I don't have much use for flash equipment, but for the little I use flash, this would sure be better then straight off the camera.


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## jake337 (Mar 5, 2013)

I often used some mail, cardboard or a piece of tinfoil.


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## gsgary (Mar 5, 2013)

The best thing your built in flash is good for is fill flash on outdoor portraits


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## weepete (Mar 5, 2013)

Thanks guys, I made up some little stackable diffusers a while back out of old milk cartons to use with my old camera. I've pretty much neglected flash photography since but never really looked into it in any detail either

 I'll mibbies make up a few more for the new one and see if I can mock up some other rigs to see what I can do with it. After I'e got round to reading that part of the manual of course


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## gsgary (Mar 6, 2013)

mibbies, thats a new one for the Americans on here


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## weepete (Mar 6, 2013)

I'm all about the culture sharing I um mate


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## gsgary (Mar 6, 2013)

weepete said:


> I'm all about the culture sharing I um mate



As long as your not going to share battered Mars bars i tried one when i was up there working never again


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## weepete (Mar 7, 2013)

Ah, a delicacy in these parts! Of course it tastes better after a couple of bottles of buck and a donner kebab but there we go.

It takes me back to my school days....of course back then bountys, marathons and anything else chocolate was dipped in batter and deep fried. A lot of places refuse to do them now but you can still find the odd chippie that'll do one


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## gsgary (Mar 7, 2013)

I can remember when i was lodging in Balloch, i asked for fish and chips she said fish supper, i ate the fish and chips and i couldn't believe there was another fish underneath, my friend ask for a pizza next minute it was in the deep fryer WTF my mate said but it tasted pretty good
This is where we stayed http://www.laterooms.com/en/p1301/pv285192s/hotel-pictures/195217_tullie-inn-balloch.aspx didn't look like that in 92


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## weepete (Mar 16, 2013)

Yeah mate, I allways feel cheated when I order a fish supper and get a single peice of fish . The deep fried pizza is a staple up here, and actally very good when you get one thats not too greasy, its crunchy on the crust and soft gooey cheezyness in the middle. Pire dead brillant as they say. The evolution of that is the pizza crunch, where its dipped in batter before being deep fried. Though it sounds weird its a version of an Itailan street food pizza frita, where the dough is deep fried and the toppings added later, though we fry the whole pizza. Its probably as Glasgow had a lot of Italian immagrants and a lot of them ened up owning chip shops or ice cream shops here. If you've never tried one you are missing out on one of the sheer joys of life!


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## weepete (Mar 16, 2013)

Oh yeah, I know that place, they do a mean bacon cheezeburger after you've walked part of the west highland way! They've done it up nicely


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## weepete (Aug 22, 2013)

Not in this thread it doesn't!


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