Yes, speedlite = flash. The thing I absolutely ADORE about Nikon is CLS - Creative Lighting System.
I can dial down the power of my pop-up flash to almost zero (or use it as fill), and use it to trigger a speedlite. You can place the speedlite anywhere so long as the light receiving sensor can detect the flash that triggers it. Typically this is very easy to do in small rooms.
Here are some of the photos I have shot with my method. I recently did a session for a friend using a piece of white melamine. It all went down inside his snake outbuilding, which is TINY. Next time I do "snake portraits" I will take a pull-back shot of the setup. You will laugh, I assure you :P I may even have a pullback of my friends shoot...I will have to have a boo through the archives.
Anyways, all these snakes belong to Michael Munro at Hidebox Pythons.
Speedlites to be precise are small hand flashes that can attach to a accessory shoe on a camera top.
A flash is a Xeon tubed light that emits a short burst of intense light. A speedlite is a flash but a flash is not always a speed lite.
I use a small fleet of speedlites but also own dynalite and profoto flash units. Studio flashes offer the most control and absolute power. The light output is kinda stupid at times I can get F/256 @ 100 ISO with my dynalite and ring flash. If I ever needed it lol!
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06-03-2013, 10:18 PM
SquamishSerpents
True that, kitedemon!
06-03-2013, 10:29 PM
Kaorte
Are there speedlites that are compatible with any camera? I have a couple micro four thirds cameras.
06-03-2013, 10:57 PM
SquamishSerpents
There must be - I don't see why not! I have no idea on that but I'm sure someone with more "equipment" knowledge will chime in.
06-04-2013, 12:23 AM
kitedemon
Yes, the critical thing is fiddly. The trigger voltage the power running upon the bottom of the unit. I have one that is 600v and some Canon cameras are rated to only 6v. You MUST check the power out put of the flash and know the max allowable voltage of the camera past that it is all a matter of sticking them together. The mount is *mostly* universal. (sony some canons are an exception) The function of a TTL flash is camera specific and in some cases model specific. You can use a fully manual flash as the appication of a small 'studio' set up it is not hugely different.
I love vivitar 283/285s I have a number they usually sell new for 70$ and used for $25 or less. Watch them the trigger voltages range from 600V to 3v age depending. There is a tool that can protect the camera (safe sync) but they are expensive it is just as easy to check.
This is one thing I've been meaning to do - is a tutorial for snake photography. If there is enough interest I will push to get it done.
i'm interested. lol what kind of lens do you usually use for the snakes? i know absolutely nothing about camera jargon (yet), but i will be taking a photography class or two in the upcoming semesters. savin my pennies for a dslr.
