Flash Suggestions

[Hewy57]

Hello to all again. New user of K200d. I am having trouble with dark photo's trying to shoot outside in an evening setting using a Tamron 18-200 lens. I am looking for suggestions for flash to mount on the shoe that is best for this camera. Thanks in advance.

Mark

[PentaxPZ]

Same problem here mate
see my thread: Dramatic car shots...

I was told I need a wireless flash, but I supose it depends upon the subject...

[Shashinki]

what is dark? the background? the entire photo? did you use auto-mode with the pop-up flash at 100mm and 20+ meters? somebody might be able to help you if you post a picture and describe what you did to achieve the results shown.

(ps: have you read the user manual of the camera yet?)

(pps: yes, i do have a problem with too much sarcasm these days. don't get too offended )

[PentaxPZ]

its ok shashinki....

I have tried the auto flash in my car shots but all I got was a big flash spot on the car.....
i want the whole thing lightened, not one big flash spot....

[Peter Zack]

Yes but as Shashinki said, Post a picture sample. A flash no matter how powerful only has so much range. So we need to see what both of you are having trouble with before suggesting some options.

[PentaxPZ]

well pictures with no flash can be found in my first post in this thread...

[VF-19]

I had the exact same problem when I was photographing a massive Canadian flag made out of Coke boxes at work (and still full of product too). To avoid the blob of light, I just bounced the flash off of the cieling. Granted, it put a bit of a yellow cast on the picture, but it was easily fixed with a few tweaks of the white balance when I got home.

I used a Sigma EF-530 DG super. It's a great flash, and a nice alternative to the Pentax 540. Heck it will even function with my old PZ-1p in TTL mode.

[PentaxPZ]

I cant bounce the flash off the ceiling, there is not ceiling outside....
Will a diffuser help?

[Peter Zack]

For a shot like that with the garages fading in the distance, this could be lit several ways. One flash to light the car. Version 2 would have the car lit from both sides and use 2 flash units or 1 flash and a large reflector facing the flash. So the flash would be on the right side and the reflector or second flash on the left. You could then vary the exposure with each flash to light the car different ways.

3rd could be with 3 or 4 lights. Lighting the entire scene in several different ways right to the far right of the image. No flash I've seen would light a shot from that angle evenly from across the frame.


To do anything decent at this angle you'd need to be wireless

[VF-19]

A diffuser won't help you at all in that situation, and in fact, will cut down on your effective flash distance. But it will help cut down the harshness of direct flash (unless you want direct flash harshness in the shot).

Peter Zack's suggestions are well worth trying.

[PentaxPZ]

Im quite new to this DSLR stuff...
I quite liked my shots, but was told they are too dark.... and too much sky...

I am taking onboard what they said and trying to improve, but the Cornish weather dont help!
And maybe my 93 Clio is not the best subject either, but thought white may reflect light and look brighter...

[Peter Zack]

You can do a lot with one flash and some experimenting. You can make a refector with a sheet of foam-core (white paper on each side with a thin foam core to give it stiffness. Or simply a white painted sheet of plywood. You can use a fairly cheap flash and a flash cord for off camera flashes. Just be totally sure the flash is the correct voltage (under 30 volts). Like the Vivitar 285 HV (not the 283 which has a very high trigger voltage).

So with some careful shopping and experimenting, you could re-create that shot with flash aids for under $100 or so.