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12-03-2016, 10:55 AM   #1
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Flash buying advice

I am considering purchasing a flash, I am totally a noob to using it.
Most probably I will be buying yongnuo 560 IV or II , bases on reviews. I want to not spend a lot for the flash.

1. Will a single flash unit be enough or will it be good to have 2-3 units. I was thinking maybe 1 560IV and 2 560II setup.
2. Is 560 IV better then 560 II ?
3.I would like to be able to trigger the flash firing remotely , when I press shutter to take photo...is that possible ?
I am really a noob at flash usage.



12-03-2016, 11:15 AM - 1 Like   #2
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Honestly, for a first and only flash, I would recommend that you look at a P-TTL one. Much more practical, versatile, and easier to use. And you can always use a P-TTL flash in manual mode if need be, but you can't do the reverse. Once you have a P-TTL flash, it's always possible to complement with manual ones afterward if you fill the need.
12-03-2016, 11:21 AM   #3
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i thought of Manual flashes as i assumed they would be cheaper and useful to learn flash usage. Is that a wrong assumption ?
I will be using this flash on a K-500, with no plans to upgrade the body till next 2-3 years.
12-03-2016, 11:46 AM   #4
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If you are using the for off camera flash go with a manual flash. No need to spend the amount of money on one flash when you can have 2-3 flashes plus trigger for the same amount of money.

Go with the Youngnuo 560 IV, it has built in transceiver where with the 560II you'll have to buy receivers.
Then get yourself a TX 560 so you can fire them off camera.
Yongnuo YN560-TX Manual Flash Controller for Canon YN-560-TXC

12-03-2016, 12:40 PM   #5
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There are a lot of cheap flashes in the market, all Manual.

Get a cheap Manual flash and get painful to use that. you then quit.

THAT IS NOT CHEAP.

Would you imagine using a camera with only Manual mode? If you use a

Manual flash you must set this.

ISO,shutter, aperture, flash. 4 varialbes math. things must be fix. no
moving object. plenty of time to adjust. endure test shoot.

Event shooting? no. for kids birthday? no? mariage party? no.

outdoor play? no.
12-03-2016, 01:36 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by CarlJF Quote
Honestly, for a first and only flash, I would recommend that you look at a P-TTL one. Much more practical, versatile, and easier to use. And you can always use a P-TTL flash in manual mode if need be, but you can't do the reverse. Once you have a P-TTL flash, it's always possible to complement with manual ones afterward if you fill the need.
Agreed. The Pentax 360FGZII and 540FGZII are very nice flashes, if a bit expensive. If you want something cheaper that supports P-TTL, maybe look into the Metz branded P-TTL flashes. I started out with a 360FGZII, and it really simplifies life starting out not having to thinking about flash power as a fourth variable, you can use flash exposure compensation in-camera, which is really convenient, and I think it'll make you more likely to stick with flash.
12-03-2016, 01:43 PM - 1 Like   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by Urnamaster13 Quote
i thought of Manual flashes as i assumed they would be cheaper and useful to learn flash usage. Is that a wrong assumption ?
I will be using this flash on a K-500, with no plans to upgrade the body till next 2-3 years.
The point is that a P-TTL flash will let you learn both manual and P-TTL. A P-TTL flash in manual mode will work exactly like a manual flash. However, P-TTL alllows you to much more things than manual ones. Any dynamic scene where you don't have the time to set up the flash and do a few test shots before (as andy888 gives some example) will be handle much more easily and efficiently by a P-TTL flash. Unless you're planning to do only studio work, they're too many situations where you don't have the luxury to take a few minutes to set up your flash and do a few test shots before taking the real one. Often, things has to be right the first time, without much time to set up things...

We can also add some basic, but vey useful features, like high speed sync, are only available with a P-TTL flash... And you're K-500 built in flash can be used as a controler for a P-TTl flash or off camera use.

So, yes, a P-TTL flash cost a bit more than a manual one. But it will allows you to handle much more situations than a purely manual flash, and often is the only way to do it... Even people wo owns a lot of manual flashes usually also have at least one P-TTL flash...

Unless you're very short on money, if I you have only one flash to have, it's a P-TTL one.

Have you look at the Pentax flash guide ?

12-03-2016, 03:00 PM   #8
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And with P-TTL/HSS you can operate at shutter speeds faster than 1/180s.

Still, there's a lot you can achieve indoors with cheap manual flashes and triggers. I have a Yongnuo setup as well.

12-03-2016, 03:12 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by clackers Quote
And with P-TTL/HSS you can operate at shutter speeds faster than 1/180s.

Still, there's a lot you can achieve indoors with cheap manual flashes and triggers. I have a Yongnuo setup as well.
I don't think any of us are disputing the utility of manual flashes (or indeed, manual cameras or cameras in manual mode), just their ease of use for beginners and their speed in rapidly changing situations, like events.
12-03-2016, 05:05 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Urnamaster13 Quote
i thought of Manual flashes as i assumed they would be cheaper and useful to learn flash usage. Is that a wrong assumption ?
I will be using this flash on a K-500, with no plans to upgrade the body till next 2-3 years.


It really depends on how you go about the learning, and what photographic situations you want to be shooting in ....


If you are into experimenting, and are interested in light balancing and creating effects of depth and shadows (in other words, creative lighting), then there's a world of study and discovery, and a Fully Manual radio triggered system of flashes (eg Yongnuo or Cactus) is ideal.

If you need to photograph with a flash on the camera, because of space limitations, or moving around dynamically in an event, chasing after subjects like kids and people at parties etc, then a P-TTL flash is the way to go. All the great points made by others above are relevant. You can still light creatively with automatic flash exposures from the camera, by using bounce and diffusion, flagging etc techniques. And your P-TTL flash can come off the camera and be triggered by your camera built-in flash (no further equipment needed) for even better lighting angles and effects.


An off camera Dedicated system flash can be set to Manual mode and triggered by the on-camera 'P-TTL' built-in flash, so you can still get full and precise control over the power off-camera. Or use it automatically if the subjects are moving around a bit and your distances keep changing.


On-camera P-TTL High Speed Sync flash is a great way to create photos with pop and grab control over the lighting balance in bright outdoors situations.

Last edited by mcgregni; 12-03-2016 at 05:20 PM.
12-03-2016, 05:15 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by Urnamaster13 Quote
i thought of Manual flashes as i assumed they would be cheaper and useful to learn flash usage. Is that a wrong assumption ?
I will be using this flash on a K-500, with no plans to upgrade the body till next 2-3 years.
It is not a wrong assumption. YN560III and later has built in transceiver. I find them easy to use on camera and off. The YN 560 TX controller lets you adjust power and zoom remotely from camera. Inexpensive. It is only my opinion, but I think like learning manual exposure, it is easier to learn to use manual flashes than the automatic type. I use them for events with no problem. Try one and then you can decide if you want to spend 6 or 7 x as much. The cheap one can be triggered optically by the expensive one. The light output is the same.
12-03-2016, 09:13 PM   #12
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I think it depends a lot on what you want to do. If you are using your flash a lot in fast-paced settings, TTL can help a lot. Otherwise I think manual is just fine. It depends on your budget. If you're doing mostly studio type work, go for manual and get more flashes. Multiple flash portraits can be really cool.

Personally I'd stay away from the Yongnuo flash. You can ignore this advice, but of the reviews on Amazon I tabulated about 15% had pretty bad reviews due to the infamous always-on-1/1 power mode. Whereas only 5% of reviews of the Nikon D3200 had similarly bad reviews for comparison. The Cactus RF60 is a pretty awesome manual flash, and it has pretty consistent good reviews, and a local store told me of the manual flashes sold, that was the least returned. I also have the Godox TT560ii as a secondary flash and it's ok, but I don't know about the reliability of it. There is also a Bolt manual flash sold from B&H that looks like it's a good basic flash too.
12-03-2016, 10:20 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by automorphism Quote
I think it depends a lot on what you want to do. If you are using your flash a lot in fast-paced settings, TTL can help a lot. Otherwise I think manual is just fine. It depends on your budget. If you're doing mostly studio type work, go for manual and get more flashes. Multiple flash portraits can be really cool.

Personally I'd stay away from the Yongnuo flash. You can ignore this advice, but of the reviews on Amazon I tabulated about 15% had pretty bad reviews due to the infamous always-on-1/1 power mode. Whereas only 5% of reviews of the Nikon D3200 had similarly bad reviews for comparison. The Cactus RF60 is a pretty awesome manual flash, and it has pretty consistent good reviews, and a local store told me of the manual flashes sold, that was the least returned. I also have the Godox TT560ii as a secondary flash and it's ok, but I don't know about the reliability of it. There is also a Bolt manual flash sold from B&H that looks like it's a good basic flash too.
If you do get the Cactus RF60, I'd get one used now. Otherwise, wait for the upgrade coming in very early January with much lower recycle times, the RF60x.
12-03-2016, 10:24 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by lithedreamer Quote
If you do get the Cactus RF60, I'd get one used now. Otherwise, wait for the upgrade coming in very early January with much lower recycle times, the RF60x.
The RF60x eh? Looks interesting and well-priced. Didn't know about this.
12-03-2016, 10:26 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by automorphism Quote
The RF60x eh? Looks interesting and well-priced. Didn't know about this.
Indeed. I have a 360FGZII, but for my second and third flashes, I'm going for the RF60x for sure. Unless Ricoh decides to sponsor me, suddenly.
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