Read any flash tutorial and I bet it will say “manual flash
is the best” or “you have to use a flash in manual mode” or words to that
effect. Okay, I agree there are times when it is best to set the flash power
manually however there are many times and situations when you will miss a lot
of shots and opportunities using manual flash.
The flash power needed for a decent exposure (I won’t use
the term correct exposure – as this is subjective) depends on two variables,
and these comprise the aperture setting and the distance between the flash and
the subject. Change the aperture and you have to change the flash power to
compensate (increase the flash power to shoot wider/decrease the flash power to
stop down).
When you’re shooting in a situation where the flash to
subject distance is not a constant using the flash in TTL mode and tweaking the
power using flash exposure compensation is best. When I shoot corporate events
and functions, parties and the like I will always use the flash in TTL mode. I
also keep the flash in TTL mode for general photography walkabouts.
I have read many posts and articles stating that using TTL
flash is inconsistent and doesn’t result in the best shots, however I don’t
have this problem and never have. You can get consistently good shots using the
flash in TTL mode, providing you know your camera/flash intimately and how it
works. In order to get consistent shots using flash in TTL mode you need to
practice, practice and practice some more. By practicing with your camera/flash
you will learn when you need to use flash exposure compensation, what flash
exposure you need to apply (either positive or negative) and also the amount of
flash exposure compensation you need to apply.
Using flash in TTL mode you can capture the precise effect
you’re after. If you want a little fill in flash to lift the shadows and
produce a natural looking photo you can do this using flash in TTL mode. If you
want the subject to really pop and jump out of the frame you can also get this
look using your flash in TTL mode. You do actually get quite a lot of control using
flash in TTL mode, provided you use the flash exposure compensation correctly.
I know how to use a flash in manual mode, and I do enjoy
using a flash in manual mode however I find that I actually use my flash more
in TTL mode than I do in manual mode. I guess it’s the type of shooting I do
most (pet portraits, events and functions) but I definitely use my flash in TTL
mode more often than not.
If you shoot in the studio and have a lighting set up
permanently in place and good to go you need to learn how to use the flash in
TTL mode properly, and practice with it to get the best shots.
The flash I now use for all my strobist photography is the
Godox Ving, and I wouldn’t use anything else. Before buying the Godox Ving I
used a Canon 600EX, and the fact I wouldn’t buy another 600EX is a testament to
just how good the Godox Ving is.
With a guide number of 58 the Godox Ving is as powerful as
the Canon 600EX, and it also has TTL metering, HSS mode and full manual mode.
The Ving uses a single cell battery capable of over 600 full power pops on a
single charge, which is pretty impressive. The advantage of the single cell
battery is I don’t have loads of AA batteries and chargers laying around but
the downside is if the battery dies on a shoot I can’t nip to the local garage
or store and buy a replacement. The way I overcome this problem is to carry a
spare battery and charger on every shoot so when (or if) the battery dies I can
put it on charge and use the spare to carry on shooting.
The Ving is the most user friendly and intuitive high spec
flash out there, and I managed to get up and running, and work out where
everything was without once having to consult the user manual. When I had the
600EX I had to read the user manual to work out how to operate the more
advanced features.
Even though the Godox Ving is a budget flash it is still
well made, and is strong and sturdy. It isn’t as “bombproof” and the Canon
600EX but given you can buy 3 Godox Ving speed lights for the price of one
Canon 600EX and still have a load of cash left over for other bits and pieces,
this is to be expected. I have had my four Godox Ving speed lights (I was so
impressed with the first one I bought three more for a ganged 3 speed light
setup) for several years now and they are still going strong and as good today
as they were when I first got them, just with a few scuffs, dinks and
scratches.
I bought a Godox Ving because I needed a flash ASAP for a
shoot, and with little spare money to buy a speed light I had no choice but to
go to the bargain bin and buy a budget flash. Had my Canon 600 EX not broke and
I was a little more flush at the time I would never have discovered the Godox
Ving or been aware of just how good it is. Call it luck, call it fate – I
really don’t care, I am just glad things happened the way they did, although I
obviously wasn’t too happy at the time.
If you want a powerful flash that has manual mode, TTL
metering, HSS mode and is packed full of features take a look at the Godox
Ving. If you want a flash that is intuitive and user friendly take a look at
the Godox Ving. And, if you want a flash that is affordable and gives a lot of
bang for the buck take a look at the Godox Ving.
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| The Godox Ving is my speed light of choice now Buy the Godox Ving from Amazon.com (US citizens); or Buy the Godox Ving from Amazon.co.uk (UK citizens) |
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