tenny52 Loc: San Francisco

I know many of you use the flash made by the same brand as your camera; but I am too cheap to spend over $200 for a flash light.
My gear is Nikon D610($1100 new) with my favorite newly acquired($170 used)Nikkor 24-85 3.5-4.5G ED
I use a Neewer TT660ii flash($45 new) which I can manually and rapidly change the intensity by taking a couple of test shots.
I use it mostly on portrait with background, firstly manually set my camera on the background, and then adjust the brightness a couple of steps down using the [+/-]button, and then supplement the lighting to the portrait with manually setting the flash light.
I don't if this is a common practice, please comment .

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

If it works for you, that is what is important. Name on the flash or price is not critical. It is all in the technique of using our tools.

CO

That's an excellent technique you're using that Bryan Peterson describes in his book "Understanding Flash Photography". He uses that technique to avoid overexposing someone who is close to the camera. Some speedlights will show the ideal flash to subject distance on the LCD screen. You can estimate the distance and then adjust the power level until the LCD is showing what you estimated. I'm not sure if the Neewer has that.

tenny52 Loc: San Francisco

thanks CO,
Neewer has no TTL, but adjustments of intensity by small steps; I find this Neewer is better than my old Yongnuo which the battery door was flimsy that I need a strong rubber band to secure; it has a master/slave mode, and can be attached to a remote hotshoe.
This Neewer model won't communicate with the camera. I am sure some other expensive models can, but how about if I want the background be half lightened? In my case, it will be all manual by trial and experience.

tenny52 Loc: San Francisco

thanks CO,
Neewer has no TTL, but adjustments of intensity by small steps; I find this Neewer is better than my old Yongnuo which the battery door was flimsy that I need a strong rubber band to secure; it has a master/slave mode, and can be attached to a remote hotshoe.
This Neewer model won't communicate with the camera. I am sure some other expensive models can, but how about if I want the background be half lightened? In my case, it will be all manual by trial and experience.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

I was a Nikon Flash snob until this year. I got a Yongnuo YN660 and a Neewer 750II, they were cheap, but, the head will tilt up and back on both (which is my way of shooting). The Yongnuo is manual (I don't use it for TTL anyway)and the Neewer is TTL. I use these as extra's, like to shoot with at least two if not three flashes at once. For now they seem to work fine. Both are priced well under $100.00.

MidnightManiac

I'm a Canon user and needed flash replacements. Bought a pair of Youngnuo YN685 flashes and a YN622C-TX wireless flash controller. Like the setup and they give great results. The cost is much less than buying one speed speedlite, almost half.

tenny52 Loc: San Francisco

I have never used a camera-brand speedlight and incorporate with its auto sync functions; so I can't say how useful they are.
Even in the old days(80s) when I had a Nikon FM2 and a Nikon flash, I didn't know its full usefulness. Then I bought a Sunpak which at least I could rotate its head up and down, plus used its close/zoom features.
Not too long ago, I bought an older Pentax flash which I found had less power and drained the battery much faster. Still I didn't know how to use its functions with my then Pentax camera except pushing the slider according to the approximate distance. It could not represent a true camera-brand flash because it was built for the film era.
I had 2 Yongnuo flashes(one with a dial and one with digital-step adjustment) and I liked its intensity step adjustment plus up/down and rotate features with built in diffuser and reflector attachments; but its battery compartment door could not hold up in position. But at least it can fire 100 flashes per charge.
Now I have the Neewer which are a bit bigger but with more power and about the same price and features as Yongnuo; it can fire over 150 flashes easily per charge.
I want to know if I missed anything wonderful about a camera-brand speedlight to justify its cost over usefulness.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

There are a lot of ways to skin a cat.
I'm a Canon shooter and own two Canon 600's along with the Canon trigger.
A lot of my work is for me but a lot is also for other people so I can't fail.
If I'm shooting at 2am on a Sunday morning and am having some issue with my flash OR camera that I can't quickly figure out, I can call Canon and they help me figure it out for me.
I've was shooting a Model in the forest once, and one of my flashes came un-synced, I sent my Model to go do a change and in the meantime Canon told me how to re-sync the light!
If I had been using a Yongnuo or a Neewar, Canon would have laughed at me.
And no, I did not pay a ton of money for the Canon lights and trigger.
Each bought used at different times, the total was about $500, instead of $1500, though not $100 each!
I'm not poopooing 3rd party equipment, it has its time and place, that's why it exist but in some cases, to some photographers, it's not with it, especially the CS aspect.

I think what youre trying to do will be better accomplished with two or three lights! Good luck
SS

jcboy3

The advantage of the OEM flash is robust integration with the camera, especially useful for TTL. They are usually top quality flashes, but come at a premium price. I have several OEM flashes, but I do not use them as often as I use third party flashes, for a number of reasons.

I don't think the TT660ii has an auto mode; that is useful as it can replace TTL; you just have to set aperture and ISO on the flash to match your camera.

TTL or auto is advantageous for quick setup or changing distance to subject. For portraits, manual is preferred for consistency and control.

I do recommend you get radio triggers and get your flash off camera. You can then use a large diffuser (umbrella or softbox) to get softer light (which makes shadows soft rather than hard and gives larger, more pleasing catchlights in the eyes).

I frequently use Cactus V6 triggers; they can be used with multiple flashes, and can remotely adjust the flash levels (as long as the flash has some form of TTL). With these triggers, you can use different brand flashes. For example, I use Nikon SB-80DX flashes with Olympus cameras, and control the flashes with the Cactus V6 triggers. A lot of flexibility, with flashes that are very inexpensive but very high quality.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

I too use Nikon with Neewer flash, for the same reason. Cheaper and just as good. What you are doing is good. Most importantly, what ever works, works. I also use a Neewer clip on softbox. Neewer makes good stuff. The one I use has TTL also. The 750II.

tenny52 Loc: San Francisco

thanks JC,
I do use a set of Altura Remote Shutter Release which costs $30 for a whole set of 1 transmitter and 2 receivers; unfortunately, it can not control power from the transmitter.
I believe your Cactus allows you to do that which is very handy; Can each Cactus Transceiver be set as master and slave units?
When I shoot indoors with my personal model(my wife); a role that she hates now for too much blinding her eyes. I do mount one or two Neewer on a stand so that the intensity would be more even and consistent.
For a over $200 camera-brand flash, it means little to the Pro as it would save time and/or more consistent results.
But I can use the money to buy 2 Neewer Flashes($100 for both), a set of Remote Release($30), a couple of umbrells stands with 2 umbrellas + flash hot shoes($60), a set of 5 in 1 disc reflectors ($15); plus a variety of mount-on diffusers/reflectors; of course those are Ebay/Amazon prices.
But does camera-brand flash warranty better photos?

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

I did a lot of research before I bought my speedlight. I decided on a used Nikon SB-26 on ebay for $104. It has all the features of the newer Nikon speedlights at a much lower cost. It doesn't have as much power, but I never use it at 100% so I didn't need the extra power. It can work in the hot shoe or detached as an optical slave triggered by the camera flash.

jcboy3

Each cactus is a transceiver, there is a switch to switch between transmitter and receiver. It works on Nikon, Canon, and Olympus/Panasonic. Sony is an issue, but you can get an adapter. It also will do TTL pass through, so you can mount a TTL flash on the transmitter; I use that mode when shooting events where I have strobes/umbrellas to raise ambient a fixed level but the subjects are moving about (think ballroom dance competition).

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

The SB-26 is a workhorse, I have several and use them hard, they hold up well and are very durable.