On-Camera flash (daylight) (Page 2): Craig glad you found my post useful. Yes at full power or close to it the built in flash is not only a very flat light source but also bounces...

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

Craig glad you found my post useful.
Yes at full power or close to it the built in flash is not only a very flat light source but also bounces light from the highly reflective "T-Zone" straight back into the camera creating harsh hot spots.

As an effective countermeasure to the aforementioned T-Zone effect I use powdered rice blotter tissues. They come in convenient packs and 30 seconds of having the talent lightly press the blotter tissue on their T-Zone does much to eliminate those harsh hot spots on the talent's face.

btw, totally agree with Haydon and Gene here... if possible you'll have much better illumination control if you can move your speedlight(s) off camera. However for fast moving events this is usually a serious challenge which typically requires having a lighting assistant. Heaven help you if a light & stand falls over in injures someone... This is a major reason why commercial shooters don't use unattended free standing lights...

In fact many large commercial venues require that the photographer provide proof of commercial liability insurance. Should you bid on a commercial assignment please realize that your client will likely ask if you have liability insurance.
Please visit the PPA for more information on the aforementioned.
https://www.ppa.com/benefits/insurance/general-liability-insurance-for-photographers

Hope this helps Craig...
All the best on your journey.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Bison Bud wrote:

I too see the value of an on camera flash, especia... (show quote)

Never said it is useless for all. But it doesn't work for me. Even the old 18-70mm zoom, a pretty cheap option, vignetted at 40mm and below with the pop-up flash. That made it pretty useless for me. There was no focal length where it would work with the 17-55mm f/2.8 that replaced the 18-670 for me. It wasn't really strong enough to be very useful at the longer focal lengths where it did not create a shadow. I think it worked fine with my wife's 18-55mm kit lens. If it works for others, that's great. But saying it is problematic is not foolishness.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

No - I don't take my flash when outdoors in daylight, but I rarely take portrait shots outdoors. I do use it for indoor shots.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

rmalarz wrote:

Mark, first off, I rarely use flash. However, when I do on-camera is probably one of the worst locations. As of late, the majority of the flash work I've done, the flash is built into the lens. I've used this in daylight. Any other daylight strobe work is done with multiple strobes on stands with light modifiers.
--Bob

Bob,

Ok, so I have been looking at the lens flash (ring type) for ages. I have found only medical flashes for close-ups when I am aware of a Nikon lens (third party?) that was generic and affordable for portrait. I just cannot find it anywhere!!!!!

So if you have one, please give the name and brand... Thanks.

Nikon medical flash...

wide2tele Loc: Australia

Thomas902 wrote:

"...it appears daylight flash is rarely used.... (show quote)

Hi Thomas,
I’ve always been a big user of flash be it on-camera, off-camera or studio.
I asked the question as I rarely notice on-camera fill in recent photos.

Some have mentioned off-camera speedlight type photography but that’s not always possible. For simple fill, it’s not required.

For myself, I very often have a flash attached to my camera. I believe it’s a must as sometimes it’s ideal for fill, sometimes to balance lighting and sometimes to bring out contrast and/or color.

Flash is a great tool.

Bill_de Loc: US

For many years I mounted a flash above my long lenses using a Wimberley bracket set. We all used Better Beamers and have the holes burned into our flash units to prove it. This was mostly done for reducing shadows when shooting birds at the beach in mid-day light. The flash units were set around -1 2/3

Today, when shooting birds from my garage, I sometimes mount a flash on a tripod outside. The SB5000 with the newer Nikons allows all flash settings from the camera.

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rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

RGG, I've been using the 200mm version. https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-688234-1.html
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/special/250medical.htm
--Bob

Rongnongno wrote:

Bob,

Ok, so I have been looking at the lens flash (ring type) for ages. I have found only medical flashes for close-ups when I am aware of a Nikon lens (third party?) that was generic and affordable for portrait. I just cannot find it anywhere!!!!!

So if you have one, please give the name and brand... Thanks.

Nikon medical flash...

Rongnongno Loc: FL

rmalarz wrote:

.../...

I assume it works with a D850?

User ID

wide2tele wrote:

Maybe I'm just missing the topics but it appears daylight flash is rarely used.
How many people go out with a hot shoe mounted flash attached to their camera in daylight?
Why do you or why do you not?

I do it . Made hundreds of thousands $$ doing it. For any job involving people outdoors under bright midday skies it’s just a fact of life, a real necessity. I use a small modifier, never direct.

User ID

BebuLamar wrote:

Using flash in daylight the flash has to be powerful and built in flash isn't powerful enough.

For people in harsh bright daylight I’ve never needed power, and usually use output robbing light modifiers. The sun and sky are the main light, the flash fills the shadows. Fill flash doesn’t actually need much output.

Often working at f/16 I’d use auto flash set for about f/8. That’s a good general purpose ratio, about 4:1.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

wide2tele wrote:

Maybe I'm just missing the topics but it appears daylight flash is rarely used.
How many people go out with a hot shoe mounted flash attached to their camera in daylight?
Why do you or why do you not?

I use on camera flash with an extender in day light when the light is poor. It brings out the detail.

Haydon

joer wrote:

I use on camera flash with an extender in day light when the light is poor. It brings out the detail.

Agreed, it can create extra micro-contrast when the light is flat and the flash will saturate colors if you're shooting wildlife.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

I am sorry, but I love the 'robbing life modifier' expression used by a few here. How about calling it a light diffuser like everyone else?

As to taking pictures of folks in full sun? Sorry but that is a sure recipe for racoon, squinting eyes, washed out (over exposed) colors... A flash just adds to the mayhem. If a family picture or a memento? Who cares.

If you lit a subject in the shadow and a bright background (like in the shade) an on camera flash camera is adequate as long as... The light does not kill the benefits of being in the shade by being too strong and/or by creating harsh shadows. Red eyes can become an issue too. Of course, you have flash accessories like the Wong system among many others.

A good CHEAP accessory for an on camera flash (integrated/pop-up) is... A semi transparent piece of tape. 'It is a professional thief light robber!!!'

As a bonus, if not removed it can play 'flash destroyer' is not removed when closing the pop-pup... You get two for one: A thief, a saboteur and Oh! Yeah! possibly three, a polluter!!!

Mitigating accessories for non-popup but on camera... On camera flash reflectors, black, white, silver, gold. If a flash has a wide angle adapter, that will control the light too...

If you have large reflectors with tripods and an assistant the last thing one would use is a flash on camera, just saying.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Yes, it does. However, most of the photos I've done with it have been with the D800.
--Bob

Rongnongno wrote:

img src="https://static.uglyhedgehog.com/images/s... (show quote)

Rongnongno Loc: FL

rmalarz wrote:

Yes, it does. However, most of the photos I've done with it have been with the D800.
--Bob

Thanks, Bob...

Found one for 'cheap' on e-bay.