Flash Question

[chuckmoser]

Hello all. I feel dumb asking this, but I need some basic flash advice for my Canon Digital Rebel.

I'm wanting to take some better people shots (and better flash shots in general), and I'm looking at the Quantaray 900WA... about $180. I'm not looking for anything super high-end, just better than the stock flash on my Canon Digital Rebel.

I'm wanting to know if this will give dramatically better results than the stock flash. The flash has a zoom, and I'm hoping this will cut down on the highlight blow-outs, limited range, etc... among other things that bug me with the stock Canon flash.

Basically, I'm wondering what this will do for my photos compared to the stock flash.

Any response is much appreciated,
Chuck

[another view]

Looks like a pretty powerful flash for the money, so the problem with limited range should be taken care of. However, digital and flash isn't the easiest thing to work with so blown highlights might possibly be even be worse. I'm saying this because first off, you've got a much more powerful light (if a tiny flash can't expose the subject well then it can't blow out the highlights!), and it might not use Canon's latest-greatest TTL flash metering. I'm not a Canon guy so someone else will have to answer this.

I usually use "A" mode which is non-TTL on my DSLR and it works very well. The thing about digital is that there is very little latitude with exposure, it's either right or it's wrong. A lot like slide film but the highlights blow out a lot easier.

One of the best things you can do with flash is to get it off the camera, so look for a cord that will let you do this. Bounce the light off the ceiling (well, it can stay on the camera for this of course). Put the flash off to the side. Experiment. Flash on camera usually looks pretty flat. This doesn't have anything to do with proper or improper exposure, just creative lighting.

[chuckmoser]

Thanks much for the response. It's just the kind of advice I was looking for.

-Chuck

[mdmc]

Thanks much for the response. It's just the kind of advice I was looking for.

-Chuck

Chuck, I've just done a bit of research and found that for the same price you can get a cannon speedlight with the same specs for the same price at bh photo. Also you can get a more powerfull sigma flash for $150, although wide angle coverage is 28mm about 18mm for cannon digital. Also a small accessorie diffuser like the sto-fen omni bounce would soften and spread the light to 15mm coverage, less than 10mm for digital cameras, is $17 at bh. The sigma looks like a bargain to me.
Mark.