Novice photographers must learn how to use the flash.

For many novice photographers, the function of the flash is only to have more light to take pictures in the case of insufficient light. But in fact, the function of flash is far more than supplementing light. It can also provide a controllable light source, allowing you to shape the effect and atmosphere of photos through light. Before we know how to use the flash, we will teach you some basic operations about the flash.

? Flash mode (M, A, TTL) The flash mode introduced here refers to the different flash usage of external flash.

? M: Manual mode: Let the user manually control the output light of the flash. If the subject does not move, this constant output light phase provides a very stable light source, so it is suitable for fixed environments such as photo studios.

? Answer: Automatic mode: The flash calculates the amount of light to be output according to the measurement of the ambient light darkness of the scene by the light sensor on the flash body and the data of the body (focal length, aperture, ISO). Therefore, in the process of calculating the output light of the flash, the effect of lens plus filter cannot be added. In addition, the light sensor of the flash must face the main body, so it is only suitable for "direct shooting" and not suitable for adding accessories.

TTL: Through-the-lens mode: As the name implies, the calculation of the amount of light output by the flash depends on the metering of the camera body, so it is also possible to count the change effect of the amount of light after the lens is added with a filter. The advantage of TTL is that it is flexible in a changing environment, but in a fixed environment, a slight deviation will also lead to inconsistent output, so it is not suitable for photo studios and the like.

Flying lights/flashing

The external flash lamp can remotely control the external lighting lamp through the transmitter and receiver, so that the light source position of the flash lamp can be changed more flexibly.

Strong light and soft light (strong light/soft light)

Hard/soft light refers to the texture of light. The texture of light can be judged by the shadow caused by the work: the shadow edge caused by strong light is clear and the photo contrast is high. Therefore, under the strong light irradiation, the outline of the subject will become very obvious, and it is easy to have obvious reflection, which is suitable for shooting images with strong atmosphere; Soft light has blurred shadow edges and low contrast due to diffusion or reflection, but it can show details.

Internal flash

Generally speaking, small DC to SLR cameras are equipped with flash. This kind of flash can't change the illumination angle, so that the subject has a strong shadow after receiving the light, which makes the whole photo feel stiff. Therefore, the use of this built-in flash is usually to fill the light for the main body in dark or backlight environment. It should be noted that this kind of flash can only be used as the main supplementary light because its light intensity is usually weak.

External flash

A flash that needs to be purchased separately and installed on the camera's hot boots. Compared with the built-in flash, this external flash can have stronger output, and can change its illumination angle to create various lighting effects. The external flash can also be added with color filter paper to change the color temperature of the flash to match the white balance of the field environment.

How to choose an external flash

The average user will consider the following factors when purchasing:

Flash mode

There are many flashing modes mentioned above, but the flashing lights on the market may not have all modes (some low-profile models will abandon one mode), or they may have their own unique flashing modes. Therefore, users can choose flashlights according to their own usage habits or body functions.

The condition of second-hand goods

Compared with the fuselage and lens, the life of the flash is generally short, so it is difficult to judge the use of the flash part. Therefore, when buying a second-hand flashlight, we can only judge the purpose of the flashlight from the body condition or the purchase of a small ticket. The flash tube can be replaced by the manufacturer, but the price may reach HKD 1 0,000.