Picking a flash is pretty complicated these days. Modern flash units are tiny computers with amazing abilities. Both the Canon and Nikon flash systems allow flash units to communicate with the camera in real time. Using wireless signals, all of the flash units fire a “pre-flash” to test the lighting conditions of the scene. Based on the information gathered in the camera from the pre-flash, they all fire simultaneously with exactly the right amount of light coming from each flash to create a perfect picture. This all happens in the less than a second delay between the time when you first press the button on your camera to the time when the camera shutter opens to take a picture. It’s amazing technology!
And despite that fact that most cameras have a built-in flash mount, actually putting the flash on it is usually a terrible idea. You will quickly discover that getting the flash off the camera and being able to fire it remotely is vital to getting good images. In the second section of this article, we will give you suggestions on hardware that will allow you to use your flash remotely.
Note: This guide is specific to the Canon and Nikon lighting systems. Covering every manufacturer would be impossible. If you use a camera made by a different manufacturer, feel free to post a comment with flash recommendations for your camera! Also, this article is focused on TTL speedlight flash systems. It does not attempt to cover the wide range of manual flashes available.
Step 1: Choosing the Flash Unit
“Dumb” flashes
All of the flashes made by Canon and Nikon support TTL or “through the lens” metering. This is the ability for the flash units to send out a pre-flash, have it analyzed by the camera “through the lens” and then have the camera tell each flash how much light to put out for a proper exposure. This ability makes it much easier to capture great pictures on the go, but it also makes the flash units more costly.
If you are working in a studio where the power of each light can be dialed in carefully (or if you fancy yourself a master of manual exposure control), you may not need the ability to do TTL. However, TTL flashes can still operate perfectly fine in manual mode so the only reason not to get TTL flashes is to save money. But think carefully about your future needs before skimping up front. TTL is very powerful and you may find yourself wishing you had the ability later on.
Vivitar 285HV Auto Professional Flash – If you don’t care about TTL, this is an amazing flash for an amazing price. It’s powerful, bright, and produces amazing shots in the right hands. The learning curve is steep since there is no TTL, but it only costs $85.
Cheap-o Flashes
Opteka EF-600 DG Super EO-TTL II Speed Blitz Flash (for Canon) – If you can’t afford anything better but still want TTL support, you can grab this flash. It’s not particularly powerful and it doesn’t play very well with other Canon flashes, but it is cheap. It also takes a long time to recharge between shots. If there is any way you can afford it, get the Canon 430EX II instead. It will be a much better investment in the long run.
Opteka EF-600 DG Super EO-TTL II Speed Blitz Flash (for Nikon) – Just like the Canon version, this flash is strictly for seriously budget-crunched buyers. If at all possible, get the Nikon SB-600 instead. You’ll be happier in the long run.
Small Flashes
Canon Speedlight 270EX – This is Canon’s smallest flash. It doesn’t put out a whole lot of light, but it’s better than anything that might be built into your camera. This flash is ideal if you have a small camera or mid-sized camera (like a Canon G11) and want a small flash to go with it. For any other use, plan on getting something bigger.
Nikon SB-400 AF – This is Nikon’s smaller flash. Nikon has discontinued it, but you can still buy it new from Amazon. Since it’s going away, you might want to consider getting the SB-600 instead.
Mid-range Flashes
Canon Speedlight 430 EX II – This is a great all-around flash. It can talk to other Canon flashes using an IR wireless signal, but it can only operate as a “slave” flash. It can’t command other flashes. These are great flashes to start with. If you get a Canon 580 EX II later, you can still use the 430 EX II as a slave with it.
Nikon SB-600 Speedlight – The SB-600 is a solid flash and works fine in most cases. However, it can only operate as a slave flash in the Nikon flash system. So you may want to spring for the Nikon SB-900 Speedlight if your camera can’t act as a master flash.
High-end Flashes
Canon Speedlight 580 EX II – This is the top flash in the Canon lighting system. This flash has full support for acting as both a master and a slave when talking to other Canon flashes using IR wireless signals. If you have the money and plan to use multiple flashes together, you probably want at least one of these to act as a master flash. It also puts out more light than the Canon 430EX II.
Nikon SB-900 Speedlight – This is Nikon’s top flash. It can operate in wireless mode as a commander for other flash units. It is the most powerful Speedlight that Nikon makes. If you have the money and plan to do multi-flash work or need a lot of power, buy one of these.
Step 2: Getting the flash off of the camera
Now that you have acquired one or more flashes, you need to figure out how to get them off the camera. Flash units mounted on the camera shoot light directly at the subject. This makes for very poor lighting. You can get amazing results by placing the flash or flashes at an angle to the subject instead of pointing it dead on.
There are many ways to trigger a flash remotely, both wireless and using wires. Each has advantages and disadvantages.
Camera-controlled infrared wireless
Both Nikon and Canon flashes can be triggered using signals from a camera. However, only certain camera bodies support this feature.
Pros:
- Full TTL automatic exposure for each remote flash unit
- Doesn’t require anything besides the camera and flash unit
Cons:
- Requires “line of sight” between camera and flash
- Only works over a limited distance
- Doesn’t work well outside in bright light
- Only supported on a few camera models
- Canon: 7D
- Nikon: Most newer models with a pop-up flash built-in
What to buy:
- Nothing. If you have the right camera and flash unit, you can try this out now!
Infrared wireless with camera-mounted commander
If your camera doesn’t have the ability to act as a flash commander (or master in Canon terminology), you can buy an add-on module to act as a flash commander.
Pros:
- Full TTL automatic exposure for each remote flash unit
Cons:
- Requires “line of sight” between camera and flash
- Only works over a limited distance
- Doesn’t work well outside in bright light
- Requires an expensive add-on module
What to buy:
Canon
Nikon
Infrared wireless using a flash unit as a commander
If your camera doesn’t have the ability to act as a flash commander (or master in Canon terminology), you can use higher-end flash units to trigger other flashes.
Pros:
- Full TTL automatic exposure for each remote flash unit
Cons:
- Requires “line of sight” between camera and flash
- Only works over a limited distance
- Doesn’t work well outside in bright light
- Requires a top-of-the-line flash dedicated to the task of firing other remote flashes
What to buy:
Canon
Nikon
Flash Sync Cord
The low-tech solution to using a remote flash is to use a flash sync cord. With the right cord, you can retain full TTL capabilities. However, the cables can be expensive and can get in the way.
Pros:
- Full TTL automatic exposure for the remote flash unit
- Low tech and very reliable
- Everyone should own at least one of these as a back-up
Cons:
- Limited to just one flash
- Limited cable length
- Cables can get in the way
What to buy
Canon
Nikon
Radio-controlled Flash Triggers
For the ultimate in flexibility, you can buy remote trigger systems for flashes that use radio signals to communicate. This avoids the light of sight limitation, but it doesn’t come cheap. Most professionals go this route.
Pros:
- Full TTL automatic exposure for each remote flash unit (if you get the latest models)
- Very reliable (if you get the right brand)
Cons:
- Expensive
- Lots to buy – you need a transmitter plus a receiver for each flash unit
What to buy:
Canon
Nikon
- Pocket Wizard FlexTT5 Transceiver For Nikon TTL Flashes (coming soon)
Keep reading! Here are a few similar how-to guides you may also enjoy:
- How to choose a digital camera
Unless it is your full time job, it’s almost impossible to keep up with the latest technology in digital cameras. New models are introduced almost daily. Each new model continues to push the state-of-the-art forward at an amazing speed. And despite the fact that Apple... - How to use a classic manual lens on your DSLR camera
Shooting with old manual lenses on your new camera is a great way to experiment on a budget.... - How to create black and white photos with a DSLR camera
What is a black and white photo anyway? This might seem like a dumb question, right? Obviously a black and white picture is a color picture… just without the color. But it’s not that simple! Look at this photo of a yellow butterfly in... - How to take amazing photos of your dog
Since dogs are so commonplace, we often don’t think too much about them. Most people think of dogs as fun pets who sometimes poop in the wrong place or eat things they aren’t supposed to eat. Since they are so common, you might think that... - How to take vacation photos
For many hobbyist photographers, vacations are one of the best times to get out and take pictures. It is one of the few times when you have plenty of free time in an interesting new location with friends or family members who want to be...
Pocket Wizards are far from the only choice for radio-controlled flash triggers: they are very good, but among the most expensive options. The Cactus V4 triggers are another choice: very affordable, although not as reliable as PWs. I’ve ordered some, but they haven’t arrived yet — but for someone just getting into off-camera lighting, I think they are a good choice until you can justify getting PWs.
One thing to be very careful when using a third party non dedicated flash is the trigger voltage it uses. Whatever you connect to the camera, be it studio lighting or a flash, make sure the trigger voltage is safe to use on the camera. On some DSLR systems, anything above 6V could fry the flash sync contacts on the shutter and kill the camera.
My personal advice is that if you cannot afford a dedicated flash, save up and get a dedicated one, and ideally get the one that your camera maker makes. High Speed Sync and more accurate flash metering will be worth it in the long run.