Nowadays digital cameras come with a built-in flash accessory for extra light in dark shooting conditions. But let’s face it, if you want to perform interesting paid projects, a built-in flash just won’t cut it. The reason is simple, although it can be decent — it’s certainly not built to offer the kind of versatility that an external flash can offer. An external flash can help you achieve balanced exposure even in daylight settings. It gives you better control of your output with manual controls for ISO noise and motion as well as for contrast.
Let’s take a look at some popular flashes that can enhance the lighting effect in your portraits.
Canon MR-14EX II
Key Features:
- Operates easily with flash setting that is easy to set up in any condition
- Features dot-matrix LCD illuminated panel
- Comes with LED focusing lamps plus modeling flash forms for lighting effect preview
- Twelve custom functions with three personal function set on the LCD flash control
- Designed for EF Macro lens photography with twin tube ring for close-ups
Once again, Canon proves to photography enthusiasts that it is the best when it comes to manufacturing gear for film and photography with the Canon MR-14EX II macro ring. It’s designed for those that have an appetite for capturing detailed close-ups making the Canon MR Macro Ring Lite work well with a variety of EF macro lenses, thus helping you bring out beautiful portraits.
In fact, its design is such that it easily complements contemporary DSLRs making it one of the most advanced flashed built by Canon. It boasts of a twin tube design and a 34.4ft maximum guide number not to mention a 100 ISO, enabling both tubes to fire together or independently.
With its sophisticated two forms of light modeling and a white LED focusing lamp, this Canon Ring Lite enables accurate previews of lighting effects on your subjects. You can even go further and use the illuminated dot-matrix to adjust your lighting condition so as to get the perfect flash. And as if that is not enough, its compact design and an auto flash feature make the MR-14EX II a customizable and reliable flash light for any photographer.
Sony HVL-RL1
Key Features:
- Comes with a carrying case plus a shoe adapter and two adapter rings
- Enables natural lighting with LED light offers great color reproduction
- Precise control with adjustable brightness
- Creative lighting effect and performance with the aid of 4 AA batteries
- Has about 700 flux with up to 0.3mm foot range
Ask any photographer or film enthusiast and they will tell you that lighting is a major part of capturing detail and clarity from your subject and the Sony HVL-RL1 ring light is designed just for that. It is another one of Sony’s innovation that is helping many creative minds achieve picture perfect quality images in their projects.
Even with minute subjects, this HVL-RL1 ring light by Sony will still perform as expected producing illumination that is highly effective and ideal for macro shooting. It also features a powerful LED that is over three times the size of its predecessor with a brightness performance that is to die for. Simply put, this ring light can easily be set to achieve dimmed lighting that only subtly reflects on your subject giving you full control of your creativity. It also has a smooth lighting effect that is easily achievable without revealing your light source.
Nikon SB-700
Key Features:
- Easily portable
- Features a wireless flash control
- Offers complete positioning freedom of its flash head
- Precise flash control with Nikon’s i-TTL
- Speed light unit that is versatile enough for detailed portraits
- Comes with a hot shoe for convenience
Nikon is known for pushing boundaries when it comes to manufacturing photography and filming equipment and the Nikon SB-700 Speedlight flash is a true revelation of its capability. Featuring both high performance and easy portability, the Nikon Speedlight Flash is certainly the next generation of speed lights currently in the market.
It comes with on camera speed light design that is convenient for both beginner photographers as well as professionals. Plus with its hot shoe and wireless operation, you can pretty much achieve remote set ups enabling you to do more while you work on your project. It also gives you flash head positioning freedom with a bounce of up to 90 degrees up and 7 degrees down elevating your creativity.
In fact with the Nikon SB-700 flash, achieving depth of field control is possible and since its designed to cover your lens up to 24mm, you get to still operate your camera with freedom to do just about anything. It also comes with a color filter that identifies hard type colors automatically when used with a variety of Nikon DSLRs. Plus to prevent it from overheating it features a flash tube overheat protection that detects heat buildup which is amazing.
Canon 600EX-RT
Key Features:
- Features an improved and redesigned flash head and contact for durability
- Built to be dust proof and weather resistant for improved reliability
- Third party color filter holders
- Radio wave multiple flash system with up to 5 flash groups
- 180 degree full swivel in either direction
- Wide range zoom flash head cover with up to 20-200mm and a 197 ft/60m at ISO 100 maximum guide number
- Canon 61 point high density compatible AF assist beam
- Easy visibility with dot-matrix LCD panel and backlight button
Engineered and designed for a new performance and reliability, the Canon 600EX-RT is a must have for photographers using today’s DSLRs. It features a wireless two-way radio remote communication allowing you to expand your creativity with ease thanks to its radio triggering reliability.
Furthermore, it has a new dot-matrix LCD, making this Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite capable of displaying all pertinent information when you set it up for a shoot. With an internal sound generator and backlit control, you get to enjoy shooting convenience like never before.
It also delivers an expanded zoom range not to mention a higher guide number making it an improvement over its predecessor both in feel and performance. As if that is not enough, it also comes with color filter holders that enable you achieve accurate color ambient for a variety of lighting conditions. Furthermore, with its 18 custom functions and a flexible 180 degree full swivel action in all directions you get total creative freedom which is rare to find.
Yongnuo YN600EX-RT II
Key Features:
- Wireless flash shooting radio transmission support
- Flash mode control unit with optical transmission support
- Stroboscopic and manual flash included
- High guide number with multi-flash
- Capable of receiving wireless signal from cameras with flash wireless signal
- Hot shoe i-TTL mode that is compatible with a wide range of cameras
- Comes with a protector bag, mini stand and a manual
Most photographers will agree that the Yongnuo YN600EX-RT II Wireless Flash Speedlite is an upgrade compared to its previous versions. It features a wireless optical transmission flash function that is a plus for both new as well as advanced photographers. It supports manual zooming with a 20-200m AUTO flash adjustable coverage.
What’s more is that it also features a USB interface that make firmware upgrade on the Yongnuo website a simple process of downloading and installing the software. Furthermore, the YN600EX-RT II flash can be triggered with a radio or optical remote trigger from PC synchronous triggers or a camera set top.
With a three to four second full output period, you can take full advantage of fast and reliable recycle time even when you are not using brand new batteries. Besides, it also comes with an internal power supply that is geared to meet your requirements. Now that is convenience and reliability.
