My dad and I took this great Nikon camera class last Sunday. It was really informative. I learned a ton including how to use my D70 on something other than automatic. Woo hoo! But, one thing I was particularly interested in learning about was how to best shoot with a flash.
The speedlight that is built into the camera is really neat but totally ineffective as I came to find out in the class.
I shoot a LOT indoors. I’ve found that I really enjoy shooting pictures of people and that I like to take my camera to social settings where I can shoot pictures of friends, etc. In really low light (shows, clubs) where the subject is lit (bands, for example), I tend to like to shoot without the flash anyway.
But, for candids, a flash is just absolutely necessary. So, I went out today and picked up an SB600 and, damn, it kicks ass. It better. It is the last expensive thing intend to spend money on that isn’t related to the house or making a CD.
It does terrific fill flash stuff where it only illuminates what is necessary to bring light into the room. The metering on the D70 is freakin’ unreal and the flash, particularly when directed away from the subject (towards the celing, for example) works beautifully – as if I were in a bright room.
But, the coolest thing has to be the remote. Being able to set that thing anywhere and not have a cable attached is too freakin’ cool. It not only makes for really great shots as you can light softly from the foreground by putting the flast a few feet back and pointing towards the celing to get much more natural lighting effects. But, it makes for some really interesting effects when you put it, say, in the next room and have it flash as you shoot somewhere else.
I played around by taking shots near light and in total darkness. In both situations, the 600 worked amazingly well and illuminated just the right amount.
What a cool new toy!