External Flash - Benefits? (1 Viewer)

This is probably a "silly" question but I am wondering about the benefits of an external flash unit over the built in camera flash, particularly for macro. I have a Canon 40D and Canon 7D (main camera). Cheaper flash units have a guide range lower than the Canon 7D (guide range 39). Question is, would I benefit? I am new to macro! Thanks in anticipation:t:

Depends on what you mean by macro; what do you intend photographing, at what magnification, from how close and the lens you intend using?

An example: if you are snapping a toad with a 150mm focal length macro, you may find that the built in flash is not obscured by the lens you may find you are OK.

If you are using a high quality prime macro lens of about 50mm to get a close up of its eye at life size you will need something else.

If you are photographing something that doesn't move then you may find that a reflector and something to hold the camera rigid is the right approach.

If you let folks on the forum know roughly what you have in mind there will be someone out there who can tell you precisely how they do it and hopefully save you time and money.

N.B. It is not a silly question as 'macro' means different things to different people.

Thank you for your kind reply.

I will be using a Tamron SP AF 90mm F/2.8Di macro 1:1 lens on either my 7D or 40D.

With regard to macro, I hope to be able to generalise with images of plants and insects.

I am of limited budget so cannot afford expensive flash units.

Macro will be a new venture for me as I only normally take images with a Canon 400 prime.

If it helps, the link attached is my first (only!) effort so far, at Stratford Butterfly Farm, usind 7D and the Tamron:

http://kevingroocock.zenfolio.com/p446707477

Really nice first attempts, most folks burn out their first macro flash shots.

Have you read through the Macro section, its in the Photography, Digiscoping, Art & Equipment section but below the cameras and photography section just above wildlife art?

Personally I avoid direct flash as it can be a bit harsh and contrasty for my taste and would tend to use something to diffuse the light - such as a handkerchief - but we all have different solutions. In your case if you can attach the flash to the camera by a lead and experiment with it diffused and at 45 degrees to the subject you may get less harsh results.

This is an answer from another blog http://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/20095/is-flash-a-must-have-for-macro-photography

Its one of the many items you get if you Google macro photography flash. You will find lots of video clips too.

I am not the best person to answer this any further as I rarely use flash & when I do it is a purpose built Mecablitz which is not at all what you want to know about.

Best of luck.

Thank you once again for taking the time to reply. It looks like I will have a lot of reading and practice ahead of me :t:

It helps for most flash photography, and particularly for macro photography, to get the flash off axis and diffused. Doing those two things helps to create more natural looking photos. You need an external flash to move off-axis and you need a more powerful flash than the pop-up to effectively diffuse the light. The pop-up can help in some cases, particularly as a fill light, but external flash really expands your capability.

Thanks Greg - now trying to source a suitable flash!