EOS Rebel T8i Flash Suggestions!

Hello. I bought my wife a Canon EOS Rebel T8i for Christmas and I wanted to get her a flash as well. I know NOTHING (or very little) about photography and I was hoping you could give me some suggestions about what type of flash to buy.

 

She typically shoots people (that sounds strange to say) and I'm looking for something that will work well in low-light or even night settings and the camera comes with a 18-55mm lens I don't know much else, but if there's any other info I can provide to help make a suggestion, please let me know. Thanks for your help!! routerwebaid.com

 

 

 

routerlogin 192.168.1.1 login netgear router setup

There are two features that I consider essential. The first is that the flash can bounce off the ceiling or other surfaces. Direct (unbounced) flash is generally ugly when used with people. The second is what's called TTL or E-TTL, which stands for "through the lens". TTL flashes turn off at the right exposure, metered through the camera's lens. It is MUCH easier to use a TTL flash than a manual flash. You don't have to fuss with power levels, guide numbers, etc. to use TTL flashes.

 

If you buy Canon, the cheapest flash that has both of these is the 430 EX III, which is a very capable flash. I have been using the predecessor 430 EX -II for years for all sorts of photography.

 

There are lots of alternative brands, and some are cheaper. They differ both in features and the in the quality of construction. Someone else with first-hand experience will have to tell you about those. Just make sure you get one that is TTL specifically for Canons.

Just to clarify, the flashgun needs to be e-TTL, not just TTL. There are some older TTL flashguns which were designed for film cameras and are NOT compatible with digital SLR's, the method of measuring exposure is quite different. For example the Canon 430EZ would not be compatible. The e-TTL guns are coded EX rather than EZ.

Yongnuo flashes are very good and cheap. You need one that is equipped for Canon E-TTL.

+1 for Yongnuo. - (I didn't have mine long enough to write a real review of them but they seem quite popular.) Buy her some rechargeable batteries too, preferably Eneloop.

A new camera alone is enough to deal with for a new user (not a current DSLR user), so I would wait a few months and use the camera with the 18-55mm lens and see if you really need a flash. The T8i has reasonably good high ISO performance, so you may be just fine taking photos of people in normal indoor setting without a flash. For scenic night shots outside, a flash sitting on top of the camera will not be much help, and the camera can be set to take good images in those situations. For images of friends at night, the camera's built in flash would work almost as well as an external flash unit, and the camera will have a setting for those situations. If you decide to buy a flash, the suggestions above are good, but I would recommend looking on B&H's website (not Amazon) for a unit that is fully EOS compatible. Also a flash needs to have a head that swivels for bounce, since straight ahead flash is not much better than using the camera's built in flash.

While the Yongnuo Speedlites are fully compatible with Canon's radio transmission protocol I have had battery door problems with two of my five YN 600 RT units and one of two transmitters. I am currently using Godox/Flashpoint Speedlites. Unlike Yongnuos you can not mix and match with Canon strobes since they use a different radio protocol. But they work with Canon bodies and can be controlled via the the camera's menu system. And I have had no mechanical problems with the Godox units. It is also worth mentioning that a Godox Speedlite represents an entry into a very comprehensive lighting system. Probably not a factor right now, but it might become one in the future. Furthermore, while all current Canon Speedlites use AA batteries, $ 179 will get you a Godox V 860II C with a rechargeable Li-Ion battery. The Godox is functionally nearly identical to the $ 399 Canon 600 EX II RT. Take your pick!