Flash needs for outdoor fill flash?

[lawrence_li]

<p>ND filters stand for neutral density - which means they don't change the color of your pictures only reducing the light hitting your sensor. Any decent non-ebay cheap ND filter will give you that ability without affecting your image quality.</p>

<p>The only time this really becomes an issue is when using a 10-stop ND filter, they do have color casts to them. A 2 or 3-stop ND filter will not. Some flare? Maybe if you shoot straight into the sun.</p>

<p>If you understood this then you you will come to the conclusion that the statement below is just limited or plain wrong:</p>

<p>"ND filters [are an] image degrading attachment".</p>

<p>An ND filter is a cheap option ($30 for a 77mm 2-stop B+W) so that:<br /> 1. You don't have to run out and consider a HSS flash when you don't really need to be shooting that fast.<br /> 2. Allows you the use of the full power of the flash</p>

<p>By advocating ND filters, I just wanted to point out that there are more than one way to skin a cat. And sometimes, we need all the tricks we can get.</p>

<p>In summary, as an outdoor only flash (ie: no need to rotate anywhere fancy) I would get the highest power you feel comfortable spending. (For one subject, you can get close with the flash, what about 2 or more people in your shot?) But like Scott pointed out, a 430EXII has nice integrated controls within the camera. The choice is yours at the end of the day. Only you can decide how and when you will use your flash. </p>

<p>Cheers.</p>

[scott_ferris]

The big problem with using ND filters, particularly very strong ones, is not colour castes it is focusing, and

even seeing through the viewfinder to frame. Yes you can get 10 sop variable ND filters that can be used

to wonderful effect, or you can stack two polarisers and get similar reduction in light levels that can be

very useful for landscape work, but try keeping up with a model and you run into all sorts of problems, for

shallow DOF and people shots HSS is far more practical than very dense ND filters.

 

 

 

But these are all issues Chad might never encounter.

[frank_skomial]

<p>Lawrence, you must be a politician, or a newsman, to twist and quote my statement like that.</p>

<p><em>"ND filters [are an] image degrading attachment".</em><br>

<em> </em><br>

Read also Scott's explanation.</p>

[jeff_palmucci]

<p>Another problem with using ND filters: When you are just walk around shooting, it'll a pain to keep removing and adding for different lighting conditions. </p>

[lawrence_li]

<p>Frank, you must be a politician, or a newsman, not to understand kettle and pot.<br>

I agree with Jeff's point. At the end of the day, there's no perfect camera equipment, there's always some limitation at some point. It's always a game of dollar spent vs what you can work with and want to achieve.</p>

[Brad_]

>>> Another problem with using ND filters: When you are just walk around shooting, it'll a pain to keep

removing and adding for different lighting conditions.

 

Yup, absolutely. And for those that have multiple lenses, you may need NDs for each one.

 

For normal fill situations, I've yet to run out of power with HSS. It's a big plus...

[jeffrey_c1]

<p>550ex is an excellent flash. One function that you won't get with a 550ex vs 580ex II on your 5D2 is the ability to go into the camera menu to change the flash settings. It's not that big of a deal since you have all the controls you need is on the flash itself and going through the camera menu to change the flash settings could be cumbersome when the buttons are on the flash itself.</p>

<p> </p>