External Flash Units

[TheSeagull]

Hi,
I have a Panasonic FZ28 and am interested in purchasing an external flash unit, I tried to build a diffuser for my onboard flash but it didn't do squat Any recommendations for an external flash unit that I could use on nocturnal species without blown-out eyes, red eye etc. as well as macro?
Thanks,
(Cheaper the better, probably £50 budget, might stretch to £100 if you convince me!)

[acherontia]

Originally Posted by TheSeagull

Hi,
I have a Panasonic FZ28 and am interested in purchasing an external flash unit, I tried to build a diffuser for my onboard flash but it didn't do squat Any recommendations for an external flash unit that I could use on nocturnal species without blown-out eyes, red eye etc. as well as macro?
Thanks,
(Cheaper the better, probably £50 budget, might stretch to £100 if you convince me!)

You can buy simple paper/card diffusers for a few quid (they're very effective)and Metz flashes with sensors (bought very cheaply second hand) will be triggered by the diffused, or even masked, on board flash. One thing they won't do though, is fire quickly - you need a speed light on top for that and I'm not sure your camera has a hot shoe - my knowledge is limited to DSLRs
Also - use any lighting discriminatively as you must always be aware that some creatures may be disturbed by it. Foxes don't mind, or most insects but some birds can be very freaked out so I wouldn't recommend you expand your photographic range at the expense of the welfare of wildlife.

Acher

[TheSeagull]

Originally Posted by acherontia

You can buy simple paper/card diffusers for a few quid (they're very effective)and Metz flashes with sensors (bought very cheaply second hand) will be triggered by the diffused, or even masked, on board flash. One thing they won't do though, is fire quickly - you need a speed light on top for that and I'm not sure your camera has a hot shoe - my knowledge is limited to DSLRs
Also - use any lighting discriminatively as you must always be aware that some creatures may be disturbed by it. Foxes don't mind, or most insects but some birds can be very freaked out so I wouldn't recommend you expand your photographic range at the expense of the welfare of wildlife.

Acher

No the FZ28 doesn't have a hot shoe. So a simple diffuser should do the trick? I don't want to harm the subject.

Like this? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sto-Fen-OM-E...9507281&sr=8-1

[pressld2]

At the risk of restarting the old "it's not the kit, it's how you use it" debate, I think the FZ28 may not be the right tool for what you're trying to achieve. Diffusing the flash will help with red eye but will also reduce the output. As I said in the Photographing Nocturnal Species thread, your best bet is to put some distance - 12 inches or more - between your flash and the lens. I.e. use off-camera flash. You can get a cheap or secondhand (or both) flashgun and use a slave unit to trigger it but that means that your pop-up flash will still be firing and causing red eye. Can you reduce the power of the pop-up flash at all? I know it doesn't have a hot shoe but does the camera have a socket for a flash synch cord?

You just need to find a way of triggering a remote flash but, like Acher, I don't know enough about the FZ28 to know if this is possible.

Dave P.

P.s. just had a look on the Panasonic web site and the camera does allow flash output adjustment to -2EV so you could try using that to trigger a remote flash using a simple slave unit. But I suspect you'll have to use manual mode and work out the exposure using the flash guide number. The in-camera metering won't work as it won't know about or allow for the external flash.

[acherontia]

Originally Posted by pressld2

your best bet is to put some distance - 12 inches or more - between your flash and the lens. I.e. use off-camera flash. You can get a cheap or secondhand (or both) flashgun and use a slave unit to trigger it but that means that your pop-up flash will still be firing and causing red eye. Can you reduce the power of the pop-up flash at all? I know it doesn't have a hot shoe but does the camera have a socket for a flash synch cord?

You just need to find a way of triggering a remote flash but, like Acher, I don't know enough about the FZ28 to know if this is possible.

I may be wrong (I don't think I am) but as I said the onboard flash can be heavily diffused and the off board slaves will still fire? It works with my camera but I mainly use this sytem for studio work - although I have used it outside too in poor light conditions. This would avoid the red eye methinks.

Anyone have an FZ28?

Acher