Flash advice please

[cone]

Hi , any advice welcome please , my main use of my camera is for mountain bike shots , which a lot of the time is spent in dark forests trying to capture people at speed (ish), The kit I'm using is a canon 450d (love it) , and a mix of the nifty fifty F1.8 and just purchased a sigma 18-50 F2.8, now I'm thinking a flashgun may help lighten things a little . So on a budget of around £200 notes and the note I have to carry it in my rucksack + still ride ,is this a good idea and what sort of flash should I be looking at (I've never used flash before). Thanks all

Ex, this sort of thing I'm thinking more light - faster shutter speeds etc

[Simpo Two]

It will help a little if the subject is not too far away, but of course it will illuminate near things more then far things and so give a different look to the photos. You also have to consider if the cyclists are going to be distracted by the flash.

That' smy 4p anyway

[Pete Baraka]

As above.

If you're looking for a new Canon flash at that price you'll probably want a 430EX II. Dixons have a good deal on this currently - better than many UK online specialist shops. Also consider a cheap radio flash trigger set from eBay, so you can put the flash off-camera / nearer to the action.

Pete

[cone]

Hmm , didn't think about the flash in eyes problem , hey hoe - would make for a good second shot of them crashing. Cheers for rest of replies.

[beano500]

cone said:

....would make for a good second shot of them crashing.

You'll need a powerful high speed strobe for that - with a Quantum power pack. Keep low and wait until you see the whites of their eyes....

Edited by beano500 on Thursday 17th September 14:57

[Pete Baraka]

Just a quick example of some bike action with on-camera flash, from last weekend / using a 580EX II -



A slow'ish 1/100th sec shutter speed for some good background blur plus a flash at the end of the exposure. This technique should work well with Mountain Bikes too.

Pete

[fergusd]

You can do very well with a couple of flashguns . . . This guys work is stunning :-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/18884139@N00/

Fd

[Simpo Two]

fergusd said:

You can do very well with a couple of flashguns . . . This guys work is stunning :-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/18884139@N00/

Fd

'Another Isar Ride ending up in A&E. Pic shows Max just before it went pear shaped.'

Great shot but the flash can't have helped (unless he'd lost it beforehand of course!)