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  • posts about #pointandshootcameras more →

    Giz Explains: When (Not) To Use Your Camera's Flash

    12.2-Megapixel, HD-Shooting Samsung WB1000/TL320 Arrives Next Week, Still Thinks It's a Car

    Waterproof Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 is the Toughbook of Digital Cameras
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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of NeoAkira NeoAkira
    10/08/09

    In reply to Giz Explains: When (Not) To Use Your Camera's Flash
    Unfortunately, the people who should read this article are the last ones who will. Because most of those people who don't know when to use their flash are the idiots that don't know the difference between the auto and manual settings on their cameras.

    As long as there's stupid people, there will be unnecessary flash.
     Reply
    NeoAkira was starred NeoAkira was unstarred
    Image of pinecone99 pinecone99
    10/08/09

    In reply to Giz Explains: When (Not) To Use Your Camera's Flash
    I think most people don't have a clue how to turn off the flash on their P&S. And don't care enough to figure it out.
     Reply
    NeoAkira promoted this comment pinecone99 was starred pinecone99 was unstarred
    Image of TheWerewolf - Sotto voce TheWerewolf - Sotto voce
    10/08/09

    In reply to Giz Explains: When (Not) To Use Your Camera's Flash
    I'm constantly amazed by people who use their flash in sporting events. I mean really - do they think their tiny flash will add ANY light to the scene?

    And then there's the people who flash through glass.

    Me, I keep my camera at ISO 3200 and never touch the flash. :)
     Reply
    TheWerewolf - Sotto voce was starred TheWerewolf - Sotto voce was unstarred
    Image of karmaghost karmaghost
    10/07/09

    In reply to Giz Explains: When (Not) To Use Your Camera's Flash
    My father (who used to work for Kodak) always commented on the camera flashes we used to see on TV during major sporting events and how useless they were.
     Reply
    John Herrman promoted this comment karmaghost was starred karmaghost was unstarred
    Image of we be illin we be illin
    10/07/09

    In reply to Giz Explains: When (Not) To Use Your Camera's Flash
     Reply
    John Herrman promoted this comment Cordfucious of Tech Clan approved this comment we be illin was starred we be illin was unstarred
    Image of CrispyAardvark CrispyAardvark
    10/07/09

    In reply to Giz Explains: When (Not) To Use Your Camera's Flash
    I've found a dollar bill held in front of the flash can work at a pinch. Surprisingly the color isn't projected as much as you'd expect.
     Reply
    John Herrman promoted this comment CrispyAardvark was starred CrispyAardvark was unstarred
    Image of Switchyard Sullivan Switchyard Sullivan
    10/07/09

    In reply to Giz Explains: When (Not) To Use Your Camera's Flash
    "Every time I go to a nighttime sporting event or concert, I see hundreds of starry flickers coming from the stands. When I see them, I die a little inside."

    Amen. Amen.
     Reply
    veronykah promoted this comment Switchyard Sullivan was starred Switchyard Sullivan was unstarred
    Image of veronykah veronykah
    10/07/09

    @Switchyard Sullivan: My personal favorite is all the little flashes you see going off on the top of the Empire State building.
     Reply
    Edited by veronykah at 10/07/09 5:02 PM veronykah was starred veronykah was unstarred
    Image of sir_pantsalot sir_pantsalot
    10/07/09

    In reply to Giz Explains: When (Not) To Use Your Camera's Flash
    A flash should not be used at religious ceremonies like weddings. Our church does not allow them and some profesional photographers don't know this.
     Reply
    sir_pantsalot was starred sir_pantsalot was unstarred
    Image of Navin R Johnson Navin R Johnson
    10/07/09

    In reply to Giz Explains: When (Not) To Use Your Camera's Flash
    It's unfortunate but there is almost no possible way to take a good photo with a built in flash.

    Using a flash with a diffuser or even bouncing the light off a wall or ceiling makes such a huge difference in the quality of a photo.

    It's a shame camera companies don't make point and shoot cameras with pivoting flashes or little diffusers.
     Reply
    Navin R Johnson was starred Navin R Johnson was unstarred
    Image of Navin R Johnson Navin R Johnson
    10/07/09

    @Navin R Johnson: Oh, I just remembered, if your point and shoot has a "night shot" mode this can be useful for taking cool photos in dark clubs or say a carnival at night.

    It fires the flash but also keeps the shutter open so you get a clear photo of the foreground (usually people) and tracers of any moving lights too. Cool effect.
     Reply
    Navin R Johnson was starred Navin R Johnson was unstarred
    Image of bigosaballer bigosaballer
    10/07/09

    In reply to Giz Explains: When (Not) To Use Your Camera's Flash
    I think it's important to note that many point-and-shoots don't have decent settings for exposure, and as such when you turn the flash off, the exposure time automatically lengthens. So, in the case of the stadium, no, your flash will not reach the players, but you will get a much crisper picture overall and the flash won't otherwise have an effect on the picture as long as there aren't any objects in the way and the stadium in lit decently. I've found myself enabling the flash just for this purpose at a baseball game before.
     Reply
    KTK1990 promoted this comment John Herrman approved this comment bigosaballer was starred bigosaballer was unstarred
    Image of KTK1990 KTK1990
    10/07/09

    @bigosaballer: So true. I have a camera where I can edit some settings, but not all. The flash, flashes 3 times and blinds people (didnt know when I got the camera in St. Maarten when my old one broke). I have to use flash every time, even though I know flash should be set off. The photos look great with flash on (sometimes the flash messes it up though). But when I turn off the flash, all I get is 8 Megapixils of blur.
     Reply
    KTK1990 was starred KTK1990 was unstarred
    Image of tyskkvinna tyskkvinna
    10/07/09

    @KTK1990: Then you really need to learn how to hold a camera steady. Or get a tripod.
     Reply
    KTK1990 promoted this comment tyskkvinna was starred tyskkvinna was unstarred
    Image of KTK1990 KTK1990
    10/07/09

    @tyskkvinna: I hold it steady, the camera turned out to be a not so good camera. I used it at Sea world a few weeks ago, had major lag... Missed the shots I wanted to get, but ended up with some other great shots.
     Reply
    KTK1990 was starred KTK1990 was unstarred
    Image of This2ShallPass This2ShallPass
    10/07/09

    In reply to Giz Explains: When (Not) To Use Your Camera's Flash
    I flash right BEFORE taking the pictures, to get that unforgettable look on people's face. Oh wait.
     Reply
    Eavangel promoted this comment John Herrman approved this comment This2ShallPass was starred This2ShallPass was unstarred
    Image of nat lyon nat lyon
    10/07/09

    In reply to Giz Explains: When (Not) To Use Your Camera's Flash
    Really nice piece of work. To summarize- photos are all about light and how it's reflected. Think about it before you push the button.
     Reply
    Wilson Rothman promoted this comment nat lyon was starred nat lyon was unstarred
    Image of planetarian planetarian
    10/07/09

    In reply to Giz Explains: When (Not) To Use Your Camera's Flash
    YESSSSSS. Articles like this are a godsend. The more people become aware of proper flash handling, the better! Long exposures FTW!
     Reply
    Wilson Rothman promoted this comment planetarian was starred planetarian was unstarred
    Image of smd58tx smd58tx
    10/07/09

    In reply to Giz Explains: When (Not) To Use Your Camera's Flash
    You may say don't use them at stadiums, but being on the field with thousands of flashbulbs going off at once is quite an awesome sight to behold.

    Yeah, their photos are going to suck, but it makes me feel special.
     Reply
    Wilson Rothman approved this comment smd58tx was starred smd58tx was unstarred
    Image of thebigcheese thebigcheese
    10/07/09

    In reply to Giz Explains: When (Not) To Use Your Camera's Flash
    I'd like to edit the section about reducing the flash's intensity. It does not, in fact, "just" turn down the brightness. By doing so, you generally also change the color temperature of the light it emits, so instead of being, say, white, it will get more yellow. That's a problem if you want to get your white balance right (though the auto mode of your camera might be good enough to compensate, I haven't had much luck even with my G9).
     Reply
    Wilson Rothman promoted this comment Edited by thebigcheese at 10/07/09 3:03 PM thebigcheese was starred thebigcheese was unstarred
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