After what seemed like months, we finally saw a full day of sunshine here in Ottawa. It was a warm -2oC degrees with a light wind that made it feel like -5oC, not too bad considering we're in the middle of January.
I took this opportunity to go out and get some good shots. I left my house at around 2pm, and headed for the Ottawa River Parkway. Close to my house, and quite scenic.
I bought the Nikon Speedlight SB-800. I had already made up my mind that I needed a flash - it was just a matter of weighting the pros and cons between the SB-600 and SB-800 models. I decided to go with the SB-800 because my philosophy has always been to make an investment. I don't like buying cheaper stuff and then having to upgrade later. I'm not saying that the SB-600 is cheap by any means, but I
I have always hated the built-in flashes on cameras, no matter how fancy the
camera is. Maybe my D80 isn't the pro top-of-the-line model, but it is better
than point and shoots, and I still hate the built-in flash. It's a little more bearable
because it has more power and control (EV), but at times that just causes
harsher shadows and blown-out highlights.
I have played around with a lot of the settings, trying to get the best exposure, but in the end, the harsh lighting that they cause is a turn off. I'm not blaming the manufacturers, because they can only put so many features into a camera. I’m also getting annoyed with the reflections I get from different surfaces with the built in flash.
Since I’m not a fan of pumping my ISO up to 1600, to shoot with a faster shutter, I’m thinking about alternatives for the built in flash. I know my goal should be to improve other elements, but living in Canada a lot of my photography happens at parties, get-togethers and generally indoors, where I don’t have good, bright lighting.
