Flashgun for Nikon D5200?
I'm looking for a cheap flashgun as I have never had one before. I would also like to use one that would be compatible for creative off camera shots. I have looked at 2 on amazon:
1. Gloxy TR-985 N TTL Flash Nikon
2. YONGNUO OEM YN-560 III
After reading various reviews I'm a little confused whether or not they would be compatible or not for off camera shots and whether or not I would need some extra adaptor to make the connection from camera to flash. Also I do not understand why and when TTL would be needed?
Can anybody help please?
If you want the flash units to be automatic - that is, so that they self-adjust to the proper flash out regardless of whether or not you are in auto exposure mode - or another mode on your camera, then the flash units need to support iTTL. If this is important to you, then you need to confirm that they are.
Otherwise, most flash units will work in manual mode, which means you must manually set the flash output, which requires you to calculate the proper output. This often works best when the camera itself is also in manual mode. Some professional photographers prefer this approach as it gives them maximum control over the flash output - but it can be intimidating to a novice.
Once you have that figured out, you need to figure out a way to remote fire your flash off camera. The easiest way is to buy a remote cable, such as a SC-29, which plugs into the hot shoe of your camera and into your flash. Generally these cables give you 10ft.
Next, you can buy 3rd party radio triggers. The least expensive ones, such as Yongnuo RF-603s are about $50 a set, and can ONLY be used in manual mode. That is - you must put the flash into manual mode to use them. Of course, if your flash only supports manual mode, then this is not a problem.
Next, you can buy radio triggers that understand iTTL, such as those made by Pocket Wizard or Radio Popper. They make both manual and iTTL versions, so make sure you buy the right ones. These will set you back almost $500.
The alternative is to buy a Nikon SB300 speedlight ($330) and a Nikon SU800 ($250) controller. These units work in iTTL off camera. The SU800 goes on the hot shoe of your camera and can control the flash remotely. Had you bought an advanced Nikon DSLR, such as a D7100, it would have had the SU800 controller built in, and all you would have had to do is by a SB300 speedlight.
Unfortunately, your entry level DSLR lacks such a control. This is why I always recommend buying the advanced cameras if you are going to do advanced stuff as after you add $250 to the cost of the D5200 for the SU800 - you would have been close to the cost of the D7100.
I'd go for the Yongnuo - I have two of them (older models) and they work fine off camera as manual flashes.
Those flashes don't support TTL. I don't use TTL (ie auto flash) because, like most things 'Auto' it gets it wrong. It is also not ideal if you want to light creatively.
Much better to learn to light manually & choose how YOU want the shot to look.
To work the flash off camera, I recommend RF602 (or RF603) radio triggers. The RF602 are a 'unit' of a transmitter & a receiver - the transmitter goes on the hotshoe and the receiver goes on the flash foot. The RF603 units are transceivers (both transmit and receive) so it doesn't matter which goes on the hotshoe.
If you get the Yongnuo, it has a built in receiver for RF602 or RF603 triggers, so you'd only need to buy the transmitter (in the case of RF602) or one RF603.
Edited to add: Jst to show you the results you can get with cheap manual flashes, this is a 'strobist' swim shoot I did a couple of years back using 2 x YN560 flashes and RF602 triggers. The flashes were in plastic containers to keep 'em dry!
If it doesn't say 'Nikon' on it, I wouldn't buy it.
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