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Strobes vs Continuous LEDs – Which is right for you?

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The strobes vs continuous debate has been going on since LED lights for video and photography became a thing. It’s a debate that’s probably not ending anytime soon, either. The latest voice in the debate is that of photographer Lindsay Adler. In this video, Lindsay walks us through the pros and cons and when she chooses one over the other. She also goes a little into the history of continuous lights and why they’re now a lot more viable than they used to be.

For most photographers, continuous is often where we start. But it’s not artificial continuous light like LEDs. It’s usually the natural ambient lighting in our environments. As we start to want to shape and control light, we go into flash. But has continuous LED lighting now gotten to the point where it can replace flash? Maybe. In some situations.

Flash vs LED – which is right for your photography

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There are a lot of lighting myths out there when it comes to flash vs continuous LED lights for photography. There are also many options for both sides, no matter which one you choose to pursue. But which one should you choose? No blanket answer suits everybody, and depending on your needs, there may not be a single solution that covers everything you want to do.

But in this video, photographer Rob Hall at Sharpen takes a look at both flash and LED lights to help you figure out which you might need and why. It’s an interesting look at both systems, covering a lot of the pros and cons of each and why the same answer isn’t right for everybody.

A real-world test of the new Canon Speedlite EL-1 professional flash

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The Canon Speedlite EL-1 flash was announced late last year, and like many of you, I saw the price tag and thought that I would save some money and keep using my old Canon 600EX-RT flashes. Let’s face it, at $1099 each, these things are not cheap. But about a month ago, I decided to pull the trigger and purchase two of these flashes. Even though I typically use 6 flashes when shooting events, I had a very specific use for these two new flash heads. But that would be getting ahead of myself, so let me tell you a little about these newer flashes.

The first thing I noticed when unpacking the Speedlite EL-1 is that it is noticeably larger than the previous Canon flash heads. I believe that a big part of this is the fan which is integrated inside the Speedlite EL-1. Yes, there is a fan in these to help keep them cool, even when being used heavily.

Canon releases its first speedlight designed specifically for its mirrorless cameras

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Canon has launched the EL-5, its first mirrorless compatible speedlight. The flash unit is directly compatible with the latest Canon mirrorless bodies the R6 and brand newly released R6II, the R3, R7, and R10.

Using the speedlight with the multi-function shoe found on the R lineup of mirrorless cameras unlocks the array of upgraded features available with the EL-5. Such features include an extremely fast recycle time of between 0.1 sec and 1.2 secs, and an ultra-low power setting of just 1/1024.

The easiest way to balance flash with ambient light when shooting outdoors

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If you’ve been a predominantly natural light shooter then the prospect of adding a flash or strobe to your images could feel a little daunting. Suddenly your way of controlling light just doesn’t seem to work anymore, and it can be incredibly frustrating just trying to get the beautiful subtle effect that you’re probably going for.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Adding a hint of strobe to ambient or outdoor natural light is a great way to take your images up a notch. And as Pye Jirsa shows us in this video from Adorama, it really doesn’t have to be complicated or scary.

Now you can buy Godox’s retro flash unit in a whole rainbow of colour options

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Back in July Godox introduced its retro line of flash units. You could choose between throwbacks from the 1980s with the Lux Junior or the 1960s with the Lux Senior. Now, they have launched the Lux senior in a spectrum of colour options, for those that just didn’t think the original black unit was enough of a conversation starter.

The updated flash units are now available in beautiful colour options, from Forest Green to Velvet Red. You can also choose Rose Pink, Classic Black or Cloud White. My personal favourite, however, is the Mint Blue. For some reason, I’d always thought mint was a variation of green, but I guess I could have been wrong all my life.

A great Speedlight, but is it worth the upgrade?

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Godox announced the updated version of their square-headed Speedlight the V860III last summer. Having an extra portable flash unit in your bag is always a good idea, particularly if you’re like me and often end up shooting on location, so I was keen to try it out. Godox boasted several new features such as a new hot shoe lock and modelling light, but is it really different enough from both the previous V860II or the round-headed V1 to warrant an upgrade? Let’s take a look!

This crash course teaches you everything you need to know about using flash for portraits

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Flash is almost an inevitability when it comes to portraits. At some point or another, you’re going to find yourself frustrated with the “natural light” and you’re going to want to either try to overpower it or complement it to improve its looks or you’re going to give in completely, head indoors and go for a more studio-style setup away from the wind and rain and crappy weather. Whatever the reason, it’s as inevitable as Thanos.

But where do you begin? What gear do you need to get started? What do all the terms mean? How do you use them? What are modifiers? Key light? What? Well, all these questions and more are answered in this hour and a half long video from photographer Ed Verosky. It’s a complete crash course on using flash to shoot portraits, although much of what’s said applies to flash in any context.

Remember this ad from 12 years ago? This is why you don’t use on-camera flash for sports photography

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Are you sitting comfortably? Great! Now, think back 12 years ago. Yes, that would be pre-multiple political upheavals, pre-pandemic and pre-full frame mirrorless cameras. It was a much simpler time, we were all so innocent then…but I digress.

Take a look at this Buffalo Wings commercial from 2010 that hilariously pokes fun at sports photographers using on-camera flash. The results of which, have a disasterous effect on the athletes.

Three beginner off-camera flash mistakes you really need to avoid

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When you’re first starting out photographing people with flash, it can be a bit overwhelming. Even if you’re used to shooting with natural light, the pieces don’t all click into place right away and it’s easy to make mistakes and not be entirely sure how to rectify the problem. So, here’s Francisco Hernandez with three of the mistakes he sees new off-camera flash photographers making and how to resolve them.

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