[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
> Hi!
> Which flash would be the best for wedding/outdoor (fill flash) photography
> (on Z-1p)? Probably sounds silly, but I have no idea. :( For now possible
> variants are:
> 1) Pentax AF500 (reviews are saying that I'd better have a truck with AA
> batteries at the hand)
> 2) Sigma EF 500 ST/Super (looks a bit ugly, but if it works well...)
> 3) Sunpak PZ5000AF
> 4) Metz? expensive ones :(
> Price is important too: $250 is the maximum (ok, if AF500 is _really_
> good... then a bit more).
>
> Bounce/swivel head is fine, as I understand (haven't possibility to use
> one for a longer time)
> Rear curtain sync, contrast-control, manual mode, stroboscopic, etc, etc,
> which of these features are must-have, and which are just
> bells-and-whistles?
I only know about the AF500FTZ. I bring 2 to the weddings I do.
I'm not sure what to say - it's a flash, it works. ;) I assume from the
numbers that the Sigma and Sunpak are about the same power. I think
there's a Metz or 2 that are more powerful. That's a consideration only
you can make a decision on after a little experience. I find the Pentax
strong enough for my needs.
Rear-curtain sync is useful. It gives nice effects when people are
dancing. (RC sync shows the ghost trail behind them instead of in
front.) It's hard to make 30 different dancing shots look interesting,
so a few of these thrown in liven things up. It's also good for children
running around.
I've never used the strobe effect at a wedding...only tried it out for
the first time last week. For it to be useful, you'd need an external
battery pack. I'm still not sure *how* it would be useful, but I guess
it could be.
Bounce/swivel is a necessity. So is a bracket. I use a stroboframe
press-t and pro-t. I like the press-t better.
Manual mode is useful sometimes if you can figure that sort of thing
out. The thing that makes doing that tough with the Pentax is that the
guide number changes everytime the head zooms. A minor annoyance...it
would have been nice if they displayed the GN on the LCD when it zooms.
I'm not sure if it's better then the others (I've heard good things
about Metz), but the Pentax works fine for me.
tv
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