Almost all high-end DSLR cameras come with an inbuilt flash so that you can take photos even in the dark. While this makes DSLR cameras quite versatile, professionals might not be satisfied with the inbuilt flash of any camera.
And thus, you can find several external camera flashes out there on websites like Amazon. These offer various useful features and options which makes them better than the inbuilt flash of your camera. But you have to check multiple things before buying a flash like the following factors:
- Recharge Time: All camera flashes use a capacitor to emit highly bright light in a short period. And just like a battery, a capacitor takes time to charge. But if you want to take multiple photos, you would want this recharge time to be less.
- Zoom Range: Apart from the lens of your camera, external camera flashes also offer a zoom range. And this zoom range is there to make sure that the flash works perfectly with the focal length of the lens that you are currently using. Thus, make sure to get a flash with a similar zoom range as your camera lens.
- Flash Modes: You can find multiple flash modes in any camera flash, which can be quite handy. All of these different flash modes can be quite useful in different scenarios. Therefore, a camera flash with more flash modes is more versatile.
Apart from these main factors, there are other important things to consider, as well. And for that, we have a detailed Buying Guide for you. This can give you an in-depth know-how of the features and can ease your buying process further. We also have listed some of the best camera flashes in India right now.
Best Camera Flashes in India
| Camera Flashes | Zoom Range | Compatibility | Recharge Time | Flash modes | Warranty | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osaka Camera Flash | 18 to 180 mm Manual | Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Sony | 0.1 to 3 seconds | S1, S2, Multi, and M | 6 months | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Godox Ving V 860 II Flash Camera | 14 to 200 mm | Canon EOS cameras | 0.1 to 1.5 seconds | 1 Flash | 1 year | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Godox Thinklite TT685 Camera Flash | 14 to 200 mm | Canon EOS cameras | 0.1 to 2.6 seconds | Auto Flash | 1 year | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Osaka Camera TTL Flash | 18 to 180 mm | Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Sony | 0.1 to 3seconds | TTL Flash | 6 months | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Neewer NW-565 Speedlite Flashlight | 18 to 180 mm | Canon Digital SLR cameras | 2.9 seconds | TTL, M, FEB, Slave, S1, S2, Multi | NIL | CHECK ON AMAZON |
Best Camera Flashes in India: Reviews
1. Osaka Camera Flash Speedlite Speedlight TT990 DSLR Camera
Osaka is a highly rated brand on Amazon which sells various camera accessories, including camera flashes. And we are here with one of the cheapest camera flashes available on Amazon.
The Osaka Speedlight TT990 camera flash is present in the 1st position in this article as it is the cheapest option out there. It offers a zoom range of 18 to 180 with a manual zoom function — this quite common at this price range. A great thing about this camera flash is that it is compatible with almost all camera brands.
You also get easy access controls along with an information display on the back of this display. These controls can be quite useful to change the flash modes as well as check other settings of this camera flash.
Zoom Range: You get a zoom range of 18 to 180 mm in this camera flash.
Recharge Time: This camera flash has a recharge time of 0.1 to 3 seconds.
Best Features:
- Included Diffuser and Stand
Even though this is a budget camera flash, it offers a free diffuser as well as a flash stand in the box. This diffuser can be quite useful to make the light from this flash soft for portraits quite easily. - 8 Power Levels
This camera flash offers a total of 8 power levels for different brightness levels. And you can easily switch between these power levels using the controls on the back. These power levels can help you save battery of your camera when high brightness is not required. - 4 Flash Modes
You also get 4 flash modes in this camera flash, which makes it quite flexible and versatile. These flash modes include m, s1, s2, and multi-flash modes. You can use either of these according to your shooting requirements.
Warranty and Customer Support:
Even though this is the cheapest camera flash in this article. Osaka offers a 6 month warranty with it. And you can avail this warranty in case of any issues using this link:
Contact Osaka
Pros
- Great value for money
- 8 levels of brightness
- Free diffuser and flash stand
- 4 flash modes
- Easy to use controls and display
- Zoom range of 18 to 180 mm
- Recharge time of 0.1 to 3 seconds
Cons
- Build quality is average
- Power consumption is a bit high
Verdict:
If you are on a budget, the Osaka TT990 camera flash can be a great camera flash option. Despite its price, you get various useful features and options in this camera flash. And it works with most camera brands without any issues.
2. Godox Ving V 860 II TTL Li-Ion Flash Kit for Canon Cameras
Godox is a high-end brand that is known to make various camera accessories. We are here with a great camera flash option from Godox if you want various useful features in a camera flash.
Godox’s Ving V 860 II camera flash is present in the 2nd position in this article as it is a highly feature-rich camera flash. One of the best things about this camera flash is that it comes with a 2000 mAh battery included in the box. As a result, you can use this flash without consuming the battery of your camera via the hot shoe mount.
This camera flash also offers wireless connectivity over a 2.4 GHz system, which is quite reliable. It can be used to trigger the flash wirelessly from more than 100 meters away. You can use this feature while using multiple master and slave camera flashes.
Zoom Range: It offers a zoom range of 14 to 200 mm on a full-frame scale.
Recharge Time: The Godox Ving V 860 II takes 0.1 to 1.5 seconds to charge.
Best Features:
- High-Performance Flash
This camera flash offers a zoom range of 14 to 200 mm which is best in class. And it has a flash duration of 1/300 to 1/20000, which is quite significant even for professional usage. And you can do all of this on battery power using the included battery - Long Battery Life
The included battery with this camera flash is rated at 2000 mAh. This offers a very long battery life. You can easily do a full photoshoot on a single charge of the camera flash battery. - Wireless X System
Wireless X System in this camera flash makes it quite flexible and versatile. It allows you to control this camera flash wirelessly while using it as a slave or a master camera flash.
Warranty and Customer Support:
Since Godox is a high-end camera accessory brand, it offers a 1 year warranty with this camera flash. If you face any issues with this camera flash, you can contact Godox using this link:
Pros
- Great build quality
- Bright camera flash
- High-performance camera flash
- Comes with a wireless system
- Includes a battery with long battery life
- Great zoom range
- Advanced controls and dials on the back
Cons
- Price is a bit high
Verdict:
The Godox Ving V 860 II is one of the most advanced camera flashes available on the market. And you can use this one for both casual as well as professional usage. It’s Wireless X System makes it very versatile.
The Godox Thinklite TT685 is quite similar to the previous version but comes at a much cheaper price. While this camera flash does not come with a battery, you can find various other similar features. It is a full-auto TTL auto flash with 1/8000 second high-speed sync, which is quite great to have its given price. And just like the previous Godox camera flash, this one also comes with a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty. It has a slightly higher recharge time than the previous one, as this is rated at 0.1 to 2.6 seconds.
3. Osaka Camera TTL Flash Speedlight
We have yet another camera flash option form Osaka which is better than the previous one. And as you would expect, it is also slightly more expensive than the other Osaka flash present in this article.
This camera flash from Osaka is in the 3rd position as it offers a great balance between price and features. Even though this camera flash is quite affordable, you can find various useful high-end features in it. And a great thing about this camera flash is that it works with both Canon as well as Nikon DSLRs.
You can find various flash modes with this camera flash, including automatic, stroboscopic, LED, Canon master, Nikon master, Slave C, Slave N, mode S1, S2, and much more. And all of these flash modes make this camera flash quite versatile for use in all kinds of scenarios.
Zoom Range: It offers a zoom range of 18 to 180 mm
Recharge Time: It takes 0.1 to 0.3 seconds to recharge after use.
Best Features:
- Included Diffuser and Stand
Just like the previous Osaka camera flash, this one also includes a flash diffuser and a flash stand, which can be quite handy. - High-Speed Synchronous
You get 4 wireless channel control in this camera flash. This is quite useful for multiple flash setups. And this camera flash also offers 1/8000 high-speed sync. - Adjustable Power Output
The power output of this camera flash is adjustable according to your needs and requirements. You can adjust it from 1/1 to 1/128 however you like. And it also comes with multiple auto self-protection.
Warranty and Customer Support:
As mentioned previously, Osaka offers a 6 month warranty with this camera flash. If you face any issues with this camera flash, you can contact Osaka using this link:
Contact Osaka
Pros
- Offers wireless connectivity
- 1 to 0.3 seconds of recharge time
- Various flash modes
- Free flash diffuser and flash stand
- Works with Canon and Nikon cameras
- Adjustable power output
- High-speed synchronous capability
Cons
- Brightness is average
Verdict:
This Osaka DF860 camera flash offers a great value for money. Even though this is an affordable camera flash, it still offers various useful features and options to the user. You even get wireless connectivity in this camera flash for multiple flash setups.
4. Neewer NW-565 EXC E-TTL Slave Speedlite Flashlight
Newer is another popular brand of camera accessories, which also makes camera flashes. And we are here with a highly rated camera flash option from Neewer in this article.
Coming to the final camera flash in this article, the Neewer 565 offers excellent support with Canon cameras. You can either use this camera flash as a master flash or as a slave flash as per your requirements. It even offers both auto as well as a manual zoom range of 18 to 180 mm.
It even comes with various other useful features that make the overall experience even better. This includes things like PC synchronous, sniff mode, over-temperature protection, and much more.
Zoom Range: You get a zoom range of 18 to 180 mm in this camera flash.
Recharge Time: It takes 2.9 seconds for this camera flash to fully recharge
Best Features:
- Compatible with Canon
This camera flash is compatible with most Canon cameras out of the box. As a result, you can use the auto-zoom function of this camera quite easily. It allows you to enjoy its 18 to 180 mm zoom range. - Runs on AA batteries
While this camera flash can be powered directly from the hot shoe mount of your camera, you can also power it using AA batteries. This allows you to save a lot of battery life of your camera, which can be used to take more photos. - Easy to Use Controls
You get a display and various controls on the back of this camera flash. And all of these can be quite useful for controlling this camera flash and changing its various settings.
Warranty and Customer Support:
Unfortunately, Neewer does not offer any manufacturer’s warranty to the user here in India. You only get a 10 day replacement warranty from Amazon, very useful for replacing the camera flash if you face any issues on delivery.
Pros
- Runs on AA batteries
- Easy to use controls and display
- Offers decent brightness
- Comes with included diffuser
- Various TTL flash functions
- Takes 2.9 seconds to fully charge
- Auto-zoom range of 18 to 180 mm
Cons
- Does not come with a warranty
- Only supports Canon cameras
Verdict:
The Neewer NW-565 can be a great pick if you use a Canon camera. It offers support for auto zoom along with various other useful features. This camera flash only takes 2.9 seconds to fully charge. You also get an included diffuser in this camera flash.
A Guide to Buy Best Camera Flashes in India
At the most basic level, a flash is used to bring more light into your photography. This is a great option where pulling out of the big and bulkier lights aren’t required.
However, sometimes, flashes can ruin a photograph as the lighting can be harsh. Also, it can leave the image over-exposed. And hence, here are some considerations you might want to look out for when buying a camera flash:
Type of Flashes as per your Requirements
There are several types of flashes out there, and picking up one as per your requirements is essential and necessary. It depends on what kind of photography you’re planning to do. Is it indoor or outdoor, and at what time of the day you are going to do the shoot? Because sometimes, the flashes that are built in your camera can cause several difficulties for you.
- In-built camera flash
The in-built camera flashes flare the light only in the direction of your subject. And hence, it can create hard contrast and cause the background to be unbelievably dark. However, sometimes, this is what the photographer is looking for, and built-in camera flashes can do the trick. So it depends upon the requirements of the photographer entirely.
- Dedicated camera flash
A dedicated camera flash will fit right onto your camera’s hot shoe and coordinate with the ISO sensitivity of your camera along with the shutter speed and f-stop. Moreover, it will then determine the optimal flash strength output. This flash is preferred over the built-in flash because you have more power to work with and manipulate.
You can also avoid the problem of the red-eye by angling the light in such a way that it bounces off to your subject and gives it a soft look. Moreover, this light has versatile features, and it also gives you the freedom to work with. So you can use it in the way you want to and click the best possible photo.
- Ring-light camera flash
A ring-light camera flash is generally used in macro photography, and it fits on the barrel of the lens. It provides you with soft diffused light, which is the idea for macro photography because during macro photography as the depth of field increases and the main focus is just the subject, lighting can sometimes be problematic.
Now, built-in camera flashes are not ideal for macro photography as they can make the photo overexposed. However, a ring-light flash helps you get as close to the subject as possible. Also, it provides a soft glow that will not give hard contrast or shadows. It will also emphasize the details, which is the primary intention when it comes to macro photography.
- Hammerhead flash
A hammerhead flash provides more mobility than other flashes and generally offers more power. As it has a high light output, it is preferred by journalists and wedding photographers. This flash also gives you the feature of the trigger. And hence, you don’t always have to be behind your camera. You can also fire the flash from a remote location.
Moreover, you can also use flash in many other different ways to make a perfect picture. There is a technique called fill-in flash, which is used when the background is illuminated, and your subject seems darker. And hence, you can use fill lights to remove the shadows and hard contrast to make your subject illuminated.
Also, this provides balance to your image. You can also use this flash as a backlight where the light is shone from the back of the subject. Moreover, it gives kind of a semi silhouette look. So, all in all, it depends upon the requirement of the photographer, i.e. what type of flash he/she needs or what kind of look he/she wants to achieve.
Your Budget
Sometimes when you’re trying to find the best flash that suits your specification, it can end up being alarmingly expensive. Moreover, this might happen if you’re new to the field and are just trying out some gears, even more so. And hence, it is essential to look out for a flash that doesn’t just suit your needs; however, is in your budget as well. So first, you need to decide what needs you have and then set a budget and then look out for a flash.
If you are new and looking out to learn and explore the field, you can go for an entry-level flash. These will be easy on the pocket; it also comes with a lot of simple features. The best feature in this class is the slave mode. It triggers and automatically fires when it senses light from another speed-light.
As you get experienced, you can go for more advanced models. That way, you will understand how everything works, and you can learn your way and then invest.
Fire Time
The firing time is the time that a flash takes to fire and then recover from firing again. This is also called the flash recycle rate. Sometimes if the controls of the flash are manual, you can fire it again before it fully recovers or has reached its full potential again. It can also leave your picture to be underexposed. However, sometimes, that might turn out to be precisely what the photographer was hoping and aiming for.
Also, at other times, it might hide the details of the subject. So while using a flash with manual controls, you can control the time your flash takes to recover. However, the power of the light reduces, and sometimes that might be all that you require. Moreover, this can be used when you’re outside or have ample light shining on your subject. This is also good when you just want that little extra light to give it more detail.
And hence, you can then manually set the flash power, which then significantly increases the recycle speed. Other than that, you must buy a flash, which has a larger firing and recycling time if you have to take pictures in rapid succession. Also, a more powerful flash will take more time to recycle and reach the full potential of light again. Since they put out more light, they take more time to recover as well.
Trigger
If we look at the broader spectrum, then flashes can be categorized into two groups, Slave and Master. If you need more than one flash, then you can opt for a master flash, which triggers the other flash when fired.
Slave Flash: Well, a slave flash will automatically fire when it senses light from the master flash. Moreover, this is required so that the photographer doesn’t have to keep standing behind the flash to fire it. Here the ‘power’ feature of the flash comes into view.
Master Flash: A more powerful flash will emit more light and will be considered more authoritative. And hence, its light will even illuminate subjects that are far away from the camera. So a powerful flash is usually a master flash. Power is also depicted using guide numbers. The higher the guide numbers, the more powerful the flash and the light it will emit.
Few additional camera Flash features
- Wireless Flash control
- Manual control
- Weatherproof Flash
- Silent Flash
- External power feature
- Special effects
Essential Things to Keep in Mind
A good flash will certainly make your picture more appealing. It will help in opening more gates for you to experiment and learn. Flash can provide that extra highlight to your subject, which gives the exact precise detail that you wanted to convey. Also, you will gain proper knowledge and start to manipulate lighting in your way.
You might even discover what type of photography you’re interested in if you haven’t already discovered. This is because when you gain more knowledge, it opens up several opportunities for you. Moreover, it can be used in so many interesting ways to make the picture eye-pleasing.
And hence, when you’re buying a flash, you must not just go for something blindly. You must consider all the options and look for alternatives to compare the prices, ask the experts. It might help if you write the features you want on a sheet of paper. Investing in a flash isn’t cheap or one time. Also, you might want to keep updating as the technology keep updating. So buy a flash, which suits your needs and DSLR in the best way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Well, it depends. If you have to take pictures in an area, which is hardly lit and has a low light situation, you will require using the TTL (Through the Lens) flash mode. Moreover, high-speed sync, i.e. HSS involves the use of the TTL flash mode.
Guide Number could be calculated by this equation: Aperture number (For example Number 8 in f/8) X Subject distance (For example 10 feet): F/8 x 10 feet, i.e. GN = 80 (feet units)
Moreover, this calculation stands for the “correct flash exposure” situation.
Well, this also depends on a few things that include the aperture setting. In the case, if you are using f/3.5, the camera flash reaches around 12 feet to illuminate a subject, for a built-in flash. In the case of an external camera flash, the reach is 50 feet plus.
Although there are flash units, which are without an option to zoom, however, there are some that do have an automated flash zoom mode. What a flash zoom does is that it helps in adjusting the spreading of the light emitted by flash depending upon the lens’s focal length.
You can use it on Nikon; however, only for flash exposure and no I-TTL/E-TTL or high-speed sync (FP) or compensation on flash exposure, etc.
Conclusion
External camera flashes are a great way to improve your photography if you shoot a lot in low light conditions. These can also be quite useful if you are into portrait photography. DIfferent camera flashes offer different features that can be useful in various cases. We have mentioned some of the best options in this article along with their features. But if you are still not able to choose the best one for you, here are some of our recommendations:
- If you are on a budget, the Osaka TT990 can be an excellent pick for many users. Even though this is the cheapest option in this article, you get various useful features. And it is supported by multiple camera brands.
- For those of you who want the best camera flash with various useful features, the Godox Ving V 860 II is another excellent option. While this flash is on the expensive side, it offers various useful features along with an inbuilt battery.
- The Osaka DF860 is another great camera flash that offers a decent value for money. Even though it is not the most robust flash in this article, it is more than enough for most users. And all of the features offered by it make it a great practical option.
Make sure to share your thoughts in the comments section. You can also post any questions down there if you have any!
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