Slave Flash for FZ7 - Any suppliers in the UK?

[NickHodgson]

I've read a few threads on people using a slave flash with the FZ7 to help avoid the washout encountered when using the built-in flash.

The only problem is that the suppliers that they've referenced are based in the US. Now I guess I could import one, but ideally I'd like to get one from a supplier in the UK - can anyone help? I've tried a google search, but without success.

Also, does anyone have any results with and without slave flash? I've seen the with / without on manufacturers websites, but it's always nice to see an actual users examples!

Thanks

 

[Steve82]

I imagine that people are getting tired of seeing these two volleyball pictures, but here are some examples from two different gyms.

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n137/Steve_82/VolleyBall/P1080364A_crop.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n137/Steve_82/VolleyBall/P1070578B_resize.jpg

I am at work and photobucket is blocked by the corporate firewall so I hope that the links will work. If not, I will try and fix them this evening when I get home.

Sorry that I can't help with UK suppliers.

 

[NickHodgson]

they look great. How far away from the action were you and what length of zoom are you using?

Thanks
nick

 

[Steve82]

The one with four or five girls was taken at 52 mm (effective) and the one that was cropped to the single girl spiking was taken at 73 mm (effective). The shots were taken on different days (in different gyms), but I usually sat about three or four rows back on the bleachers.

Both pictures were post processed to brighten the shadow areas and the players while making sure not to over-expose their white socks and the white ball. And of course, you have to remove red eye whenever a player is looking at the camera.

One thing to remember....zoom reduces the maximuum aperature which reduces the flash's reach. If I had it to do over again, I would get the FZ-20 instead of the FZ-5 for two reasons.....the constant f2.8 max aperature and the hot shoe. Both are big factors when you want to shoot indoor action with an external flash. The FZ-5 has some advantages over the FZ-20 in other areas, but in my most difficult conditions, the FZ-20 would have been a better choice.

Even today, the FZ-50 would be a better choice than the FZ-7 for indoor action. You could make up for the darker lens of the FZ-50 with a more powerful external flash. And as you have already found out...the choices for slave flashes are pretty meager.