Are super cheap flashes worth it?

Question

Is YN-460 Yongnuo worth it? Found it for 34 EUR http://bit.ly/GE1Tdp

Fist of all: is it so cheap I will regret I bought it and just withdraw using it?

In my understanding and for I would use limitations are:

• no radio trigger. I would need to use optical one. I read that it might not work well in the sun, etc. Does is usually work with some flaws or does it usually not work? :)

• It doesn't have i-TTL I didn't really know how it works, but I guess I can have better control and possibly better results just setting all the things by myself. How complicated is it to do calculations and setup? Do i need to mesure distance of the subject for it?

Asked by Paolo

Answer

I have a YN-462 and a Nikon SB-600 so I'll comment a bit. There's a clear quality of product between the two. The Nikon feels better better and solid. However, functionally, when they're both in manual mode on a stand, they both work fine and consistently.

Manual for flash is not hard at all - once you do it a few times, you start to get a feel for it. Then you'll setup, take a test shot or two and only have to make minor adjustments.

You absolutely can use radio triggers with them - I use these cheap ones and love them.

One caveat about cheap flashes - most of them are weaker in strength than a more expensive flash. This could result in slower recharge times because you're doing a full pop instead of a half pop or just having insufficient power. Much of this will be determined by how you use it, its not been an issue for my style of photography.

Answered by rfusca

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