Pop Up Flash

canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
edited May 31, 2012 in Cameras
I would appreciate if anyone can briefly tell me why there is not an internal pop up flash on 5Dll. This morning I was taking a macro shot and thought I would add a wee bit of extra light and to my surprise found there was no pop up flash.
Cheers
Bob

Comments

  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,118 moderator
    edited May 31, 2012
    Canon has chosen "not" to have a built-in pop up flash on any of their full-frame camera bodies. Instead, they wish you to purchase an external flash, like the Canon Speedlite 270EX II (low profile flash), or a full sized flash like the 430EX II, 580EX II or 600EX-RT.

    I believe the assumption is that if you purchase one of the Canon FF bodies you will understand just how poor the light from a pop up flash can be. Except for the situation of fill light, I agree with their assumption and their decision not to include a pop up flash on those models.

    A pop up flash also creates a possible route for water to enter the camera. While the 5D MKII is not a true "weather sealed" body, it does provide some watershed and a pop up flash would detract from that.
    ziggy53
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  • MarkRMarkR Registered Users Posts: 2,099 Major grins
    edited May 31, 2012
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    Canon has chosen "not" to have a built-in pop up flash on any of their full-frame camera bodies. Instead, they wish you to purchase an external flash, like the Canon Speedlite 270EX II (low profile flash), or a full sized flash like the 430EX II, 580EX II or 600EX-RT.

    I believe the assumption is that if you purchase one of the Canon FF bodies you will understand just how poor the light from a pop up flash can be. Except for the situation of fill light, I agree with their assumption and their decision not to include a pop up flash on those models.

    A pop up flash also creates a possible route for water to enter the camera. While the 5D MKII is not a true "weather sealed" body, it does provide some watershed and a pop up flash would detract from that.

    Many of Nikon or Sony's FF solutions have not had pop-up flashes either. I suspect also the target demographic for those cameras were not looking for pop-ups, as they tend to have much more sophisticated lighting available.

    Not sure about your last point. My weather sealed Pentax K-5 certainly has a popup flash. Although I primarily use it to wirelessly trigger my other flash, I do occassionally use it to fill light when I'm in walk-around mode.
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited May 31, 2012
    I must admit, I'm very sorry Canon didn't include the pop-up commanader flash in the 5dIII, possibly the one thing I've heard about it that disappoints me. I'm sure it's part of the move to the radio flash setup, but even so, I think it's an omission. I don't use the popup commander in my 7d all the time, but it is VERY nice to know it's there if I need it! thumb.gif
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  • canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited May 31, 2012
    divamum wrote: »
    I must admit, I'm very sorry Canon didn't include the pop-up commanader flash in the 5dIII, possibly the one thing I've heard about it that disappoints me. I'm sure it's part of the move to the radio flash setup, but even so, I think it's an omission. I don't use the popup commander in my 7d all the time, but it is VERY nice to know it's there if I need it! thumb.gif

    Thanks for that Ziggy. I do have a 580EX ll flash but I would agree with Divamum the pop up flash did come in handy at times and certainly would have done so this morning when using 100L macro in the conservatory in a house fly as the light was not bright.
    Thanks again
    Bob
  • QarikQarik Registered Users Posts: 4,959 Major grins
    edited May 31, 2012
    pop up flashes for macro work generally do not work as the subject distances is merely inches fromthe fron the lens..the light simply doesn't reach there due to the angle.
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  • David_S85David_S85 Administrators Posts: 13,244 moderator
    edited May 31, 2012
    One can add an inexpensive and small Canon 270 II to the kit when fill flash might be needed. That said, yes, I wish the 5D series included a small flash in-cam for those "oh I wish I had..." moments.
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  • ZerodogZerodog Registered Users Posts: 1,480 Major grins
    edited May 31, 2012
    Pop up flashes are only good for triggering other flashes. :)
  • canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited June 1, 2012
    Zerodog wrote: »
    Pop up flashes are only good for triggering other flashes. :)

    Thanks for your replies everyone.
    Cheers
    Bob
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