Something the paper is bringing out in me is the need for and ability to use flash. Not controlled, interesting and creative flash, just “get it done” flash.

Modern cameras are pretty good at getting by without flash, but flash can never the less often do a better and cleaner job in tough light. The usual order is nothing > a reflector > an LED > a flash > multiple flashes > with mods.

The big issue is often the need to push and pull a file, which is just a lot of pixel binning. Flash eliminates at least one of these.

In the shot above, a ND filter was employed to help the flash units (2x Good TTL units) cover the space at f1.8. Without the filter I would have been using 1/2000th or higher, really pushing the flash units. High speed flash is a big drain on power, the longer the distance and higher the shutter speed, the greater the drain as the unit has to fire multiple times to cover the shutter movement. Add in TTL pre-fire and it gets tough quick. The ND filter allows you to use a speed under sync (1/250th) with an aperture of f1.8 for shallow depth.

Both units were bare head, set to 35mm (FF) coverage and are just out of frame to the left or behind (not sure that one did anything). Overall exposure was about -1 EV, the flash units at +0.7 EV.

The fact is, flash units in a M43 camera bag have the distinction of often being the heaviest individual items packed, but their utility is hard to argue with. To be honest, judicious use of flash is sometimes the difference between anyone else with a camera and a pro.