Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I agree w/another reviewer, the title is misleading. 98% of the time they are using additional equipment, light stands, multiple flashes, reflectors, filters, etc. while in a studio setting. It was a helpful DVD on lighting but didn't teach me much about my flash and how to properly use it by itself and in various conditions. Its basically, "heres a model in our studio. Ok, now shes on a beach but we still have our reflectors. Heres some still life back in the studio." The first 20min is a lighting primer before blowing through the flash's buttons w/o a thorough explanation on each one. They went through certain things far too quickly and spent more time than necessary on other subjects. For example, I didn't need to see multiple times how to change a setting through the camera's menu or on the flash itself. They do give demos but they weren't sufficient enough for me and the flash was never used stand-alone other than to show you that it gives horrible pictures by itself. If this DVD taught me one thing, its that I need to buy more equipment.
A more accurate title would have been "Using your Canon flash in a studio setting" or "Unlocking your flash's potential" because obviously to get into lighting and really take advantage of the versatility of a Speedlight, you must buy additional equipment and take the flash off the camera. The flash is just one of the tools they use to get the pictures they want and it happens to be a Canon 430/580EX. You would not let your friend borrow your flash one day and hand them this DVD along with it, thinking it will teach them how to use it because it won't. They'll just sit there thinking, "oh, thats nice but I don't have any of those things..." and "hey, could you slow down when you go over the controls, what they do and how I should use them? More comparison photos would also be nice."
As for production values, well, it's fairly drab presentation and I'd have appreciated voice overs while showing them taking pictures instead of having to stare at the guy talk, constantly switching his eyes from the camera to nearby cue cards. You look at him seemingly for 1/3 of the DVD. The rest of the time is spent in the studio or looking at the back of the flash and it's buttons. So is it worth the coin ? Ehhh, its decent and helpful information on LIGHTING but you're able to find this sort of information for free online at various lighting/strobist enthusiast sites. Its not a complete waste of money but this DVD could certainly use a new name.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Understanding the Canon Speedlite 580EX II/430EX II
Understanding the Canon Speedlite 580EX II/430EX II
Click here for more information about Understanding the Canon Speedlite 580EX II/430EX II
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