An external flash is a must-have for anyone needing to take photos in a variety of lighting conditions. Finding one that is compatible with your camera’s metering system is an important part of this process. This will allow the in-camera light meter to determine how much light the flash should emit. If you have a DSLR camera, you might shop DSLR flashes from the same brand, but you can also find cross-brand compatibility.
Since many photos benefit from indirect rather than direct flash, you will also do well to choose a flash that can tilt up and down and swivel back and forth. When you choose a wireless TTL flash, you can even choose to set a flash off to the side on its own tripod. You might also want to consider using light reflectors and modifiers to further control the lighting in your picture.
Other choices when shopping flashes revolve around power (replaceable batteries or rechargeable), manual vs. automatic modes (having a manual option offers greater control), type of wireless communication (infrared vs radio) and zoom settings (for widening or narrowing the beam of the flash).
