12. Flash: Internal Or External?, Continued

Flash coverage is adapted to that of the basic lens (the shortest focal length being 18 mm), and if you use a super wide angle, you may not have enough light in the corners of your picture. Here again, you'll need to do some testing with your lenses. On the Canon, synchronization with the shutter is possible at up to 1/200 s. The Nikon can go down to 1/500 s, which is obviously better, especially for doing fill-ins in daylight. Both models offer second-curtain synchronization for balancing ambient light with the flash.

In all cases, the quality of the light will obviously be fairly low due to the very small size of the internal flash. To get better results, you'll have to use an external flash mounted on the hot shoe, and the exact possibilities will depend on the model you choose. Some very elaborate functions are available if you're willing to spend the money on a good flash. With a powerful unit, it becomes possible to work with indirect light (by bouncing the flash) which produces much better results if the reflector is well chosen.