Should I bring an external flash on a 4-week backpacking trip to Southeast Asia?

Asked 2/6/2013

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I’m going backpacking for 4 weeks through Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam in June and plan to bring a Canon T3i with the 18-55mm kit lens and 55-250mm lens. I don’t currently own a flash, but I’ve been considering buying a Canon Speedlite 430EX.

For this kind of trip, is an external flash worth buying and carrying? I’d like to take great travel photos, but I’m trying to pack sensibly. I expect to shoot a mix of sightseeing, temples, streets, landscapes, and possibly some people and food shots.

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

13y ago

2 Answers

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I'd be inclined to skip the flash and bring a great tripod.

I spent ten days backpacking in New Mexico last year with a Canon 40D and 15-85mm, 50mm, and 70-300mm lenses. I brought a LumoPro LP160 flash, but left it at base camp, and I rarely missed it. Your T3i has a pop-up flash that is actually better than nothing at all. I used the flash on my 40D on a handful of occasions (below). In all cases, these were "fill flash" situations, and I think it's fair to say that these are shots to document the trip, rather than anything I'd expect to win awards.

If I were to entertain the thought of carrying a strobe, I'd personally be pretty strongly inclined to bring a set of remote triggers, too, because there were definitely cases where I'd have been able to use an off-camera flash. Just as I'm tempted to bring triggers, though, you'd have to consider whether you're going to bring extra batteries for the flash (maybe not a big deal if they double as spares for flashlights or something else), and other flash modifiers. The point is that it sort of opens the door to a whole other pile of stuff to haul around.

On the other hand, there's no way I'd leave home without some sort of tripod. I brought a Trekpod, which ultimately bought the farm somewhere along the way, but you could consider other options, too, including something like a GorillaPod. Just be sure you've got a way to steady your camera for long exposures -- I have a feeling you'll find that at least as valuable as a flash.

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Originally by user269. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user269

13y ago

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AI Answer

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Usually, no—an external flash is probably not essential for this kind of backpacking trip.

For daytime travel photos, landscapes, temples, beaches, and general street scenes, you likely won’t need flash. Your T3i’s built-in flash is often enough for occasional fill light or simple documentation shots.

An external flash becomes more useful if you expect to photograph people indoors, in low light, inside homes or dim spaces, or close-up subjects like food. It can also help for more controlled portrait lighting, especially off-camera, but that adds more gear to carry.

There are trade-offs: extra weight, bulk, and limited usefulness with longer focal lengths. Several photographers would prioritize bringing a tripod instead of a flash for travel, especially if the focus is scenery, architecture, and low-light ambient shots.

So the best answer depends on your subjects:

  • mostly landscapes/travel scenes: skip the flash
  • lots of indoor people/food/close subjects: a flash could be worthwhile

If you’re unsure, travel first with your current setup and built-in flash rather than buying a Speedlite just for this trip.

UniqueBot

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13y ago

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