Flash

<p data-rte-fromparser="true">A <b>flash</b> produces an instantaneous flash of light (typically around 1/1000 of a second) at a <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22color%20temperature%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22color%20temperature%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bcolor%20temperature%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1108-12410444845def840e76b72" class="new" title="Color temperature (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvQ29sb3JfdGVtcGVyYXR1cmU/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">color temperature</a> of about 5500K to help illuminate a scene. While flashes can be used for a variety of reasons (e.g. capturing quickly moving objects, creating a different temperature light than the ambient light) they are mostly used to illuminate scenes that do not have enough available light to adequately <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22expose%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22exposure%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bexposure%7Cexpose%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1108-12410444845def840e76b72" class="new" title="Exposure (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvRXhwb3N1cmU/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">expose</a> the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22photograph%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22photograph%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bphotograph%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1108-12410444845def840e76b72" class="new" title="Photograph (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvUGhvdG9ncmFwaD9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">photograph</a>. The term <i>flash</i> can either refer to the flash of light itself, or as a colloquialism for the <b>electronic flash unit</b> which discharges the flash of light.
</p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">In lower-end photgraphy, flash units are commonly built directly into the camera, while higher-end cameras allows separate flash units to be mounted via a standardized <i>accessory mount</i> bracket. In professional studio photography, flashes often take the form of large, standalone units, or <i><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22studio%20strobe%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22studio%20strobe%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bstudio%20strobe%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1108-12410444845def840e76b72" class="new" title="Studio strobe (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvU3R1ZGlvX3N0cm9iZT9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">studio strobes</a></i>, that are powered by special battery packs and synchronized with the camera from either a <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22flash%20synchronization%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22flash%20synchronization%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bflash%20synchronization%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1108-12410444845def840e76b72" class="new" title="Flash synchronization (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvRmxhc2hfc3luY2hyb25pemF0aW9uP2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">flash synchronization</a> cable, radio transmitter, or light-triggered, meaning that only one flash unit needs to be synchronized with the camera, which in turn triggers the other units.
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<h2 data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">Types of flashes</h2>
<p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-filler="true"></p><h3>Electronic xenon flash lamp</h3>
<p data-rte-fromparser="true">An electronic flash contains a tube filled with xenon gas, where electricity of high voltage is discharged to generate an electrical arc that emits a short flash of light (typically 1/1000 second). The majority of consumer cameras have this type of flash built in.
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<h3 data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">Microflash</h3>
<p data-rte-fromparser="true">"Microflashes" are high-voltage flash units designed to discharge a flash of light with an exceptionally quick, sub-microsecond duration. These are commonly used in scientific photography for examining extremely fast moving objects or reactions, famous for producing images such as bullets tearing through balloons.
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<h3 data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">Magnesium powder flash</h3>
<p data-rte-fromparser="true">The earliest flashes consisted of a wad of magnesium powder that was ignited by hand. Later, magnesium filaments were contained in <i>flash bulbs</i>, and electrically ignited by a contact in the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22shutter%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22shutter%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bshutter%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1108-12410444845def840e76b72" class="new" title="Shutter (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvU2h1dHRlcj9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">shutter</a>. The bulb could only be used once, and was too hot to handle immediately after use. "Flash cubes" of 4 bulbs were introduced for the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Kodak%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Kodak%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BKodak%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1108-12410444845def840e76b72" class="new" title="Kodak (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvS29kYWs/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">Kodak</a> <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Instamatic%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Instamatic%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BInstamatic%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1108-12410444845def840e76b72" class="new" title="Instamatic (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvSW5zdGFtYXRpYz9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">Instamatic</a> camera that allowed taking 4 images in a row as the cube automatically rotated 90 degrees to a fresh bulb upon firing.
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<h2 data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">Technique</h2>
<p data-rte-fromparser="true">A flash is commonly used indoors as the main light source where there is not enough other light for a desired shutter speed. A fill flash is a low powered flash mixed with ambient light, and is often used to illuminate shadows on the side of a subject facing the camera. Another technique, bouncing a flash, involves pointing a flash upwards off of a surface, often a white celling, where it is reflected back onto the subject. Bouncing creates a more natural light effect and lessens shadows and glare but requires more flash power than a direct flash.
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<h2 data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">List of camera flashes</h2>
<ul><li>(add yours here)
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<h2 data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">Links</h2>
<ul><li data-rte-spaces-before="1"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22external%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Flash%20Photography%20with%20Canon%20EOS%20Cameras%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fphotonotes.org%5C%2Farticles%5C%2Feos-flash%5C%2F%22%2C%22linktype%22%3A%22text%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5Bhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fphotonotes.org%5C%2Farticles%5C%2Feos-flash%5C%2F%20Flash%20Photography%20with%20Canon%20EOS%20Cameras%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1108-12410444845def840e76b72" rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/">Flash Photography with Canon EOS Cameras</a>
</li><li><span class="placeholder placeholder-double-brackets" data-rte-instance="1108-12410444845def840e76b72" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22double-brackets%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%7B%7BWikipedia%7CFlash_%28photography%29%7D%7D%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Wikipedia%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%7D" contenteditable="false">&#x200b;&#x200b;</span>
</li></ul>
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