Focus on the HOT SHOE
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In the world of photography basics and photographic tips, we are going to venture out a little from the absolute basics. If you have ever wondered what that rectangular metal thing was on the top or your camera, you are about to find out.
We will focus on exploring two specific areas of this topic:
- What is it?
- Why is it important (in your selection of a digital camera)?
What is the Hot Shoe?
Your camera's "Very warm sneaker" (I'm sorry, but I'm simply very amused by this term... it won't happen again.) is the mount typically located on the top of the camera body, into which a separate stand-alone electronic flash is secured.
They contain a number of electrical contact points which are used to signal the flash to discharge when the shutter is pressed (a.k.a. "fired").
A simple "point and shoot" digital camera may or may not be equipped with such a mount. For those that are, they look similar to the image below.
Why is the Hot Shoe Important?
If your digital camera DOES NOT HAVE a hot shoe, you will be limited when it comes to flash photography.
An external flash unit allows the camera to properly illuminate (and expose) subjects positioned at greater distances from the camera.
But if your camera does not have anywhere to connect an external flash unit to, other than holding a very bright flashlight in the other hand, your options are limited. If that's the case, you are completely dependent on the internal (built-in) flash of the camera. Why does this matter?
This is important for two reasons. First, most built-in flashes can only properly illuminate a subject up to approximately 10 feet from the camera (consult your owner's manual for specifics). Because of the 10 foot restriction, certain photographs obviously cannot be taken.
Let me correct myself... they can be taken, but the pictures will not be properly exposed and therefore unusable. Using an external flash (which has more power) allows proper illumination of the subject at a greater distance from the camera.
The second major issue concerns additional photographic techniques that can be used with an external flash. For example, many external flashes have movable flash heads, thus allowing light to bounce off the ceiling or a wall.
This is advantageous because a bounce flash produces a much "softer" light and thus a more natural looking photograph. In addition, accessory items can be placed over the flash head to produce a softer defused look.
Additional related information can be found on these pages:
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