Flashguns are one of the first accessories many photographers look to add to their kit, but decent ones don't come cheap – a good entry-level flashgun from Canon or Nikon will set you back upwards of $200/£150. But now Amazon is looking to undercut the big brands by selling its own dirt-cheap flashgun for under $28/£27.
It may not be laden with all the sophisticated features you see on pricier models, but the AmazonBasics Electronic Flash for DSLRs offers you a pretty risk-free way of dabbling in flash photography.
There's no TTL (through-the-lens) metering, which is hardly surprising for a flashgun this cheap, but you do get three flash modes (Manual mode, Slave mode 1, and Slave mode 2), along with a standard PC sync port, as well as a built-in sensor that enables you to trigger the flashgun from a distance using another flashgun or your camera's pop-up flash, for creative lighting effects.
The head can also be tilted upwards 90 degrees and rotated 270 degrees for bouncing the flash off ceilings and walls, while it sports a pretty good guide number of 33 (ISO100/1M). Guide number is a measurement of flash power, usually quoted in metres at ISO100. Dividing the Gn by the aperture value gives the distance the light will reach and still Illuminate the subject sufficiently.
You can choose from eight levels of flash brightness, and there's an automatic save function that enables you to retain the current flash settings. Finally, there's a hotshoe stand and carrying bag included. Not bad for $27.99 / £26.09.
