Well, the basic difference in Internal and External Flash is that the internal flash is an in-built component of a camera and external flash is an accessory of the camera. Here are a few more differences between them.

INTERNAL FLASH

As told earlier, it’s an in-built component of a camera. Internal flash is employed to mostly non-professional photography. Easy to operate, you just have to flip it open and there you go. You don’t have to care about attaching it to the camera like the external Flash. A great feature to capture photos of casual events like birthday parties, family function or any other casual function, Even it doesn’t require any additional batteries to operate as it takes its supply from the camera batteries. Overall, internal flash is quite a useful component when it comes to low light image capturing without spending extra bucks on the external flash.

EXTERNAL FLASH

When it comes to external flash, it provides you a large assistance where ever it can provide. From powerful flash light to wireless attachment, it will give you adequate assistance you can expect.

It can be attached with camera, off camera, far from the camera, wherever you like with customizable settings which allows you to make your own settings which suit the environment. 

Talking about types of external flash, there are two types- Speed light andStudio flash light.

SPEED LIGHT-

Yes, you have seen it many times attached on a camera which professional photographer uses. A perfect artificial light source with its own control settings, easy to use if you have basic technical knowledge about it, Speed lights are a great tool of utility to create a perfect and dynamic photoshoot environment as they can be attached with camera and off camera.

It comes with control settings like 

Power on/off– Obviously a function which allows you to turn on and off by merely holding the power button for couple of second so that it doesn’t go active every time you take your camera to shoot.

Flash power which allows you to set the light output or intensity, 

Flash zoom which focuses the lens in front of the flash so that it constricts or widens the beam of light that the flash puts out.

TTL (Through-the-lens metering) mode- A feature that comes with the flash light which allows your camera to automatically adjust the exposure by analysing the distance between your camera and the subject. A pre-flash is sent which bounces back from the subject, returns to the flash and your camera takes the meter reading and decides what exposure to set. This all happens in split seconds; your camera will know the distance and sets the exposure even before you blink your eyes.

Trigger modewhich permits flash to work in no less than two activating techniques. The first is manual, which just means you are using a trigger/receiver setup to tell the flash when to fire. The second is slave mode (flashes when detects pop light from other flash. Confused? Don’t worry it remains unused most of the time).

Speed lights are compatible with any company’s camera but according to experts, using a speed light with the camera belonging to the same company as former’s, the combination becomes unmatchable because companies design their speed lights to be totally compatible with every camera but they provide 100% stability when used with their own cameras. It’s like Canon’s speed light with Canon camera, Nikon’s speed light with Nikon’s. No doubt they will work with each other’s camera just fine but combining them with their respective cameras would be incomparable. 

STUDIO FLASH LIGHT-

Like those professional photo sessions that you see in TVs, big lights covered with big white umbrellas to provide enough light and acts like a bright sunny day,Studio lights are used to create a perfect environment for photoshoots. Some high quality manufacturers like Elinchrom, Bowens etc. provide studio flash lights of excellent quality and are recommended by many studios. These Lights are considered as “One-time investment” tools as one can upgrade to better quality but according to renowned photographers, it’s a one-shot purchase.

Overall, be it flexibility, be it matching the high shutter speed, be it no shadow lens creation, external flash do scores over internal flash. 

Both work successfully for their purposes and are specially designed to open the gates of immense creativity in photography world. It gives an assurance that each and every penny you have invested is worth it.

Both internal flash and external flash are successful on their own places, but one should know when and where they just have to use which one.