Photography: What's the benefit of using of mounting a strobe on the hot shoe of your SLR?

Why not adjust the pop-up flash's power?

Still looking for more answers

Your "pop-up" flash is fine for subjects that are CLOSE to your camera. The larger strobe attached to the hot shoe will provide you with a stronger source of lighting for your camera.

Again, those tiny on-camera strobes are fine for close-ups, but you're going to need MORE power from a strobe attached to your hot shoe to light a room completely.

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Get a small flash card for your on-camera strobe. This card will help to distribute the light the little flash generates, and you will have to pay the price of lower intensity. *shrug* Report Abuse

If this on-camera strobe is small enough you can use the white side of the ace of spades card and use the ace-of-spades as your logo or something when it comes around to marketing yourself if that appeals to you. Report Abuse

Just use some tape to attach it to the flash, and if you like the results, you can tax your own brain for a more dependable method of attaching the card to the flash. Report Abuse

Not much.
The above posters are right.

1, It will prevent red eye.

2 You can get more power.

But other than doing "event" photos there really isn't much use for these systems.( Note, If you were to do wedding or party photos commercially I would recommend using the same flash that is mounted slightly off camera.) Personally I would never use the on camera flash or hot shoe for anything but happy snaps.

Theses systems are for amateurs. In my 20 Plus years of Photography I have never used one other than using the the on camera flash to trigger the strobe packs.

The same reason for getting an SLR rather than a point and shoot... more control! You can control which way you want to point the light to create dramatic lighting and prevent visable harsh shadows behind the subject. It also helps to prevent red eyes and is more powerful than the on camera flash.

Better lighting.
The popup is about the worst lighting you can get. It is direct, straight at the subject right above the lens, which is flat lighting. It lacks power, maybe good to 30' at standard focal length. You have very little control and versatility with a popup flash.
Photography is lighting.

The slight change in location will prevent red-eye and will be more powerful. You can set this power to more or less power as appropriate plus you can set the flash at angles or to bounce off other sources as it is more independent.