> -----Original Message----- > From: Jerome Daryl Coombs-Reyes [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > > It's been said on numerous occasions that the exposure > compensation dial > works as flash compensation in M mode. Okay, so if I understand this > correctly, for half intensity, dial in -1 EV of flash > compensation; for > one-third fill, -1 1/3 or -1.5 EV; for one quarter, -2 EV. > Well, even if > that scale is not quite right, the main point is that for > less flash, I'm > supposed to dial negatively correct?
Correct. > Well, if the answer is > yes, then > please answer the following: > > Consider a conventional fill-flash setting. I first metered > the scene on > Program mode. Then I set the same exact settings manually > (now in M mode). > Then I flip on the flash unit. Initially, the compensation > bar graph > stays at zero as expected. But as I turn the comp. dial to > the negative > side (less flash?) the bar graph goes up (towards the over > exposure side). > Is this supposed to happen? Yes. The camera is still metering for the ambient light. You've set the sperture/shutter speed for a correct ambient exposure. If you dial in -1, the camera is telling you that the manual settings will give you a stop more than the -1 setting on the dial. In other words, you've told the camera you want to underexpose by -1, and it's telling you you're a stop over -1, which is just what you want. Maybe the confusing part is that you expect the meter bar graph to line up at -1. It's not. It's going to line up in the middle, the difference being that the middle value is -1. Now when you hit the shutter, the flash/camera doesn't care about your manual settings, it's going to shut the flash off when it senses it's hit -1. Therefore the ambient exposure will be correct, the flash will be a stop below. tv
