Thanks for your reply, Godfrey. Everything you said syncs with everything I've been taught about using flash... And your recommendation:
> When I do use TTL flash automation systems for fill flash, I find the > only way to get consistent results with almost any camera and flash > system is to: > - Set camera to Manual exposure > - Pick an ISO, aperture and exposure time to give appropriately > correct main light exposure for the subject > - Set the Flash EV-compensation control to work in the correct range, > typically -2 to -1.3 EV is about right. Is 'zactly what I did. (manual exposure/ pttl flash/ -1.5 to -2EV/ hss was one of my iterations) Still, I got uneven results. Now, maybe I still goofed in setting the flash EV in camera rather than on the unit... or in any number of other ways... I hold onto hope for user error, but the (anecdotal) evidence on the other side is mounting. And when looking for guidance from the (Canikon-wielding) workshop leader? "Oh, don't ask me about flash!! I just set it on AUTO & go! Heehee!!!" Maddening. Oh well. I'm happy that I'm at least comfortable enough navigating with a manual flash until I get this sorted out. Thanks again, -c On Wed, Jul 13, 2011 at 12:15 PM, Godfrey DiGiorgi <[email protected]> wrote: > I see questions like this quite often when I'm teaching workshops, > from people with all different kinds of camera-flash systems. > > If you want to understand using a dedicated, auto-metering flash > system like this, see Joe McNally's books, workshops and videos. > They're based on Nikon equipment and their iTTL system, likely the > best in the business, but the principles apply to any dedicated flash > automation setup. Rick Sammon recently did a similar book based > around the Canon E-TTL flash system, it's probably in the same > ballpark. > > Those who prefer simpler, more basic flash use should look into the > Strobist world for tutorials and ideas. http://strobist.blogspot.com/ > > I've been using flash illumination, for fill, main light, multi-light > setups etc, since the 1970s. To me, all these dedicated autoflash > systems are on the one hand a great convenience for some things and a > huge handicap for other things. To me, understanding how they work and > how to control lighting with them is often more work than > understanding how to use a simple, basic, manual flash system. Even > when I was shooting film, I preferred manual flash systems. With > digital, it's such a piece of cake I don't understand the need for all > the complexity of a dedicated autoflash system. > > Proper exposure is a combination of knowing what your intent is, a few > simple things about the light sources you're using, and understanding > how to manipulate the camera settings and the flash unit to produce > the results desired. > > If the main light is the flash: > - Aperture controls the focus zone. > - ISO and exposure time @ an aperture setting control how much ambient > light fill you get. > - Distance and flash output control the intensity of the main light. > > If the main light is ambient and the flash is used for fill: > - The rules above apply but you consider the ambient light as the main > source and reduce flash illumination relative to it. > > When I do use TTL flash automation systems for fill flash, I find the > only way to get consistent results with almost any camera and flash > system is to: > - Set camera to Manual exposure > - Pick an ISO, aperture and exposure time to give appropriately > correct main light exposure for the subject > - Set the Flash EV-compensation control to work in the correct range, > typically -2 to -1.3 EV is about right. > > This puts the burden of the flash exposure on the camera and flash > unit, balancing against the ambient light setting which is fixed and > manual. Using high speed sync options of the flash system is often > called for if you're working in bright sunlight because you have a lot > more flexibility on exposure time that way (not lmited to X-sync > shutter time setting). You need to be sensitive to the limits of the > flash automation system ... how much power does the flash unit have at > most in the mode you're using, how *little* power can it be throttled > back to on automatic, etc ... and adjust ISO settings, aperture > setting, and distance to the flash to suit those limitations. (The > only real difference when using auto-TTL metering when doing this and > working the flash exposure by manual power settings is that the flash > unit will automatically accommodate minor changes in subject > reflectivity and distance, rather than you having to adjust the power > output and position of the flash constantly.) > > It's not hard to do, and with a digital camera and immediate > capability to evaluate what an exposure has done by going to review > and looking at the histogram for the captures it makes the setup > operation consistent and foolproof for any lighting situation. > -- > Godfrey > godfreydigiorgi.posterous.com > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
