Hi Christine: I do pretty much what is stated below. Also, I have a
fitted, square diffuser and often use the bounce angle, but obviously
outside you can't bounce against the clouds, but sometimes this angle still
helps when I want just a hint of light. Cheers, Christine/Chicago
----- Original Message -----
From: "Christine Nielsen" <ch...@inielsen.net>
To: "Pentax-Discuss Mail List" <pdml@pdml.net>
Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 12:00 PM
Subject: Re: Can we talk about fill flash & pttl?
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 <gdigio...@gmail.com>
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
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