 Suzanne Colson |
Speedlite 580EX Issues The issue is probably not the Speedlite itself, but the person using it. I, for some reason, just cannot get a handle on using the flash. OK, I have a reasonably lit room. I could use my 50mm f/1.4 at the largest aperture, ISO 800, and the shutter speed would be around 1/60 with no flash. Lets say I want to use the flash and stick with Av mode. The settings are not changing and/or I am not understanding the settings. I figure let's switch to Tv mode and set the shutter for 1/125 sec. The metering indicator on the camera is showing that f/1.4, 1/125 sec isn't sufficient. I say, duh, why do you think I threw the flash on there. I take the picture anyway and the flash fires and the picture is lit a little better. I decide to point the flash at the ceiling to avoid ugly flash. The camera wants a shutter speed of about 1 second?? What the heck am I missing? I have read so much and thought I was getting a better handle on understanding flash, but obviously not.
|
|
|
|
||
|
Jon Close |
The Basic Zone exposure modes (green box and icons) and P are full auto modes. With the exception of the Night Portrait mode they limit the shutter speed at 1/60 or faster when used with flash. This is typical for snapshots or "fast sync" flash. The flash output will automatically adjust to give good exposure to the near subject, but the background may be dark because the flash dissipates quickly with distance and 1/60 shutter speed does not give enough exposure for the ambient light. The meter will read "0" to reassure the user that this is full auto and the subject should be well exposed. In Av, Tv, and M modes the Canon EOS cameras default to balanced fill flash. The flash output is still automatically controlled to give good exposure to the near subject, but the meter reading and shutter/aperture chosen will be with respect to the ambient light only so that the background is also well exposed. In dim conditions Av will set very long shutter speeds with flash ("slow sync"). Tv will try to open the lens to as wide an aperture as possible, and if it can't the meter will indicate the amount of underexposure to the background. See http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/ for a comprehensive discussion of flash photography in general and the EOS system in particular.
|
|
|
|
||
|
This old forum is now archived. Use improved Forum here
Report this Thread |
||