 Cindy |
What kind of flash to use I have a canon rebel with a canon 420 ex. My last flash was a Pentax. What I'm finding is that with an ISO of 160 the background outside is really dark. Sometimes the faces look really washed out and sometimes one person will be correctly exposed and the others will be dark. How can I get the correct exposure? Should I get a new flash?
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Jon Close |
>>"... with an ISO of 160 ..."<< Is that the actual film speed, or are you manually setting ISO 160 on the camera and the film is another ISO (100, 200, 400, etc.)?
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Cindy |
That is my actual film speed
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Cindy |
Here's another comment to my own question. I use automatic focus. I'm not comfortable enough with the AV or TV modes.
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Jon Close |
Just a stab in the dark - posting a sample pic would help - I suspect that you are focusing then recomposing to take the shot. The Canon E-TTL flash exposure system won't work that way. It uses the evaluative meter to set flash exposure, giving extra weight to the meter segment(s) covering the active focus sensor. If for example you use the center focus sensor on your main subject, then recompose to put the subject off to one side, then fully press the shutter button, the pre-flash and meter will give exposure weight to the center focus sensor area, which no longer is covering your subject. Canon has a feature called flash exposure lock (FEL) which would allow you to recompose this way, but unfortunately, it is not included in the Rebel's feature set. Do not lock focus and recompose. Make sure the active focus sensor is on your subject. Regarding dark background outside, do you recall what shutter speed/aperture you or the camera set, what exposure mode you used? The ambient/backgound exposure is controlled with the shutter speed and aperture, the flash exposure is controled with the flash power/duration and aperture. The Canon flash system uses an automatic fill-flash algroithm that balances ambient and flash exposure. In brighter outdoor situations the norm is for the background to be metered correctly and automaically give a little negative exposure compensation to the flash to fill shadows. With the FP high speed sync feature is possible/probable that somehow you or the camera chose a high shutter speed/small aperture combination that correctly exposed your flash-lit subject but left the background less exposed. Doing focus-lock and recompose could also contribute to this problem.
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Cindy |
Thanks for your response John. Another question. I will be shooting a wedding this weekend, should I use my flash bracket in the church and the reception? Should I use my new flash or use my Sunpak, the one I have been shooting with. The only problem is that the pictures come out darker. I work at a photo lab so I am able to darken them, but I won't be there forever. What speed film should I use outside and inside? I'm not sure what the shutter or aperture setting was at with the dark background pictures. Thank you so much
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Cindy |
I used 160 on a sunny day and got a dark background--and I took graduation pictures with 160 in the shade with pretty trees in the background and the background was black. If I did what you recommended, would this help or should I use 400 speed. Thanks
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