550ex and 300D mode settings.

[timmyquest]

I've been taking tons of pictures with my new 550EX but i'm finding that i get much better photos when i'm in m rather then TV or AV.

For example if i'm in AV and set it to 8.0 the camera insists on a shutter speed of 30 when indoors. As you'd imagine hand held the photo comes out soft...properly exposed, but soft.

I could then put it in M and have a shutter speed of 200 and an apature of 8.0 and take the picture and it exposes just fine.

Is this because of how ETTL and the * button works on the rebel. I dont know how to word it but it just doesnt make since why when in AV the camera wants such a slow shutter speed.

[drisley]

I just discovered this too when I switch to the Rebel from my G3.

It's because SLR's expose for the scene as if there was no flash. Then, the flash is used as a fill flash only.

[timmyquest]

I just discovered this too when I switch to the Rebel from my G3.

It's because SLR's expose for the scene as if there was no flash. Then, the flash is used as a fill flash only.

Yeah but it does it even when i use the AE lock which shoots a burst of flash....perhaps it's just not very strong?

[MarkH]

I just discovered this too when I switch to the Rebel from my G3.

It's because SLR's expose for the scene as if there was no flash. Then, the flash is used as a fill flash only.

Yeah but it does it even when i use the AE lock which shoots a burst of flash....perhaps it's just not very strong?

When you use AE lock the camera still exposes for the scene as if there was no flash, then the flash gets used as a fill flash.

If you don't care what aperture you use, use Tv, if you do care what aperture you use as well as the shutter speed then use M.

When you use Av, you are setting the aperture and letting the camera choose the shutter speed, if you don't like the choice the camera makes then you need to change the dial to M and make your own choice.

Remember that using M and setting the speed to 1/200 sec with an aperture of f8 will mean that any dark background will come out dark on the photo, whatever is closest to the flash will come out fine.

[drisley]

Yup.
I like to set mine to M, 1/60s and a low f-stop for alot of my indoor flash.
I find that the Rebel and 420ex does a beautiful job at e-ttl exposure that way. Especially when using bounced flash.

[PacAce]

Yup.
I like to set mine to M, 1/60s and a low f-stop for alot of my indoor flash.
I find that the Rebel and 420ex does a beautiful job at e-ttl exposure that way. Especially when using bounced flash.

Or you can just set the camera on "P" mode and let the camera select the appropriate shutter and aperture for the shot.

[timmyquest]

Yup.
I like to set mine to M, 1/60s and a low f-stop for alot of my indoor flash.
I find that the Rebel and 420ex does a beautiful job at e-ttl exposure that way. Especially when using bounced flash.

Or you can just set the camera on "P" mode and let the camera select the appropriate shutter and aperture for the shot.

Not everyone wants a shot the way the camera says is right. Thats like listening to the top 40 radio stations just because everyone else does.

What if i want more bokeh, less bokeh, a blured shot etc.

I'm just wondering, and i think i alreayd know the answer, does the flash adjust to what YOU want, rather then you adjusting to what the flash wants.

[PacAce]

Yup.
I like to set mine to M, 1/60s and a low f-stop for alot of my indoor flash.
I find that the Rebel and 420ex does a beautiful job at e-ttl exposure that way. Especially when using bounced flash.

Or you can just set the camera on "P" mode and let the camera select the appropriate shutter and aperture for the shot.

Not everyone wants a shot the way the camera says is right. Thats like listening to the top 40 radio stations just because everyone else does.

Yes, of course you are right about the use of P mode for some people. And I was not suggesting you use the P mode. I was only offering it as a suggestion to drisley (if you'll note, I did quote him) since he says he sets his camera to M mode with shutter at 1/60 and the largest aperture the lens has.



What if i want more bokeh, less bokeh, a blured shot etc.

Unfortunately there's nothing you can do about bokeh as it's not something you can control after you've bought the lens. I think the term you're looking for is DOF or "depth of field". :)



I'm just wondering, and i think i alreayd know the answer, does the flash adjust to what YOU want, rather then you adjusting to what the flash wants.
Since you have the advantage of having a brain and the flash doesn't, I would think that you would want the flash to do what YOU want it to do...within it's limitations, of course! :D

Cheers! :mrgreen:

[timmyquest]

Unfortunately there's nothing you can do about bokeh as it's not something you can control after you've bought the lens. I think the term you're looking for is DOF or "depth of field".


Yeah, which determains the amount of bokeh in the photograph...

Your smilies are cute but your post(s) are simply condesending...

[PacAce]

Unfortunately there's nothing you can do about bokeh as it's not something you can control after you've bought the lens. I think the term you're looking for is DOF or "depth of field".


Yeah, which determains the amount of bokeh in the photograph...

Your smilies are cute but your post(s) are simply condesending...

Just trying to educate you, that's all. Like I said, there's nothing you can do about bokeh! If you choose not to believe that, then that's fine with me. It's no loss on my part.

And yes, the icons are cute but I put there to indicate that I'm NOT trying to be condescending as you put it. But if that's how you want to interpret them, then again, no loss to me!

Have a good day.

[dpanicc1]

With flash and E-TTL, as some may have touched upon already, two exposure readings are taken: one for ambient light and one for the subject. The shutter and aperature are adjusted to expose ambient properly while the pre-flash determines the DURATION of the flash to expose the subject properly. Keep in mind though, if the camera thinks the black couch is the subject, exposure will be biased too high; conversely, if the camera thinks the white couch is the subject, exposure will be set too low (in both cases assuming the subject is something other than a couch). So pay attention to the active focus point because exposure is biased to it.

[Belmondo]

Okay, you guys, that'll be enough of that. :wink: :D :D :wink: :wink: :P :lol: 8)

(please note liberal usage of emoticons lest either of you take umbrage at my intercession)

From what I understand, 'bokeh' describes the 'quality' of the blurriness as opposed to the quantity. I've read different discussions, and there are people that look at the blurry bits and can tell you if it's a good blur or a bad blur. Five-sided blurs, for example, are very bad.

Or maybe it's the other way around. Perhaps you want 5-sided blurs. Maybe Photoshop has a filter.

There are no properties of the camera and/or lens that have any meaningful influence over DOF. That is a very predictable consequence of focal length and aperture, and not the trait of any specific lens. Bokeh is the aesthetic quality of the fuzziness, and some people actually get downright emotional about it. (I not being one of them)

[timmyquest]

We've gotten very off topic...

[Cadwell]

We've gotten very off topic...

Suggest you read this http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/. It's the best explanation of how flash works with EOS cameras I have come across.

[timmyquest]

We've gotten very off topic...

Suggest you read this http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/. It's the best explanation of how flash works with EOS cameras I have come across.

Thank you :-)

7) I tried to take a flash photo and the camera wanted a really slow shutter speed.

This occurred because you are trying to take a flash photo in low-light conditions and the camera is in Av (aperture priority) mode or the night PIC (icon) mode if your camera has it.

In Av, night and Tv (shutter speed priority) modes the camera meters for ambient (existing) light and fills in the foreground subject using the flash. It does not assume that the primary light source is the flash, and therefore the shutter speed it sets is the same as it would set if you weren’t using flash at all.

In low light this results in slow shutter photography. If the shutter speed is very long you will, therefore, need a tripod to avoid motion blur during the exposure.

Alternatively you can switch to full auto (green rectangle) or Program (P) mode, which automatically expose for the flash-illuminated subject and not the background. These modes try to ensure that the shutter speed is high enough to let you handhold the camera without a tripod. The drawback of P and basic modes is that photos taken in dimly lit areas usually end up with black or poorly lit backgrounds.