Do I need ETTL II or manual/metering

[Tom Camilleri]

Trying to decide which I need. I want to have several off-camera flashes set up against a background so that I can move around and closer/farther from a subject and thus be able to get multiple views without needing to move or adjust camera and/or flash settings. Flashes and subject would not move. One would be optically triggered and one would be connected to the camera. I am currently using hot lights. Entire set would be contained within a 150 ft^2 area. Which kind of setup would work for this? Does either one present a clear advantage or disadvantage?

Thanks for any insights.

[Curtis N]

With manual flash, as long as the lights don't move and your subject doesn't move, the lighting on your subject doesn't change unless you manually change it.

So within reason, given the light placement, you can zoom in or out, move the camera up, down, left, right, or go across the street and use a long telephoto. Exposure will be the same as long as your aperture doesn't change.

On the other hand, E-TTL will evaluate each shot as you take it. When you change the composition, include more or less background, etc., E-TTL will interpret each shot a bit differently. If you take some shots with your subject wearing a black shirt, then have him change into a white shirt and sit down on the same stool, it's pretty much gauranteed that E-TTL will give you a different exposure with the different shirt.

E-TTL and other forms of automatic flash metering are best for on-camera flash and other situations where you don't have two minutes to adjust your lighting.

For any sort of planned, setup shot, manual flash is king.

[Tom Camilleri]

E-TTL and other forms of automatic flash metering are best for on-camera flash and other situations where you don't have two minutes to adjust your lighting.

For any sort of planned, setup shot, manual flash is king.


Thanks for response, Curtis. Your inputs have been great.

Right now I'm working on still objects but I had the idea that it would be interesting to do people this way- sit a subject down and engage in conversation while taking a bunch of different views. This would seem to fall into the manual category since facial expressions would be the only real variable aside from camera position.

I think I'm going the Strobist route for now. I saw your Sunpak 383 review and might go for a pair. Are you at all familiar with the Vivitars?

[Curtis N]

Are you at all familiar with the Vivitars?I don't have any first-hand experience with Vivitar units. The biggest differences between the Sunpak 383 and the Vivitar 285HV are the Sunpak has a swivel head and the Vivitar has a zooming head.

Otherwise the specs are pretty similar. Take yer pick.

[nadtz]

The vivitars compare well with the sunpaks aside of the obvious differences. I actually use 283's which have more power adjustability options compared to the 285 (with the varipower module). The 285 neither zooms or swivels but I find this a non issue when using the units off camera.

With some forethough you can set up your lights so that you get a fairly reliable exposure even with a sitting, talking, moving subject. It gets a lot harder if they get up and start moving!

If you are buying new Id say get the sunpak's, if used then whatever you find for the best price. If you take your time with used units you can get some really good deals, i've gotten 283's with quantum battery 1's for the 40-50 mark shipped, but I think people are starting to catch on to this, they have started going up recently! Though not quite as leet as quantum turbo packs you can use the battery packs with any other flash you happen to end up with in the future, and you will get many more pops per charge.

[Tom Camilleri]

The vivitars compare well with the sunpaks aside of the obvious differences. I actually use 283's which have more power adjustability options compared to the 285 (with the varipower module). The 285 neither zooms or swivels but I find this a non issue when using the units off camera.

With some forethough you can set up your lights so that you get a fairly reliable exposure even with a sitting, talking, moving subject. It gets a lot harder if they get up and start moving!

If you are buying new Id say get the sunpak's, if used then whatever you find for the best price. If you take your time with used units you can get some really good deals, i've gotten 283's with quantum battery 1's for the 40-50 mark shipped, but I think people are starting to catch on to this, they have started going up recently! Though not quite as leet as quantum turbo packs you can use the battery packs with any other flash you happen to end up with in the future, and you will get many more pops per charge.

Thanks for response. I'll probably get the Sunpaks new. You don't think the Vivitar's zooming head is an important difference?

[GerBee]

It all part of a lighting set up.

Scenario, portrait where you want a nice splash of light on the background, you set-up your light to your liking and find it is in the picture you want to compose.

Rats! Hmmm ...

Well one solution is to move the light further away and apply a modifier like a snoot or honeycomb grid ~ or use the zoom feature of the flash head ~ if it had a zoom feature that is and obviously if you were not already at the max zoom. :)

See the problem is there are so many situations where one can argue for or against the same thing. Non zooming flash guns are fine, sure no problems.

Thanks for response. I'll probably get the Sunpaks new. You don't think the Vivitar's zooming head is an important difference?