Aperture/Exposure ?

[Zamora3]

I was shottin with my Dreb and my 50 mmf/1.8 wuth my Mecablitz 54 Af-1 flash.

I was taking pictures at a indoor basketball game in Tv mode and set my shutter speed where I wanted it, then the camera would seletc the aperture value, but not the lowets, I think the lowest it went was about 3. When I would fire the flash and the look at the exposure, the picture would be overexposed. So I loweere the exposure and the f stop kept getting higher and higher with each exposure stop. The players were lit great but the background was way to dark. I used the exact settings in M mode and the pictures were pitch black. Does anyone know why?

[primoz]

I have no idea how your flash works with your camera. But there's really no logic in this what you said. If you had for example 1/500 and f5.6 in tv mode and flash fired so players were lit good, while background wasn't (afterall this is normal, since flash doesn't go 50m :) ) then with this settings photos should be same no matter if you have it in manual or in any program mode (tv, av, p). Of course if flash fires in manual mode :)
Only "logical" explanation for me is that when you lowered exposure time and aperture went up (this mettering is based on ambient light) you didn't really check exact settings. And when setting time and aperture in manual you didn't have same settings as before. Otherwise photos should really look identical.

[tim]

The light from the flash is reaching the players and illuminating them fine in the fraction of a second of the exposure. There's not as much light coming from the background, so it's darker.

I would use FEC (flash exposure compensation - only on a hacked 300D) to reduce the flash output, and increase the exposure time so the background is correctly exposed. I'd probably work on manual mode, starting at whatever aperture you need, and use the metering in Av mode to set your shutter speed.

[Zamora3]

Ok, I'll try shooting in M mode. I have the hack on my Dreb, I know you have to press JUMp to use it, but how do u actually use it. Do u set it on your subject then press JUMp the the shutter button?

Sorry for my noobiness.

[tim]

If the camera's over exposing hit jump then use the arrow buttons or dial to tell it to pump out less light. I have't really used it myself so i'm not 100% sure.

[scottbergerphoto]

The Aperture and Shutter settings have little to do with the flash exposure, they control the ambient light exposure. I suggest that you put your Rebel in P Mode, and your flash in ETTL. The flash will expose the subject/foreground and the camera meter will try to meter the ambient light but won't drop the shutter below 1/60 of a second.

It is odd that you are using Tv mode with flash. The fastest you can set your shutter speed is the x-sync speed of the camera (1/200?). When you use flash, the effective shutter speed is the flash burst )1/10,00) when it comes to freezing action, not the camera shutter. Most people use P, Av, or M Mode when using flash to control DOF and maximize the distance the flash can travel.
Scott

[Andy_T]

Scott,

can you use Non-Canon flashlights with ETTL?

I got the impression that the only flashes that worked automatically with Canon digital cameras were the EX series (and compatibles, e.g. Sigma 500 DG), and all other (including Canon EZ series) just took the picture at full flash power (which would lead to the over-exposition mentioned).

I certainly would appreciate if there was a way to use my Metz MZ-40II (with SCA 3401 Adapter for Canon) on my 20D without going manual all the time.


Zamora ... if you want to have the background lit, you'll have to increase the shutter speed. This alone basically has no impact on the exposition of the main subject (because the flash is so fast that it does not make a difference for the part of the picture illuminated by the flash if you select 1/250 or 1/50), but the background will be better exposed. Of couse, this might not be what you want for stopping the action.


Best regards,
Andy

[Zamora3]

When I attempted to shot in Av mode the maximum shutter speed that it would select was somewheres around 1/80. At 1/200 it freezes the action perfectly but the background is really dark. The next game (tommorrow) I will try and shoot in M mode and let you guys know what happened. Thanks for the help.

[scottbergerphoto]

My apologies. If the Metz doesn't have ETTL, you're stuck with Manual Flash or Auto Thyristor if it has it. I sometimes use a QFlash T2D that does all three.

My main concern is that the original poster seems to be confusing what the flash is supposed to do and what the camera settings are supposed to do. The flash is supposed to light the foreground/subject and the Aperture/Shutter control the background. The risk you run in trying to get a correct exposure for the background is winding up with too slow a shutter speed to hand hold the camera. I usually put the camera in Manual Mode, 1/60 and f/8 or f/5.6 if I want to capture some ambient light, and I put the flash in ETTLII. If my flash was only manual, I would use the same settings but adjust the power of the flash by Distance to Subject = GN/f stop at ISO 100. If I need more distance then my f stop and ISO will allow I can increase the ISO or open up my aperture.
Scott

[nosquare2003]

can you use Non-Canon flashlights with ETTL?


I read from the Metz site that 54AF-1 can do with ETTL (together with TTL, Auto, Manual modes).

Scott,
I certainly would appreciate if there was a way to use my Metz MZ-40II (with SCA 3401 Adapter for Canon) on my 20D without going manual all the time.


The MZ-40II don't have ETTL mode as I also read from Metz...


Zamora ... if you want to have the background lit, you'll have to increase the shutter speed.

My English is poor...do you mean slower shutter speed?

[nosquare2003]

I was taking pictures at a indoor basketball game in Tv mode and set my shutter speed where I wanted it, then the camera would seletc the aperture value, but not the lowets, I think the lowest it went was about 3. When I would fire the flash and the look at the exposure, the picture would be overexposed.

If you use a Tv mode and the aperture does not go to the largest (lowest f-stop), then the subject will be properly exposed even without any flash. (You may check the ISO value, shutter speed and aperture used for these shots.)

I think that Scott has replied the rest.

[Andy_T]

I read from the Metz site that 54AF-1 can do with ETTL (together with TTL, Auto, Manual modes).

That's right. I also found out in the meantime that the 54AF-1 is the Metz flash that can be used with Canon digital cameras. Scott had it exactly right.


The MZ-40II don't have ETTL mode as I also read from Metz...

Yes, my only resort is full manual ... and as the flash output can only be diminished by -3 EV, I sometimes have to go to f/5.6 or f/8 on bounced flash when shooting indoor photos. Hit and miss.

So my next investment will most likely be a decent flash unit.

My English is poor...do you mean slower shutter speed?

Well, my English is poor, as well :D . I meant exactly what you said.

Best regards,
Andy