Flash and camera meter newbie question ?

[rooeey]

I have a 5D and a 580EXII and shoot mainly in Manual....

Does the cameras exposure meter adjust when communicating with the flash ?

I hope i am not stating the obviouse as i know the cameras meter measures ambient light but is there an adjustment made to the meter via the flash in the exposure bar ?

Thanks in advance..

[40Dude6aedyk]

The answer is no. It does not adjust.

[rooeey]

The answer is no. It does not adjust.

Thanks Dude....

So in saying that if i was in a dark room in which my camera was relying on my speed lights red lights for AF my exposure bar would read pretty low but when i take the shot my flash would light up the subject and my exposure may well be spot ?

[snakekid]

Nope your ETTL 2 flashes emits a pre-flash to calculate

[rooeey]

Nope your ETTL 2 flashes emits a pre-flash to calculate

Ok but pre flash happens at the moment you press the shutter button does it not ?

So you would not have time to read it on your cameras meter ....

So maybe you would take a shot using some brain calculations and chimp away ???

[40Dude6aedyk]

There are sensors in the camera that see the amount of light that the pre-flash creates. We can call them ETTL sensors if you like. These sensors are different than the normal exposure metering meter.

You can press the * button to generate a pre-flash. This button is sometimes called the FEL button. Check the manual.

[PacAce]

There are sensors in the camera that see the amount of light that the pre-flash creates. We can call them ETTL sensors if you like. These sensors are different than the normal exposure metering meter.

You can press the * button to generate a pre-flash. This button is sometimes called the FEL button. Check the manual.

Actually, the same "light meter sensors" used to meter the ambient light is also used to meter the preflash to calculate the flash exposure. ;)

Depending on the EOS model, all or only some (excluding the outer perimeter sensors) of the sensors are used for flash metering.

[msowsun]

I have a 5D and a 580EXII and shoot mainly in Manual....


Does the cameras exposure meter adjust when communicating with the flash ?

I hope i am not stating the obvious as i know the cameras meter measures ambient light but is there an adjustment made to the meter via the flash in the exposure bar ?

Thanks in advance..



ETTL flash metering can not be seen by the photographer looking at his camera meter or camera display.

ETTL is magical and mysterious. It is automatic and just does it's own thing.

[PacAce]

ETTL flash metering can not be seen by the photographer looking at his camera meter or camera display.

ETTL is magical and mysterious. It is automatic and just does it's own thing. [/LEFT]

The above statement (in bold) would be true unless one has a 1D series camera, in which case, one would be able to see what the camera is metering for the flash just like one can see what the camera is metering for the ambient light. The 1D series cameras have two meter scales in the viewfinder, one for ambient and another for flash. ;)

[msowsun]

Wow, you learn something every day on this forum.... :)