ETTL Exposure/ Power

[atracksler]

Just did 2 shoots with my new 580/430 ex flashes, using the wireless ETTL, THroughout the shoot, I felt like I was getting looong exposures when I tried using exposure compensation, I got brighter images, overexposed, but I felt like i was getting really long exposures. Can anyone illuminate me on what I was doing wrong? When I was a full manual man, I would pump up the power in the flashes aqnd get nice short exposures.

Thanks, ad

[tim]

You need to have the camera in manual otherwise the camera will meter for ambient, then add flash, giving you a different mix of light that you expected and often overexposed images.

[atracksler]

even using ETTL? I had to pump up the ISO to 640 and 800 to get reasonable shutter speeds.

[tim]

You've missed the point. You're using P or Av, which means you're telling the camera to expose for ambient light, using flash as fill. If light's low that means shutter speeds will be slow. You need to be in manual and tell it what exposure to use, then ETTL will expose the main part of the scene approximately correctly. You'll need to use flash exposure compensation - read the flash manual.

This means using ETTL in manual the main subject will always be reasonably well exposed, whether you use ISO100 F8 or ISO1600 F2.8, so long as the flash can put out enough power. The difference is how the background looks. ISO100 F8 indoors with direct flash means the background will probably be quite dark. ISO1600 F2.8 means much more ambient light will contribute to the background exposure. Don't be afraid of high ISO, I use whatever I need to get the photo looking how I want it. I regularly print ISO1600 images at 18x12" to go into wedding albums.

SLRs expect you to know what you're doing and tell the camera what to do, not leave it in auto and hope for the best.

[EOS_JD]

Just did 2 shoots with my new 580/430 ex flashes, using the wireless ETTL, THroughout the shoot, I felt like I was getting looong exposures when I tried using exposure compensation, I got brighter images, overexposed, but I felt like i was getting really long exposures. Can anyone illuminate me on what I was doing wrong? When I was a full manual man, I would pump up the power in the flashes aqnd get nice short exposures.

Thanks, ad

When using flash, shutter speed controls the ambient light.

[atracksler]

Thanks, tim that helps a lot. I thought that ETTL only worked in Tv or AV, not in full manual, which I like a whole lot more.

[egordon99]

Adam - E-TTL works with the camera modes more or less the same as P-TTL does on pentax bodies. It made the transition very easy for me :)

[atracksler]

I never used P-TTL, since I got into the wireless 580.430 combo, I've been exploring it more, I was a 100% manual man. This is making me think right now, I'm sure it will be second nature soon.

[tim]

You can use the flashes in manual using wireless ETTL, the flash manual tells you how.

[atracksler]

thanks, i probably should sit down with that pesky manual....

[Canonboi]

You've missed the point. You're using P or Av, which means you're telling the camera to expose for ambient light, using flash as fill. If light's low that means shutter speeds will be slow. You need to be in manual and tell it what exposure to use, then ETTL will expose the main part of the scene approximately correctly. You'll need to use flash exposure compensation - read the flash manual.

This means using ETTL in manual the main subject will always be reasonably well exposed, whether you use ISO100 F8 or ISO1600 F2.8, so long as the flash can put out enough power. The difference is how the background looks. ISO100 F8 indoors with direct flash means the background will probably be quite dark. ISO1600 F2.8 means much more ambient light will contribute to the background exposure. Don't be afraid of high ISO, I use whatever I need to get the photo looking how I want it. I regularly print ISO1600 images at 18x12" to go into wedding albums.

SLRs expect you to know what you're doing and tell the camera what to do, not leave it in auto and hope for the best.

Tim, are you Scott Kelby in disguise writing The Digital Photography Book Volume 2? Because you answer "straight to the point". I like that. Plain English with little to no jargon. Enjoyed reading your replies. Keep it up, man.

[tim]

Glad to be of assistance, and nope, i'm definitely me :)