1st time flash night football; Images; Observations; Mixed Results

[snyderman]

First time with flash. Had a 430 EXII mounted below camera on monopod. Here are some observations from first-time experience:

Only able to get one shot due to regeneration time of power to flash. Using budget rechargeable AA batteries
Red-eye is going to be present when eyeball angle is inline with flash
Bumped SS to 1/320 ... still too slow to get complete stop-action shots
Very mixed exposures depending on how close/far action was from flashHere are some example shots:

1) Coming right at me ... had to lower exposure in DPP about 1.5 stops

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a310/dsnyder160/DPP_13243TIF.jpg

2) Good example of 1/320 not fast enough or, is there a way to compensate for this?

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a310/dsnyder160/DPP_13241TIF.jpg

3) This was the best of the flashed shot. The play was actually going the other way when the running back decided to do a 180. Was still caught for about a 10 yard loss on the play

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a310/dsnyder160/DPP_13238TIF.jpg

4) Last one that really shows the uneveness of the flash even when the area of focus was the huge pileup on a tackle

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a310/dsnyder160/DPP_13239TIF.jpg

I have a Stroboframe attachment that will get the flash ABOVE the camera. The highest the attachment allows leaves the flash in PORTRAIT mode configuration. Can a flash work effectively with the head pointing up and down rather than horizontal?

Any other ideas for improvement are certainly welcome. Thanks in advance.

dave

[Zivnuska]

Dave,

I don't know the max sync speed for the 50 D (I suspect it is 1/250) but you want to be sure not to go faster than that speed. The "stopping" ability of a flashed image is a function of the flashed light being well above the ambient level. Dennis has a itunes podcast on the subject. Stay shooting manual at the max sync speed for your camera. Shooting faster than max sync gets you into HSS and as a general rule, you don't want to be there.

What mode is your flash in? Manual or ETTL? Both settings are used but we will need that info to talk you through it. Personally, I use ETTL at +1, ISO 800, f/4.0 for many of my shots. Those settings can be tweaked up or down depending on the results you get.

Check out these links:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=375847

http://web.mac.com/dmwierz1/Site/Welcome.html

[snyderman]

Dave,

What mode is your flash in? Manual or ETTL? Both settings are used but we will need that info to talk you through it. Personally, I use ETTL at +1, ISO 800, f/4.0 for many of my shots. Those settings can be tweaked up or down depending on the results you get.

Check out these links:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=375847

http://web.mac.com/dmwierz1/Site/Welcome.html

Phil:

Thanks a bunch for the links and tips. I had the flash in Manual mode, power at 1/1. Started lower, but the reach at midfield was only good at 1/1.

Camera settings were very similar with ISO 800 and f/4.0 or 4.5. I'll try the ETTL setting at +1 and keep the SS at 1/250.

Thanks again.

dave

[Zivnuska]

Dave,

Just verify the max sync speed for your camera body. Maybe someone with a 50D can confirm if it is 1/250.

Good luck next week. It is getting darker earlier. You may be limited to 30 yards or less for good results.

Phil

[Methodical]

Yes it's 250. Ever consider the Better Beamer flash extender?

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/12/turn-your-flash-into-super-tele.html
http://www.rpphoto.com/store/default.asp

[DHMN]

Yes it's 250. Ever consider the Better Beamer flash extender?

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/12/turn-your-flash-into-super-tele.html
http://www.rpphoto.com/store/default.asp


Players don't notice the regular flash but wouldn't the beamer's advertised 2 to 3 F-Stop brightness increase create the distraction of light you don't want to create at a football game? I need to get one for out in the woods myself but am curious if it wouldn't be a bit "dangerous" in terms of distracting players with the extra light?

[namasste]

Dave, Phil produces some great work so this isn't to argue his methods/settings but just to show theres more than one way to skin a cat. I much prefer manual for my flash exposures as I think ETTL struggles a bit when the action is fast, unpredictable and occurs at unevenly lit spots on the field. In M, I know roughly how much output I'll get and control it by simply turning the dial and adjusting aperture. I've posted on this before but set your aperture at a nice "in between" like 3.5. If the action gets close, stop down a touch, as it moves away, open up. IMO, it allows for greater control and more consistent exposures in those environments. Then again, I did mention there are many ways to skin the cat.

[Dan-o]

Dave when you are using flash shutter speed has little to do with stopping the action. Well it does to a certain extent but the flash output can always be raised to over come it.

If you look at this thread I posted yesterday http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=755566 you can see at even 1/60s and 1/80s with the proper balance of flash over ambient the motion can be stopped. These riders were about 2-3 feet away going 25+ MPH. You notice also as the light disipates across the subject you start to get ambient bleeding through and the motion blur.

[SwiftFootTim]

I've followed cannonnoob's progression through using flash mounted below the monopod and tried out his settings last weekend, so far am pretty happy with the results but I haven't uploaded any yet. I was shooting in M: 1/250 f/2.9-4 ISO 1250-1600 and the flash output was at 1/4 on my 580 EXII. Seemed good to me.