Not getting good pictures in low light with my 20D

[MultiDim2009]

I have always had trouble taking nice shots with my 20D in low light situations. Look at the attached picture. Why is the kids face dark? I feel like I have done everything I could to get a bright shot. High ISO, wide open aperture, flash etc. But still I am not able to get a good shot with the kid's face not having shadow and darkness. Please advice.

Shutter - 1/100
Aperture - f/2.8
Focal Length - 24
ISO - 800
Flash - ON
Shutter Priority

[dle42]

My guess, but it seems that the flash could have been fooled by the light colored walls and underside of the carpet, and therefore underexposed for the subject.

[sgogula]

bump up FEC (Flash Exposure Compensation) and see.

[JeffreyG]

I agree, this shot needs +FEC because of the white wall.

As an aside, shooting scenes like this in Tv mode does not make a lot of sense as you will take every such shot with the lens wide open using Tv. Tv tries to expose for ambient light in all circumstances, so picking a high-ish shutter speed in low light means the lens will be wide open all the time.

[Gatorboy]

Av or Tv the camera is going to use the flash for fill. You want to set MANUAL exposure.

[gkarris]

^^^ or Program/Green Box... ;)

[MultiDim2009]

All, thanks for the feedback. This is the part that I don't understand. I also have a point and shoot canon SD450. When I take a similar picture with that, it fires the flash and take a beautiful picture. Why this flash exposure compensation and all that setting for the 20D? Shouldn't a 20D do atleast what a canon SD450 does? It feels like I have to work 10 times harder with the 20D to take a good everyday picture, but much easier with the SD450. Am I the only one thinking like this or am I missing something?

[mike_d]

Set the 20D to spot meter off her face and see what happens.

[DreDaze]

It feels like I have to work 10 times harder with the 20D to take a good everyday picture, but much easier with the SD450


if you want a point and shoot just put the 20D into the green box mode...

if you want to make it easier to use the 20D, and get way better pictures than your P&S...read up, ask questions, and practice...

Set the 20D to spot meter off her face and see what happens.
i don't think the 20D has spot metering...

[neilwood32]

If you put your camera in either AV or TV modes, you are basically using ambient light with flash as fill. The camera is basically trying to expose 18% grey - and it looks like for that wall it achieved success! White walls will almost always fool the meter and need EC adjustment.

By putting it into AV (or TV) you are basically saying to the camera "I know what Im doing" instead of green box Auto mode which says "Do everything for me"

Either bump your FEC up a notch or 2, or go the whole hog and shoot Manual. With a bit of practise, it is actually easier than any other mode because you can take control and decide how you want it exposed!