Shooting Indoor Graduation? Flash?

[RbrtPtikLeoSeny]

Hello everyone, tonight I will be photographying my little brother's 6th grade graduation and I have no clue what to do. I'm hoping to use pretty much all the lenses in my sig. for various shots, and I don't know about flash... Should I use flash? It'll be pretty darn dark in there! Very little light I believe inside a gym. I have no idea how to use flash though.... I'd be worried about under, or over exposing my shots. Plus, can I even use flash with my 70-200 f/4??

Totally lost. What do you guys n gals recommend I do?

Thanks!:lol:

[robertwgross]

The built-in flash does not have much range, so the better solution is to use an external flash such as 420EX, 550EX, or 580EX.

---Bob Gross---

[RbrtPtikLeoSeny]

That's what I thought... don't have the cash for that right now though. How far would you say the built in flash is affective too? About 10ft?

[AjP]

try to rent 420, 550 or 580, I shoot alot inside and 580 is great flash for any light situations, just don't use direct flash, use bounce and may be flash exposure compensation 0 - +2/3 and manual mode 1/60-1/125, will do it.

[pdrow]

Bump up the ISO alot and shoot raw. It may take a little time to post process, but I think you will come out with better photos. I would avoid the on camera flash. Honestly, I can't think of a single good photo I have taken with it.

pam

[robertwgross]

On the 20D, the built-in flash has a Guide Number of 13 meters at ISO 100. So, if we assume that you were always using a lens wide open at f/4, then that means slightly over 3 meters of flash range. If you kick up the ISO to 400, then that would double the range. Note that with a different lens or lens aperture, the range will vary.

Take a 550EX as an example of an external flash. It has a Guide number of 55 meters at ISO 100 at 105mm. If we calculated with the same f/4, then that means over 13 meters of flash range. Or, at ISO 400, then double that range.

---Bob Gross---

[tim]

Depends how close you are. You could try the 70-200 at F4 and ISO 1600. If the shutter speed's still below 1/125, pop up the flash and see if it works, though reduce the ISO to 800 and see if that works.

Honestly, I can't think of a single good photo I have taken with it.

I sometimes use the on-camera flash when my 550EX would be unweildly or intrusive. I used the built-in flash at a party recently, and the shots came out ok - not brilliant, and lots of red eye, but a hell of a lot better than anyone else managed to do. The shots are here (http://www.mrwild.co.nz/PhotoGallery/2005/Niccis30th/index.html).