60D fill in flash questions

For the life of me I cannot understand or get it right when I try and use the flash for filling in a subject. It always seems the shutter speed is was to slow when I'm oputdoors and I can't figure out how to get around this. The last time I tried at sunset I had to drop EC to -3 to even get the background to look right.

Can someone help me here. As good as I am with my camera and photography this is one thing that's always baffled me. I know on some past cameras using the flas wouldn't change my exposure at all.

I use Manual mode, set shutter speed to flash sync speed or lower (1/200sec), adjust aperture and iso to give the background the exposure you want and turn on your flash. I sometimes take a test shot to test the exposure without the flash, then add the flash and adjust flash compensation so the flash isn't too strong, usually -1/3 0r -2/3 stop.
...Terry

^ thats exactly what I do (except I go 1/250 on 7D)!

I guess I don't understand why the fastest sync speed is only 1/250th. I mean if I'm outdoors at sunset and my camera wants a 1/1500 shutter speed, but I need a fill in flash what do I do?

socalrailfan wrote in post #14283264
I guess I don't understand why the fastest sync speed is only 1/250th. I mean if I'm outdoors at sunset and my camera wants a 1/1500 shutter speed, but I need a fill in flash what do I do?

Your shutter has to be 1/250 or slower so it is fully open when the flash fires. You will need to lower the iso and/or use a smaller aperture to get your shutter speed down to sync speed.
...Terry

you need an external flash that supports high speed sync, or get a ND filter to limit light

socalrailfan wrote in post #14283264
I guess I don't understand why the fastest sync speed is only 1/250th. I mean if I'm outdoors at sunset and my camera wants a 1/1500 shutter speed, but I need a fill in flash what do I do?

Problem with shutter speeds like 1/1500th is that the shutter isnt actually open for that length of time.

The shutter is infact 2 curtains. And for that speed it effectively moves a 'slice' of exposure down the frame.

The flash fires at about 1/4000th, so in this process the shutter would only be exposing part of the image.

To get around that either:

Use High speed synch - I doubt the onboard flash has the power to do this - so use a 430 or 580 etc. This strobes the flash over the exposure time, and uses up a LOT of power.

or

use an ND filter to bring down the shutter speeds.

ND filter, never thought of that. Thanks for the replies guys.