G6 flash to harsh??

ok I know I have been at this topic before.....

but here is a thought if when I use my G6 with 420ex in AV mode, I always seem to have to back down the flash output to -1 or even -2 or the subject especially one within say four feet, the flash is to harsh. Now this really shouldn't be since the flash output should be adjust by the camera correctly.

Now here is my thought, not sure if I'm right or this makes sense. I have my metering mode set to "evaluative", should it be set to "spot"?
Is evaluative taking to much of the whole picture into consideration and I can say most of the pics are indoors in lower light situations. Oh by the way my AF is set to center. So the question is if I set the metering to spot should that allow the camera and flash to give me the correct amount verses having to set the flash output my self? I would try it but I'm at work without my camera. Would really like to here some opinions and if I am making sense.

TIA

i've kind of felt the same way, and have come to a similar conclusion, if i understand you correctly.

I usually spot meter, and sometimes turn the flash down a couple notches (I'm just talking internal flash here) it always seems like the photo would be way overexposed

but the more and more i think about it and look at my photos, the area i spot metered on is usually pretty good, even without turning down the flash. I think the problem is just that at that close a range, if there's something closer to the camera than what you're spot metering for, even if it's just an inch or two closer it's going to get blown out.

It's probably just the nature of using a flash so close to something... do you have similar problems when bouncing the flash? I've been trying to meter things a few different ways when i use flash, and no one metering mode works best, it depends on the composition and the subject, but usually one of them does the job without having to adjust the flash compensation. In my experience, the compensations settings don't make that much of a difference unless you've got the exposure more or less correct and you just need to fine-tune it.

Try backing off from the subject and using zoom, and/or bouncing and/or diffusing the flash.

B.

Thanks for the info Bryan.

I always have it set to evaluative, I guess that was big mistake.:o

I do use the omnibounce all the time on those types of shots and sometimes I use it striaght on and sometimes bounce, depends on the situation. But I always seem to have back down the flash output.

well, there's nothing wrong with evaluative, sometimes it works best, you just need to determine which will work best for the situation...

I think maybe it's just a matter of 4 feet being too close to a subject to use a flash, mostly.

B

You are probably right about switching metering modes, I have played with just about all the other settings, guess I thought evaluative was a "set it and forget it thing".

I really don't think I have a choice of not using a flash in the conditions I'm shooting in. Don't want to bump the iso and can't handhold a really slow shutter speed.

If you were serious about the flash being too harsh, then all this concern about metering is misplaced. The only way you will correct the harshness is through diffusion and the more the better. Bounce is one way and the diffusion thingy that was mentioned are probably reasonably good ways, but for portrait work it's better to use an umbrella and from as far back as possible.

PS - I am not really familiar with Omnibounce - is that just a diffusion bubble that goes over the flash window?

I don't use the 420ex but I do use the 380ex
I do not think it can reduce the flash power enough for distances below about four feet.
You can help matters by using the flash adjustment settings.
Mine is left at - 2/3rds of a stop all the time, as I find that suits what I like in the resulting image. But your camera flash combination might work with some other adjustment better.
I alway bounce and/or use a diffuser which softens the light , but there is no point in using bounce if there is nothing near enough to bounce off

Another way to cut the power of the flash quite dramaticaly is to use TV mode
set the Gun for highspeed flash and then set a higher shutter speed ( above 1/250 second). Look in your flash and camera hand books to see by how much it reduces for your flashoutput.

The real answer is never use flash unless you have to.

Terry

Hi Robert,

Actually changing the metering from evaluative to spot did seem to make a difference. By the way the omnibounce was on the flash and usually is for these type of shots. I only took a few test shots last nite. Not totally conclusive yet. The thought as stated above is the evaluative was metering the whole shot and the background is usually dimmer, thus the flash seems to want to give more output to expose the whole shot. With the spot metering, from my understanding is if the metered area and focus area are the same the flash will only try to expose the focus area.

Right, that was my thinking. But Bob and Terry are right, 4 feet is really just often too close for direct flash, even with a diffuser.

Here are some other crackpot ideas, some of which i've never tested and some that I used to use with my prehistoric sigma thrysistor flash on my Canon T70 back in the day:

-DON'T use the diffuser, and point the flash straight up. the diffuser, if left on, is still brighter than the bounce would be.
-or point the flash (w/o OB) backwards and to the side, if there's a wall there. (close your eyes)
-rubberband a card to the flash the flash and point the head straight up. Using something like foamcore will reflect lots of light directly, but also bounce a lot off the ceiling. doing the same with less reflective material (even something like dull black matteboard) would hopefully allow just enough reflected light for fill, with the bounce off the ceiling doing most of the work.
-instead of the mostly translucent omnibounce, try something like a kool-whip container that's thicker and blocks some light. Or put a tissue over the omnibounce to diffuse the light more.