Window Exposure?

The other day, I tried taking some shots of 4 family members sitting in a large window sill. It was really bright outside, & pretty dark inside.

I set my 20D for the outside exposure, and thought my 420EX(from about 6' away) would illuminate everyone. It didn't. I got a slightly over-exposed outside, and only silouhettes of everyone.

My suspicion is, that since the 420EX does not have Manual mode, ETTL took the outside & inside lighting, and decided how much light to add.

Am I correct here, or is there another reason for this?

I don't have the pictures available, since I'm at work. I can provide them later, if you are interested.

Thanks for taking a look.

your on camera flash didn't have enough power

I think if you used high speed sync that you could utilize a faster shutter speed which would decrease the exposure from outside and the flash would fill in on the people. I've tried this with my flash and it seems to work. Good luck.

RinkRat, go to this page http://www.popphoto.co​m …ction_id=4&arti​cle_id=706 and download the "Fill Flash Cheat Sheet". Pretty helpful for backlight situations. Hope it helps

Please post the photo, and exif data. Unless it was REALLY bright outside i'd expect the 420EX to do ok. Make sure you're in manual mode at your cameras max sync speed (1/250th on the 20D) to cut down the ambient light. Don't go over 1/250th because high speed sync wastes power.

Forgot all about this thread.

I'm using a 420EX, & used Tim & 300Dplus' advice, and can't seem to make any difference whatsoever.


Here's the original picture:
I tried EV+1, +2, -1, & -2, and they all look very similar to this.

1/200 @ f/8 ISO 100

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Your problem is the reflection from the flash on the window pane. That's what caused the camera to underexpose your flash shot. Position yourself so that you don't get the reflection of the flash on the window like that.

With the 420EX, first focus, then while keeping the focus locked recompose so that the partial metering circle is on one of the faces and press the flash exposure lock (*) button. Recompose and finish taking the shot.

The * button acts as flash exposure lock when using flash and normal exposure lock when no flash is used. So, when using flash the ambient exposure is locked in when you half press the shutter to aquire focus. When you then then use the * button the settings for ambient exposure don't change, but ETTL-II will meter correctly for whatever is in the partial metering circle.

Very interesting RinkRat. I shoot with 420 EX and have had similar problems. How I tried to deal with it was to use the pre-flash to let the camera know where the subject was. Sometimes it helped and sometimes not. I wish you could set the 420 EX on full manual so that it would give you full power on each flash but as far as I can tell there is not a manual setting for the flash. Even with the camera on manual the 420 EX will still adjust your exposure using ttl. ...Bob

Yep, definitely the reflection. Put the person between you and the window, or even better bounce the flash.