Fill flash outdoors

How do you meter for fill flash portraits outdoors? I currently do not have a external flash but intend to get one in the near future and I was hoping that I could get some advice so when I do get it I can just jump right in.

Thanks

Canon's E-TTL metering system makes outdoor fill fairly simple. Make sure custom function 14 is set to 0 (Evaluative flash metering), and keep your shutter speed at 1/250 or slower. I often use Tv mode at 1/250.

This approach should normally work fairly well, the E-TTL system does a good job of identifying the subject outdoors. Watch your histogram and look for "blinkies" on your LCD. If you get some hot spots, dial in some negative EC or FEC.

I use ETTL mostly.

Use M mode and meter for the sky to be nice and blue. ETTL fill fash will do the work for you. My website has many examples of outdoor fill flash metering for sky with ETTl.

So when you meter for the sky using M do you set both your shutter and aperture to the sky metering?

Usually I'd point the camera right up and meter. Rememebr this is with focla lengths from 17 to 85mm. Close. After a certain distance the flash has no effect.

jtmorales wrote in post #2907235
So when you meter for the sky using M do you set both your shutter and aperture to the sky metering?

Whenever you're metering on a continuous light source (like the sun), shutter speed, aperture and ISO will always be part of the equation. Changing one of those things will always change the exposure unless you also make a compensating change with something else.

Typically, when someone says "meter on the sky" or "meter on the grass" or whatever, it means adjusting ISO, aperture and/or shutter speed in some fashion to center the needle in the viewfinder. If the ambient light is your only light source, there are many combinations that will create the same exposure. This gives you some lattitude to adjust aperture to get the DOF you want, or use a fast shutter speed to prevent motion blur.

But when you use flash outdoors, it gets a little more tricky. You can't go faster than 1/250 shutter speed (without high speed sync), and you probably don't want to go much slower than about 1/60 for fear of motion blur. Since this gives you only a 2-stop range with your shutter, you'll need to adjust the aperture at some point in the process to get the ambient exposure where you want.

My usual settings with a polarizer on were 1/250th, f/4.0 and ISO 50. Flash was set to ETTL.

Looking at your lens lineup, I would guess you'd use you Sigma 28-70. You might need wider on a crop body so go with the kit lens at 18mm. Save up for a 580. you'll need a much power as possible for outdoors (read "distance").

Similar question...

Same scenario, I want to get an ambient exposure with flash for fill only...be it outdoors or brightly lit indoor location. I'd like to use a hand held meter to get the ambient exposure just right...rather than rely on the reflected camera meter.

So if I take my meter reading and dial in those settings in Manual exposure mode...What will my E-TTL flash do? (430EX on 20D) Will it automatically give me just enough for fill, or will I need to dial the FEC down myself? Should I underexpose from the meter reading and let the flash bring it back up?

I'm sure the histogram will let me know what adjustments to make, at the time...but I want to understand the process a little better.

You're pretty much on the right track Mike - ideally you want the flash to put out about 2/3 to 1 stop less light than what ambient shows on the meter. And theoretically that's what the ETTL SHOULD do.

The ETTL is basically the flash pretty much on Auto, metering some part of the scene. If it happens to be seeing mostly neutral colors under generally representative lighting, then it will give very good results. The problem is at a wedding, the lens happens to be taking in a lot of black tuxedo's. The ETTL will "think" the scene needs a lot of light, pump out that much more and end up blowing out the faces and bride's dresses. Been there done that .

In my old Metz days it was relatively easy. I did everything you outline in your post Mike, and then I could dial into the Metz what f-stop I wanted it to fire at. If my hand held meter would say f/8, I'd tell the Metz to output at f/5.6, giving me 1-stop less output, and some attractive fill and modeling light.

So the way I get around it with my 580 would be to keep your manual camera settings by metering as you did, and then let the flash do it's "thing." That first shot will likely be your TEST shot as you chimp the results. And then depending upon what you see, dial in MORE or LESS FEC on the flash until you get good facial modeling/shadow to your taste. - Stu

Mike, I believe there is a way with the Canon flashes to MANUALLY tell it how much light to put out - ie. full power, half power, quarter power, that sort of thing. This would allow you to precisely and manually (non-ETTL) add exactly the quantity of flash to a scene that you wished.

The problem is I haven't taken the time to figure it out yet. It's probably one of those obvious and easy things staring me in the face.

Thank you very much.

I can set the 430 to fire manually and set the power (full, 1/2, 1/4 etc.)...but it's easier to just dial the FEC on the camera. I know it's not the same, as it will still be subject to the reflectivity of the subjects...but as you say, I'll just chimp and move on.

That's probably the best way to go Mike . I remember being totally confused all to heck when I first got my dSLR last year and was introduced to Canon's ETTL.

Part of the problem was me - I was overthinking it... should have just let the AI in the flash do it's thing automatically, and then fine the adjustments with FEC. D'oH!!

And all this changes with the body you have. Setting CF. 4 has a big impact on it too.

cosworth wrote in post #2918696
And all this changes with the body you have. Setting CF. 4 has a big impact on it too.

You're absolutely right Jason - except I can't remember what CF.4 is on my 5D. I don't use too many of the custom functions.

Focus with the * button. When the camera is in "manual focus" mode literally by depressing the * button, the camera will use ALL metering sensors.

A quick read for 1 series owners can be found here:

C:\Users\Jason\Documen​ts\Canon stuff\The 1Ds and E-TTL Flash.htm

Using FEL works too.