Metering mode effect on Manual Mode with flash

Can we ignore the metering mode ff we shoot in Manual mode with flash and the camera metering show more than -2EV?

I notice that it made no difference at all setting from spot meter to center weight?

If I lock the exposure (FEL) then the shoot will be a bit overexpose.

Is this effect is due to the 580EX tried to compensate the subject unless we lock the exposure?

Yes, you can ignore the internal meter when shooting in manual mode if the meter is indicating underexposure and you don't really care about capturing the ambient lighting. If the meter is showing an overexposure, then you'll need to adjust your camera settings if you don't want a blown picture.

let say if I used Manual output flash, then I've have to do few times preshoots 'coze now the compensation is manually done ,right?

If yes is there anyway to calculate the right amount of flash output?

danielyamseng wrote in post #5477297
let say if I used Manual output flash, then I've have to do few times preshoots 'coze now the compensation is manually done ,right?

If yes is there anyway to calculate the right amount of flash output?

What camera are you using? If you have a 1D series camera, you can use the built-in meter to determine what to set your flash to manually.

If not, and this will work with any camera, if you have the flash mounted on the camera and pointed straight ahead (not in bounce position), the flash will indicate the optimal distance of the flash, displayed on the flash LCD, for the power level set on the flash and the ISO and aperture set on the camera (you'll need to half press the shutter button to get the distance to display). You can use this distance compared to the actual flash-to-subject distance to determine how much more or less power you'll need to set the flash at or what ISO and/or aperture to set the camera at. What you would do is adjust the power level, ISO and/or the aperture until the distance displayed matches the flash-to-subject distance.

Once you get the setting into the ballpark, you can then take a test shot and look at your histogram and the picture to see if you need to make further adjustments.

If you want to use the flash off-camera or in the bounce position, you can use the above to get to a starting point and then work it from there.

danielyamseng wrote in post #5477297
If I lock the exposure (FEL) then the shoot will be a bit overexpose.

Is this effect is due to the 580EX tried to compensate the subject unless we lock the exposure?

The result you get by using the FEL will depend on what or where you point the circle in the middle of the viewfinder. If whatever is there is very dark, your picture will be overexposed. If it is very bright, the picture will be underexposed. The idea is to point the circle at an area which is neutral in tone (near mid-gray) to get a good flash exposure.

PacAce wrote in post #5477517
What camera are you using? If you have a 1D series camera, you can use the built-in meter to determine what to set your flash to manually.

If not, and this will work with any camera, if you have the flash mounted on the camera and pointed straight ahead (not in bounce position), the flash will indicate the optimal distance of the flash, displayed on the flash LCD, for the power level set on the flash and the ISO and aperture set on the camera (you'll need to half press the shutter button to get the distance to display). You can use this distance compared to the actual flash-to-subject distance to determine how much more or less power you'll need to set the flash at or what ISO and/or aperture to set the camera at. What you would do is adjust the power level, ISO and/or the aperture until the distance displayed matches the flash-to-subject distance.

Once you get the setting into the ballpark, you can then take a test shot and look at your histogram and the picture to see if you need to make further adjustments.

If you want to use the flash off-camera or in the bounce position, you can use the above to get to a starting point and then work it from there.

I'm using 40D. Does this camera can do what 1D does?

PacAce wrote in post #5477517
The result you get by using the FEL will depend on what or where you point the circle in the middle of the viewfinder. If whatever is there is very dark, your picture will be overexposed. If it is very bright, the picture will be underexposed. The idea is to point the circle at an area which is neutral in tone (near mid-gray) to get a good flash exposure.

That mean when using flash, the metering is always on the center of the viewfinder regardless of the metering mode used and Active focus point?

danielyamseng wrote in post #5477789
I'm using 40D. Does this camera can do what 1D does?

No, it can't.

danielyamseng wrote in post #5477789
That mean when using flash, the metering is always on the center of the viewfinder regardless of the metering mode used and Active focus point?

Yes, that is correct but only when using FEL.

BTW, when using the flash, with or without FEL, the camera metering mode and the active focus point is never considered when determining the flash exposure on the 40D or any other ETTL-II camera.

PacAce wrote in post #5477995
No, it can't.

Yes, that is correct but only when using FEL.

BTW, when using the flash, with or without FEL, the camera metering mode and the active focus point is never not considered when determining the flash exposure on the 40D or any other ETTL-II camera.

"never not"

Ain't not never doin' nathin', you know!

apersson850 wrote in post #5478236
Ain't not never doin' nathin', you know!

Can you also conjugate verbs in Latin?

jrsforums wrote in post #5478204
"never not"

Oops. Sorry, I experienced a mouse/keyboard failure. The mouse failed to highlight the word "not" and the delete key on the keyboard failed to deleted it.

Fixed now.

PacAce wrote in post #5478829
What camera are you using? If you have a 1D series camera, you can use the built-in meter to determine what to set your flash to manually.

I just dont quite get it. I thought both 40D and 1D series body is having the same built in meter?

Does that mean the 1d series built in meter is superior to 40D? And in a way smarter than 40D metering?

Or
is it that's why the 1D series metering indicator is on the right side on the viewfinder with flash exposure indicator?

PacAce or anyone of you guys can explain to me?

danielyamseng wrote in post #5481458
I just dont quite get it. I thought both 40D and 1D series body is having the same built in meter?

Does that mean the 1d series built in meter is superior to 40D? And in a way smarter than 40D metering?

Or
is it that's why the 1D series metering indicator is on the right side on the viewfinder with flash exposure indicator?

PacAce or anyone of you guys can explain to me?

The 1D series cameras come with 2 meter scales in the viewfinder, one for ambient light metering and the other is for flash metering. The non-1D cameras only have one meter scale which is for ambient light metering. When the flash is in ETTL mode, the flash meter only shows you what FEC has been set on the camera or flash. But when the flash is in manual mode, you can measure the exposure of the flash by pressing the FEL button. Based on what the meter reads, you can adjust the ISO, aperture and/or the flash power to get the flash meter index to the center of the scale, or + or - of center if FEC is required.

PacAce wrote in post #5482099
The 1D series cameras come with 2 meter scales in the viewfinder, one for ambient light metering and the other is for flash metering. The non-1D cameras only have one meter scale which is for ambient light metering. When the flash is in ETTL mode, the flash meter only shows you what FEC has been set on the camera or flash. But when the flash is in manual mode, you can measure the exposure of the flash by pressing the FEL button. Based on what the meter reads, you can adjust the ISO, aperture and/or the flash power to get the flash meter index to the center of the scale, or + or - of center if FEC is required.

Awesome! PacAce, your statement made me wanted to dish out my 40D for 1DmkIII