ETTL in Manual mode?

hi,

i am using the pop up flash and shooting in M mode all the time. i just notice that when the FC is set to 0 sometimes i get all blown out faces with portraits. I thought ETTL comes into play. I always have to adjust FC to get the right exposure.

i expose/meter for the face.

I am still awaiting the arrival of my 430ex, will this still be the case?

The camera's light meter knows absolutely nothing about flash. It only can "see" light from ordinary (continuous) light sources.

Your aperture setting is probably too wide (too small an f-stop number) for the minimum power of the flash.

If you use a 430EX in the same way, you will probably have the same problems.

What you need to learn about is the capabilities of the flash unit at different distances. The 430EX, unlike the built-in popup flash (which is the most horrid source of light ever for photography), allows you to make manual settings on the flash which can be useful for experimentation.

E-TTL meters the built-in flash, even when the camera is in manual mode.
The 430EX works the same way as long as it's in E-TTL mode.

Post a sample with EXIF.

In manual mode, are you setting the shutter speed higher than the flash sync speed of 1/200th?

If you do so, then when you shoot, the shutter speed will automatically jump back to 1/200th (since that is the highest it can go with the flash on) , resulting in photos that are overexposed.

The 430 can make it better if you enable HSS (High Speed sync), which gives you faster shutter speeds, at the expense of flash power.

i probably had the settings wrong for the aperture... since i wanted to have it wide open for more ambient to come in.

knowing at the back of my mind that i should have slowed the shutter, cranked up iso more!

@ curtis: i have deleted over exposed images already sorry...
but i have this:

What I have found with Canons built in flashes is that they tend to be a little hot (especially if working in close) and so I almost always use -1FEC or there abouts. You were using a high ISO and a wide aperture so your flash was very effective even though E-TTL should compensate for this it sometimes needs a little input from you in the form of -FEC. I applaud you in that you used a high ISO and wide aperture to make the picture and your overall exposure looks very good.. Most people in this forum and others complain that their flash units aren't powerful enough because when they shoot at night with 100 ISO and f11 they don't get good exposures. Poor little flashes are working there butts off not to mention blinding the person they are taking pictures of. You are definitely on the right track and don't be afraid to use FEC because Canons E-TTL needs some help once in a while especially with built in flashes.

thanks agv8or