Edu-ma-cate me on flash

SmellyTofu

To put it bluntly.. so far, ETTL II on my 580EX suck like the proverbial... the biggest problem is using the 17-40 with the 5D and there's hot spots and what not (talking bouncing the light only)... I've got a "fake" Gary Fong lightsphere and it doesn't seem to help all that much except soften it. I tried it on manual mode (1:1) and it seems to really put on the charge and make a really big flash... comes out alright but haven't drive it in a high ceiling situation to really trust it... annnnyway....

What am I doing wrong? What can I do to make it look so nice like the Nikon SB800's that seem to be so deadly great every single time??

SmellyTofu

Double post.. pls delete

[ 本帖最後由 SmellyTofu 於 2008-9-29 04:19 編輯 ]

SmellyTofu

Here's some samples.. again, these are off-shots so please ignore the composition of it but these are pretty much out of the camera and converted from Lightroom. All these were bounced off the ceiling which was yellowy in colour so I've only fiddled with the WB.

1st pic, f7.1 1/80 ISO1600
2nd pic, f7.1 1/50 ISO1600

[ 本帖最後由 SmellyTofu 於 2008-9-29 04:17 編輯 ]

chobit

Show us some samples if you can.  However, please understand that there is a limit of what a single or even 2 flashes can do.  Then, I suppose it depends on what you have in mind for the end results.

SmellyTofu

OK.. did another job last night.. and I used a 580EX2 on the 5D and 580EX as a slave... and what I've found is that at close range it's not too bad, but at longer distance like in a Chinese restaurant, it's still not acceptable... short of scattering flashes all over the restaurant.

Techniques I've been using is to crank up ISO to around 1000-1600 (reluctant to use 3200).. Manual mode and for a lot of the time hovering around f4-5.6 and 1/40-1/60.. still... AHH! it's really giving me the shxts actually...

[ 本帖最後由 SmellyTofu 於 2008-9-28 19:05 編輯 ]

SmellyTofu

原帖由 chobit 於 2008-8-12 02:25 發表
I am not sure if I've ever mention.  On Canon system, I personally like using using Average instead of Evaluative for the flash setting, as I found it more consistent.

When using indoor and having th ...

Yeah, I found out average is becoming my default setting where it was on evaluative beforehand. I think now my photo partner hopefully won't scold me for giving him such crappy photos to edit.. all I need to do now is WB control and making the lighting more natural..  Maybe it's a Lightroom thing but it seems like when you load it, they apply this default setting that makes indoor shots look really weird in colour.

chobit

I am not sure if I've ever mention.  On Canon system, I personally like using using Average instead of Evaluative for the flash setting, as I found it more consistent.

When using indoor and having the flash being the main light source.  FEC at +2/3 works best

When doing fill flash outdoor w/o strong back-lite.  Then I use FEC at -1 stop.

SmellyTofu

OK... update... did another wedding on the weekend. During the indoors, I floated around the ISO1000-1600 using manual setting. Mainly around f5.6-6.3 and 1/30-1/50s with -1 to 0 FEC with the Tamron 28-75 (yeh yeh, need to get 24-70L soon)... They looked sharp enough but just worried it might be even too grainy on a 5D.

The unfortunate thing was during the banquet at night, the venue had varying ceiling heights in black so a lot of combinations just simply did not work consistently so my friend with the Nikon D3 + SB800 had to do the standard table shots (which I normally cover). (There was a guy with a SB900 and it seemed like the image was just slightly brighter but refresh rate is very fast.

Something that I might have discovered is that because I hang my 2nd (old) 10D body with the 420EX there that putting it on slave mode and making it fire whilst it's at my waist height spreads the light more.. but I'm not 100% sure if it's just useless hanging there or it really works well all because of the ceiling height variations.

Mind you, in something different.. it was pretty depressing that everyone at the banquet at night were using Nikons... GRRRRRRRR! HURRY UP CANON!!!

[ 本帖最後由 SmellyTofu 於 2008-8-10 16:15 編輯 ]

chobit

I think the LSII should help in your situation.  Also I don't always point the flash up in those situation...!  For example on your 2nd photo.  You may try point up, but angle it a bit to the right-rear.
Also, mix it up with higher ISO and large aperture sometimes help balance it out.

PS:  Can u share more on your setting?  Camera/ISO/Aperture/Shutter, etc..

EL

[ 本帖最後由 chobit 於 2008-4-17 11:29 編輯 ]

Catpiano

Those pics .. look normal to me too ..   

Of course .. you could do better ..  say if u could add a second flash ..  or change the bounce direction .. or not using bounce at all? but direct flash with diffusor ?

Or set higher iso ..  so less output from flash .. or just crop the bright area law ..

I am sure even with D300 + SB800 .. result will be more or less the same ..

[ 本帖最後由 Catpiano 於 2008-4-16 16:50 編輯 ]