Bounce flash - should the flash be set to manual (full power)?

[mpenza]

Or would it be better to leave it at auto?

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by mpenza Or would it be better to leave it at auto?

If it's TTL, leave it as TTL. If it's non-TTL auto, my experience is to set the ISO of the flash to 1 stop overexposure (e.g. 100 instead of 200, 50 instead of 100 etc). Full manual mode gives you a lot of headaches when doing bounce.

Regards
CK

[Lensman]

Bounce flash depends on how high is your ceilling & what color ?
I leave the setting in TTL mode and do bracket shots one with normal f-stop and 1 stop over. As far, both pix always turns up ok.

Oh, I was using the Metz 60CT2. Anything smaller that I have used, the bracket will start with 1 over and 2 over, skipping the normal f-stop.

Hoped this helps.

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by Lensman Bounce flash depends on how high is your ceilling & what color ? I leave the setting in TTL mode and do bracket shots one with normal f-stop and 1 stop over. As far, both pix always turns up ok. Oh, I was using the Metz 60CT2. Anything smaller that I have used, the bracket will start with 1 over and 2 over, skipping the normal f-stop. Hoped this helps.

Actually, in a good TTL system, the camera should compensate for the loss of light through bouncing, ceiling reflectivity, etc. There should really be no need to compensate by increasing flash output. The TTL system of my Nikon F100 + SB28 combination never seem to need such compensation. I think similarly for D30 + 420EX.

Regards
CK

[mpenza]

mine (Metz 32 Z-1) has no TTL..... I'm not sure if the "auto" mode compensates for the bouncing or not though. Would have to confirm it.

[Lensman]

Very likely, after all, I am using a old Pentex MeSuper and there is no TTL module used here. So it is actually the flash's own sensor that did the work. I would say in "auto" mode. Afterall, in any photo shot (here I used it for wedding pix), film is the cheapest thing that I can afford to dump. Rather then missing a shot and having to redo (not in the wedd pix case)

Quote: Originally posted by ckiang Actually, in a good TTL system, the camera should compensate for the loss of light through bouncing, ceiling reflectivity, etc. There should really be no need to compensate by increasing flash output. The TTL system of my Nikon F100 + SB28 combination never seem to need such compensation. I think similarly for D30 + 420EX. Regards CK

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by Lensman Very likely, after all, I am using a old Pentex MeSuper and there is no TTL module used here. So it is actually the flash's own sensor that did the work. I would say in "auto" mode. Afterall, in any photo shot (here I used it for wedding pix), film is the cheapest thing that I can afford to dump. Rather then missing a shot and having to redo (not in the wedd pix case)

I see. Well, I experienced about the same thing. With the same SB28 flash on my old Nikon FE on non-TTL Auto, I do have to compensate +1 at least. In full TTL, no compensation. Guess the flash's own sensor isn't that accurate when doing bounce, and it got fooled by all the reflected light coming back.

Regards
CK