Need help with Flash Photography - The Basics

[Flare]

I need some help with Flash setting... Generally Where are the areas that Minolt's TTL meters the flash? Sometimes I get blown out pics especially when there's a lot of empty space behind the subjects... So when do I compensate the flash? With wide angle shots where the subjects are at different distance to each other, other than bouncing, will a diffuser help? After reading about Canon's fill-flash mode... I'm quite happy minolta did it the minolta way~

[ninelives]

yes, we need flash expert here. Ian? Jed?

[Jed]

The problem with the situations you are describing is that the background is very dark, hence fooling the flash into pumping out a lot of light and washing out your subjects in the foreground. The issue is that even though it looks bright, say under normal indoor flourescent lighting, in reality it is a few hundred times dimmer than it is outdoors. This really is an electronic issue for the Minolta engineers to work out. As for what areas are metered, that should be stated in your camera manual, if not chances are it is exactly the same way your normal metering works.

Short of setting the flash to manual and working with GN, aperture and distance, there's not a lot you can do. Alternatively, eyeball the situation and dial in flash compensation.

[Flare]

Ninelives... that is why I wished I have more manual controls...

So how does the flash's zoom works? Will mannually adjusting the flash zoom helps?

[Jed]

The flash's zoom head adjusts the angle of flash coverage, narrowing it to concentrate the light and deliver more effective power when you are shooting with lenses with narrower angle of views. It has no impact on metering.

[ckiang]

How come I never get these problems when I am using the 3D Multi-sensor balanced fill flash of a certain camera maker?

Solution : Don't leave everything on auto. If you are syncing at 1/250 for example, drop it all the way down to 1/60. 1/30 if you are confident of hand holding it at your chosen focal length. Open up the aperture a bit more. Use a higher ISO. As long as the ambient exposure is not more than 2 stops dimmer than your flash exposure, you're fine.

Using bounced flash helps too.

Regards
CK

[ninelives]

Quote: Originally posted by ckiang How come I never get these problems when I am using the 3D Multi-sensor balanced fill flash of a certain camera maker? Regards CK

because Flare is not using ADI lens with ADI flash. ADI is like Nikon 3D metering.

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by ninelives because Flare is not using ADI lens with ADI flash. ADI is like Nikon 3D metering.

The D5 doesn't have that? Anyway, my tip works on non-TTL flashes as well.

Regards
CK

[ninelives]

Quote: Originally posted by ckiang The D5 doesn't have that? Regards CK

it depands on lens and flash. just like normal flash lor, cheapo one less functions, expensive one more functions.

[Flare]

Yah... I think D5's ADI not the best.... And I usually have the problem when the ambient light is less than 2 stops below the flash.... Seriously... what should I do when the ambient light is more than 2 stops below hand-holdable shutter speed even with aperture wide open??

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by Flare Yah... I think D5's ADI not the best.... And I usually have the problem when the ambient light is less than 2 stops below the flash.... Seriously... what should I do when the ambient light is more than 2 stops below hand-holdable shutter speed even with aperture wide open??

Increase ISO, your only choice.

Regards
CK

[ninelives]

Flare, is your flash 3500xi or 3500 HS? got two models, the later is ADI.

[Flare]

Mine is 3600HS(D), with ADI....

[rameshsa]

The adi function on Minolta 7 and 5 work only when you use the new D lenses. Basically ADI measures the flash to film distance and exposes accordingly. Thereofre it is not fooled by reflections etc. The 2 new flashes 3600hs and 5600hss have the ADI functions.

Ramesh