Qn on auto flashes (Metz S32Z-1)

[darkness]

I'm completely new to flashes. I'm just wondering, since auto flashes are supposed to measure the amount of reflected light and cut off the flash automatically, what happens if you compose your subject off-centre (let's say, by the rule of thirds)? Maybe I have a background with is out of the flash range, and the subject is a human standing on one of the thirds (within flash range). Will the subject become over-exposed? (Since it's not in the centre, can the sensor measure the off-center guy?)

 

[mpenza]

the sensor can't measure off-centre subjects......

 

[darkness]

So means how?? If you want to take off centre subjects you have to manually compensate??

 

[mpenza]

hmm.... I may be wrong. come to think of it. it depends on how the sensor is designed (whether to just catch the centre part or the sides as well). I experienced cases where nearby objects at the sides reflected so much light that the main subject is underexposed. ;p

youmight want to just experiment and see the effect.

 

[Zerstorer]

Don't have the Metz, but shouldn't the flash sensor just detect how much light is reflected back at the flash?

I don't think it really matters whether the subject is dead centre of not, as long as sufficient light is reflected back to the sensor to let it get a reasonable reading, it should be ok.