Flash overexposure problem experiment... I've been getting good results

**Eric Seavey** · 11-29-2010, 05:51 AM

I started this new thread about K-5 with flash to separate potential solutions for the flash problem some people have been experiencing from the threads about the problem and causes using flash.

I've been experimenting with my flash and would like those that have been having issues with flash overexposure to try the following:

1 Press button to access flash menu
2 Using the dial, set the exposure to -1.0 EV
3 Exit from flash menu

Under Av and M I have not had any over exposures.
Under Green, some images seem a bright, but not over exposed.

Any thoughts?
Anyone who would like to share their results with this adjustment?

vievetrick · 11-29-2010, 07:10 AM

I will give this a try. I was trying a few different settings and will have to go back and see what worked. I know normal P mode with the 540 was not working. I have a question why the heck is the camera defualting (maybe not defaulting but usually) to iso 1600 for a flash shot? I would rarely go above ISO400 with my K10 - hmmm now that I think about it, would that mena the Body is not picking up the flash and thinking it needs a higher ISO becuase to dark then when hitting the shutter it fires it thus causing the over exposure. I really am guessing so forgive me if that sounds stupid.

pefoto01 · 11-29-2010, 07:41 AM

Аз много снимам на високо ИСО със светкавица,защото правя репортажни кадри при лошо осветление.
Над ИСО-2000 също трябва да се ползва светкавица без проблем

jrforman · 11-29-2010, 07:43 AM

Originally posted by Eric Seavey

I started this new thread about K-5 with flash to separate potential solutions for the flash problem some people have been experiencing from the threads about the problem and causes using flash.

I've been experimenting with my flash and would like those that have been having issues with flash overexposure to try the following:

1 Press button to access flash menu
2 Using the dial, set the exposure to -1.0 EV
3 Exit from flash menu

Under Av and M I have not had any over exposures.
Under Green, some images seem a bright, but not over exposed.

Any thoughts?
Anyone who would like to share their results with this adjustment?

This has worked for me for the most part, but...

every once in while (seems like shorter distances and light colored objects with the flash tilted upward - so far not to the side) it will go nuts and overexpose like crazy. But as I said, it works for the most part. For what its worth, I only shoot flash in manual mode.

Horst-Helmut · 11-29-2010, 07:52 AM

Like I said in the K5 with flash-thread.

I'm not the most scientific or logic person around but it seems the normal exposure compensation works as a flash exposure compensation at the same time. So, to get the same exposure of +1ec for normal metering and -1fec you need to dial -2 on the fec menu.

I normally don't use the EC in M-mode but this works differently in K-5 compared to K200D, so it just might be my old habits of working with flash and compensation. K-5 leaves the EC set in other modes even in M-mode, that puzzled me and I accidentally forget to turn it to 0 when changing from Av to M. But I think it shouldn't do that double compensation for metering and flash.

Would someone confirm this, I tried that last night and couldn't get sleep until 5am and couldn't think clearly to make any reliable conclusion.
This makes baby-Jesus cry :,(

**Eric Seavey** · 11-29-2010, 08:09 AM

Originally posted by Horst-Helmut

I'm not the most scientific or logic person around but it seems the normal exposure compensation works as a flash exposure compensation at the same time. So, to get the same exposure of +1ec for normal metering and -1fec you need to dial -2 on the fec menu.

Using EC as FEC is fine in M, but in other modes one would like to balance ambient light and flash contribution using the FEC and EC separately.

11-29-2010, 05:51 AM	#1
Eric Seavey Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Irvine, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 307	Flash overexposure problem experiment... I've been getting good results I started this new thread about K-5 with flash to separate potential solutions for the flash problem some people have been experiencing from the threads about the problem and causes using flash. I've been experimenting with my flash and would like those that have been having issues with flash overexposure to try the following: 1 Press button to access flash menu 2 Using the dial, set the exposure to -1.0 EV 3 Exit from flash menu Under Av and M I have not had any over exposures. Under Green, some images seem a bright, but not over exposed. Any thoughts? Anyone who would like to share their results with this adjustment?

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11-29-2010, 07:10 AM	#2
vievetrick Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Easthampton - Massachusetts - USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,183	I will give this a try. I was trying a few different settings and will have to go back and see what worked. I know normal P mode with the 540 was not working. I have a question why the heck is the camera defualting (maybe not defaulting but usually) to iso 1600 for a flash shot? I would rarely go above ISO400 with my K10 - hmmm now that I think about it, would that mena the Body is not picking up the flash and thinking it needs a higher ISO becuase to dark then when hitting the shutter it fires it thus causing the over exposure. I really am guessing so forgive me if that sounds stupid.

11-29-2010, 07:41 AM	#3
pefoto01 Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Sofia,Bulgaria. Posts: 56	Аз много снимам на високо ИСО със светкавица,защото правя репортажни кадри при лошо осветление. Над ИСО-2000 също трябва да се ползва светкавица без проблем

11-29-2010, 07:43 AM	#4
jrforman Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Minneapolis Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 202	Originally posted by Eric Seavey I started this new thread about K-5 with flash to separate potential solutions for the flash problem some people have been experiencing from the threads about the problem and causes using flash. I've been experimenting with my flash and would like those that have been having issues with flash overexposure to try the following: 1 Press button to access flash menu 2 Using the dial, set the exposure to -1.0 EV 3 Exit from flash menu Under Av and M I have not had any over exposures. Under Green, some images seem a bright, but not over exposed. Any thoughts? Anyone who would like to share their results with this adjustment? This has worked for me for the most part, but... every once in while (seems like shorter distances and light colored objects with the flash tilted upward - so far not to the side) it will go nuts and overexpose like crazy. But as I said, it works for the most part. For what its worth, I only shoot flash in manual mode.

11-29-2010, 07:52 AM	#5
Horst-Helmut Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 138	Like I said in the K5 with flash-thread. I'm not the most scientific or logic person around but it seems the normal exposure compensation works as a flash exposure compensation at the same time. So, to get the same exposure of +1ec for normal metering and -1fec you need to dial -2 on the fec menu. I normally don't use the EC in M-mode but this works differently in K-5 compared to K200D, so it just might be my old habits of working with flash and compensation. K-5 leaves the EC set in other modes even in M-mode, that puzzled me and I accidentally forget to turn it to 0 when changing from Av to M. But I think it shouldn't do that double compensation for metering and flash. Would someone confirm this, I tried that last night and couldn't get sleep until 5am and couldn't think clearly to make any reliable conclusion. This makes baby-Jesus cry :,(

11-29-2010, 08:09 AM	#6
Eric Seavey Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Irvine, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 307 Original Poster	Originally posted by Horst-Helmut I'm not the most scientific or logic person around but it seems the normal exposure compensation works as a flash exposure compensation at the same time. So, to get the same exposure of +1ec for normal metering and -1fec you need to dial -2 on the fec menu. Using EC as FEC is fine in M, but in other modes one would like to balance ambient light and flash contribution using the FEC and EC separately.