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05-28-2015, 08:58 AM   #1
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Metz 52 PTTL & PTTL HSS

I have a Metz 52 and I allways use it on Manual. I want to try "automatic" but I can't understand how this works.

If i set my camera on manual and i set whatever ISO, speed, and f, and lets say is one step under, If I shoot on PTTL the falsh will shoot a couple of mini flashes then will evaluate the amount and then magic! a nice exposure. Is it like this?
Or do i need to set the camera on auto also and then my flash wil sync with my camera with PTTL and i will have a nice exposed photo?

What are the settings and circumstances when you have to use PTTL? Also if I tilt the flash gun or if I use any difuser or the white card, does PTTL recognized it?

PTTL HSS, what is the maximum speed that HSS can work, I know that my model (kr) Sync speed is 180, my manual says:
"High-speed flash sync is available only when the shutter speed is grater than 1/180 sec" So, what's the max value?
Metz manual says "Various cameras support automatic highspeed synchronisation (see the camera’s operating instructions)" So, is an info loop

If I bounce the flash lets say shooting to the ceiling does PTTL recognize it?

I think PTTL is harder than manual, please some one illuminate me a little bit.

05-28-2015, 09:26 AM - 1 Like   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by Eder Quote
I have a Metz 52 and I allways use it on Manual. I want to try "automatic" but I can't understand how this works.

If i set my camera on manual and i set whatever ISO, speed, and f, and lets say is one step under, If I shoot on PTTL the falsh will shoot a couple of mini flashes then will evaluate the amount and then magic! a nice exposure. Is it like this?
Or do i need to set the camera on auto also and then my flash wil sync with my camera with PTTL and i will have a nice exposed photo?
Yep, that's how it works. It shoots a pre-flash, looks at the exposure of that, calculates the correct exposure, then shoots the actual flash.

QuoteOriginally posted by Eder Quote
What are the settings and circumstances when you have to use PTTL? Also if I tilt the flash gun or if I use any difuser or the white card, does PTTL recognized it?

PTTL HSS, what is the maximum speed that HSS can work, I know that my model (kr) Sync speed is 180, my manual says:
"High-speed flash sync is available only when the shutter speed is grater than 1/180 sec" So, what's the max value?
Metz manual says "Various cameras support automatic highspeed synchronisation (see the camera’s operating instructions)" So, is an info loop

If I bounce the flash lets say shooting to the ceiling does PTTL recognize it?

I think PTTL is harder than manual, please some one illuminate me a little bit.
There aren't any circumstances when you have to use PTTL. Its an auto mode that you can choose to use or not. The camera will automatically set the flash into PTTL mode when you are using an auto mode on the camera body, such as Av.

If you tilt, swivel or use a diffuser, the flash still uses a pre-flash and measures through the lens (TTL) to adjust its power automatically. It will attempt to give you a correct exposure, though, it may not have the power to always do so (like bouncing onto a black ceiling).

HSS works by using short bursts instead of one fast flash. Its basically like using a bright flashlight. So, you can use it at higher shutter speeds, but the amount of light will get lower with the faster shutter. I think the fastest speed is probably somewhere around 1/4000, but by then you are cutting out so much light, its not very effective anyway.

Its basically just a green auto mode for flash. Do whatever you want on camera, the flash will try to make the correct exposure
05-28-2015, 02:51 PM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by enoeske Quote
The camera will automatically set the flash into PTTL mode when you are using an auto mode on the camera body, such as Av.
Thanks for answer enoeske, so about your coment, on resume PTTL only works on AV, SV, Tv and Auto (all presets)? what about P?

So never works with Manual, then the only way to use HSS is Tv mode (with >180 shutter speed) or any preset that might use a higher speed depending of the situation like outdor photos.?

Last edited by Eder; 05-28-2015 at 02:52 PM. Reason: adding info
05-28-2015, 04:50 PM   #4
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P-TTL works with all modes (M, P, TAv, Av, Sv etc).

HSS only makes sense above the standard 1/180, so you need a mode (TAv, Tv, P, M) which lets you manually set the shutter speed.

With P-TTL, I usually use X mode, set ISO manually to a fixed low value, set aperture to a fixed value, dial in a little -0.5 EV flash exposure compensation, let the flash do the rest.

05-28-2015, 04:52 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by Eder Quote
Thanks for answer enoeske, so about your coment, on resume PTTL only works on AV, SV, Tv and Auto (all presets)? what about P?

So never works with Manual, then the only way to use HSS is Tv mode (with >180 shutter speed) or any preset that might use a higher speed depending of the situation like outdor photos.?
No, the flash will operate in P-TTL while the camera can be in any mode you choose (maybe not something weird like HDR, idk). I meant, if you have the flash in M mode and switch the camera to Av, the flash will then switch from M mode to P-TTL mode.

P-TTL works great with the camera in M mode. I use it all the time for weddings. The only way to use HSS, is to have a flash capable of it, set it to P-TTL HSS mode and use a shutter speed faster than 1/180. The camera can be in any mode.
06-19-2015, 08:24 AM   #6
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It's best to think of two independent exposures occurring for every flash photograph .... An ambient exposure and a flash exposure. Each of these can be controlled using either an automatic or manual exposure mode.



The ambient exposure mode is set on the camera (with the mode dial). Av, tv, sv and tav are automatic exposure modes, and M is manual. You control the brightness of the ambient light in different ways in Manual than you do in the automatic modes.



When a flashgun is used, the mode for flash exposure is set on the flash . There are either automatic flash exposures (Auto 'A', TTL, or P-TTL) or manual 'M'. Again, the way you control the flash brightness is different in M mode than the automatic flash exposure modes.



As said above also, you can control ambient brightness with Manual exposure mode while using an automatic flash exposure mode. On the camera, the shutter time value will directly affect the brightness of ambient light, as will aperture and ISO.



However, none of these camera settings will affect the flash exposure in, say, P-TTL, because this is controlled by the flash systems power output. You adjust this with flash compensation.



So, the camera exposure modes and flash exposure modes are independent .... Each component of the scene lighting (ambient and flash) can be controlled in your chosen manner by selecting the appropriate camera exposure mode and flash exposure mode.
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