[smcook99]

That was a FANTASTIC reply and answered a question I was about to ask.

I just got back from the playground where I gave it a good run through with my son. Ev up, Ev down, camera bias up, camera bias down, flash out up and down, HSS, max flash sync, measuring fill flash distance limit, the works. I was about to come back and say that in half of my shots I had to actually dial back the flash output 1 to 1.5 or dial back the Ev 1.5 because they were over exposing. This, however I'm guessing now is because I was fixed at ISO 100 (it was broad daylight after all). Now after reading your post I'm thinking that maybe the shots were starting to bleach because I should have let the ISO rise instead of using too much flash. I always had the logic that the lower the ISO the cleaner the photo so on bright days I always fix at 100. Maybe I should have used auto with a max of 200 or 400?

I was then going to go on to say that chasing a kid, fixing a focus point, adjusting the exposure and quick tuning focusing, I don't know how anyone handles fast changing scenes and uses a fill flash and manual lens, let alone just a fill flash. I was having to decrease or reset the Ev everyone other shot, and God forbit he turns me into the sun, then I have to slam the HSS switch over and crank up the Ev! In hind sight, perhaps if I let the camera increase the ISO where it wanted, then it wouldn't have over done the fill flash and I wouldn't have had to waste seconds adjusting every twist and turn?

And..... what would a reply from me be without extending it by injecting another question!? LOL. I was under the impression 'M' on my k20d was a handicapped Manual, in that I control Shutter, Aperture, Iso. I didn't realize I have to manually control the Flash in that mode. Am I correct now in thinking with M the camera doesn't control the flash? And if so, should I put the Flash in Auto mode?

Thanks again!

[DAZ]

Its good you are out trying things as that is how you are ultimately going to see how this all works. I would not say that locking down the ISO is a good thing or even opening it up will remove the problems. It is just one option that you can work with. I would not fear higher ISOs just like any of the other setting. Noise is something that is easier to see when there is more dark in the photo so in daylight you can have it higher and not see the noise. Even if you get some noise you can scrub it away PP. You will lose some detail but if you don’t need the detail then higher ISO is a way to help with not having fast lenses (for exposure not DOF) or needing more flash power. Everything about photography is trading one thing off over some other thing. You are the one deciding what to throw away so don’t be to afraid to throw something away to get to keep more of something.

I thing the problem is related to the camera can’t tell the difference between a squirrel and a bird. If you take a photo of a squirrel on the ground and get it all set up good then see a bird in the air and try to shoot it with out dialing in some compensation the bird is going to come out to dark. Cameras have come an incredible way from when I started taking photos but they still can’t tell the difference between a squirrel and a bird. Having to dial in 1 to 1.5 is not to out of line and is a lot less then if you had to do it all. It is just one of those thing you will get good at. Flash fill is not about exposure but controlling the contrast in the photo (ie where the contrast is in the photo). You can also control some of the contrast PP. But the closer you get the easer it is PP. Even with PP you still need to have data in the dark parts to work with.

The part about “handicapped Manual” has got my head scratching. On the K20D it is a manual plus not a manual minus. You have full control of the camera. If you are in P-TTL you have to go into the flash menu the control the flash. You can also put the flash in all manual and control it. You can see how useful auto systems can be in a quickly changing environment but they still have limits. So for you to getting exactly what you want you have to control more. The more static you can get the environment the more manual control you can impose to get just what you want.

One of the advantages of not using P-TTL is you can use other metering modes. By the way, you can’t use P-TTL with non auto aperture lenses as the camera needs the control and you have to use multipoint metering. You also have to use P-TTL for some advanced futures like HSS or trialing curtain.

Auto mode in the flash is NOT the same as P-TTL. Auto is a third mode. In auto there is a sensor on the flash (not in the camera) that detects how much light is coming from the subject and depending on the input you gave the flash it determines how much light is needed. It is not using a pre photo flash but looking at the light as the flash is outputting light.

Other then power the 360 is one of the most flexible flash units you can get. All of these modes, options and controls give you options for how you want your photos to look or how to get them. Each has their uses and books have been written about this stuff. This is the kind of stuff that people get lost and confused about. They tend to throw their hands up and give up on flash as to confusing. If one just takes it one step at a time you can get it.

DAZ