[ptempel]

Have been perusing this site:

http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/1-natural-looking-flash/

which is very good for flash photography tips. I've found that setting the camera to manual and trying to bounce the flash does give the best results I have had so far. Only trouble is that it takes a lot more time to setup. For those that have done some event photography (wedding, bar-mitzfah, engagement, etc) what is your technique for using flash?

[Ash]

In promptu photography needs your camera and flash to be set ready to go and capture any moment. Try to preempt the big shots, knowing what you need ahead of time - vantage point, settings, lighting, etc. and pulling it off just at the right time.

Off-camera flash works beautifully if you have the time - bridal shoots at home, bride & groom at park, etc. but generally having the camera on with flash at P-TTL at FEC +0.7 I've gotten good results, whether directly or bounce flashed.

Dragging the shutter would only really need being implemented in certain creative situations, like creating motion blur, or for outdoor night portraits to balance ambient light. A tripod is necessary for these.

[johnmflores]

You from Jersey? I'm from Jersey!

I'm just getting into flash photography so that helps a lot. Thanks.

[attack11]

i tend to go with av or m, pttl & diffused. this way i can easily change the light based on the distance meter on my 540 via my camera's aperture.

btw, pttl doesn't work for bounce so.. my reply is a bit of a misnomer. proper bounce requires manual flash operation.

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Last edited by attack11; 01-13-2010 at 02:18 PM.

[flyer]

btw, pttl doesn't work for bounce so.. my reply is a bit of a misnomer.

I have no problems using P-TTL and bounce flash with my cameras. One thing that helps is to use the wide panel on the flash when bouncing.

[Ash]

I also find that P-TTL works just fine for bounce flash - with or without the wide panel.
Exposures are consistent within a stop or so of light. I use it all the time too - could be more reliable, but it's reasonably good as is on the K20D + 16-50 combination in particular.

[attack11]

I have no problems using P-TTL and bounce flash with my cameras. One thing that helps is to use the wide panel on the flash when bouncing.

you're not actually using pttl when you change the angle from 90d.

it's documented in the 540's manual, as well as on the flash itself; you'll find the ever so handy meter disappears because the light is no longer pointing at what the camera is.

pttl is strictly for fill (off axis ideally), and regardless of what people on this forum seem to think .. it DOES require a digital lens to send the distance data to the flash unit.

[Ben_Edict]

you're not actually using pttl when you change the angle from 90d.

it's documented in the 540's manual, as well as on the flash itself; you'll find the ever so handy meter disappears because the light is no longer pointing at what the camera is.

pttl is strictly for fill (off axis ideally), and regardless of what people on this forum seem to think .. it DOES require a digital lens to send the distance data to the flash unit.

What meter disappears? P-TTL is measured through the lens, albeit with a short test flash and not during the real exposition. Thus it works with bounced flash as well as with all kinds of diffusors. I don't have the 540 and thus lack the manual to look up the paragraph you refer too (I mostly use Metz flashes), but P-TTL is the same.

Ben

[attack11]

here's a quick example, but i suggest everyone read the manual so they understand what PTTL is, and how to use it.

camera is set to av, iso is at 100. i control light coverage via aperture:

f2.8 = pretty far distance coverage


f8.0 = more reasonable for standard usage


f8.0 bounce = no reading! totally guessing and useless now

[attack11]

What meter disappears? P-TTL is measured through the lens, albeit with a short test flash and not during the real exposition. Thus it works with bounced flash as well as with all kinds of diffusors. I don't have the 540 and thus lack the manual to look up the paragraph you refer too (I mostly use Metz flashes), but P-TTL is the same.

Ben

um, not quite. there is a meter, see above. the preflash is so the focus is accurate when the distance info is sent to the flash, to calculate the appropriate ratio for a contrast limited fill.

just read the manual for the 540, it's there in plain english. you can download it from the pentax website.

a lot of people think you can use pttl with a manual lens, or as a bounce .. but that raises the question of what are you doing? there's no "through the lens" in that scenario.

[Ash]

I don't quite understand Jason.
P-TTL is still the mode the flash indicates regardless of flash head angle - and of course it will be when it's the same pre-flash calculated flash output that comes through during exposure. This happens for my DA, FA, and A lenses. P-TTL still adequately exposes my shots in all camera modes at all flash head angles, so it must be P-TTL.

Subject distance is only relevant to the flash in axial flash head orientation. Fill flash or completely flashlit exposures can be shot in P-TTL, and fill flash need not be axial (as what I think you meant) - it is simply supplemental light from whatever direction for the subject.

[Ash]

camera is set to av, iso is at 100. i control light coverage via aperture:

f8.0 bounce = no reading! totally guessing and useless now

No, not true Jason.
Not guessing and not useless - at least as far as I'm concerned.
No distance meter means nothing other than the flash cannot decipher flash to subject distance due to being bounced off something at an unknown distance away.

Your assumption means every single bounced P-TTL exposure I've shot has been sheer luck since all of them have been adequately exposed.
Highly unlikely.

[attack11]

No, not true Jason.
Not guessing and not useless - at least as far as I'm concerned.
Either that or every single bounced P-TTL exposure I've shot has been sheer luck.
Highly unlikely.

you need to read the manual

pttl was mystery to me until i did, and now i use it appropriately with reproducible results.

it's all about that meter, and controlling it with your aperture.

[attack11]

one other point i wanna raise. anyone using pttl as a bounce will know (without a doubt) that the results are random. sometimes you gotta push the raw/exposure +1 to +2, sometimes it's nearly perfect.

that should be an obvious sign that it's being used incorrectly.

[flyer]

you need to read the manual

Maybe we need to read the manual, but YOU need to understand what P-TTL is. It works using a pre-flash. The camera's meter reads the pre-flash and tells the flash how much light to output. It's that simple, and it works with or without bounce.