Originally posted by Marc Sabatella snip......
Unless there is so much ambient light that 1/60" is enough to exposure your subject decently without flash. In which case, you need to turn down your ISO and/or increase your shutter speed - using M mode, for example - to the point where the ambient light is not contributing to exposure. But if the scene is fairly brightly lit, you may find that flash is just not going to help. snip.......
I think this is the problem.
The whole issue of using auto modes and flash is really a PITA as far as i am concerned, because even the manual does not explain the logic process, which is, as far as I can determine is:
- follow the MTCF curve within practical hand held limits for shooting stationary objects, but only bring ISO down from the maximum auto ISO set, once you get to optimukm lens MTF curve. The process will be, start wide open atr 1/60 (for the 50mm in question) then stop the lens down to about F8 as light increases, then let ISO start coming down, as far as the exposure rules permit, and then allow a minor flash on the basis the camera thinks you are attempting fill flash to remove shadows.
for me, I prefer to start in manual mode, set the iso to what I want, shutter to 1/180, then Aperture for depth of field/ or average exposure value I want (between -4/5 stops if I want the background black, or -1 stop if I only want fill flash, or anywhere in between to control background illumination, and I let the flash do the rest.