[Blacknight659]

Hello All,

I have a Metz 44 Af-1 and thought it would do well for Weddings, I personally found that it really wan't that powerful and seemed to have mixed and unpredictable results with filling in my subjects / lighting a scene. I pretty much felt it either didn't want to light my subjects, or it wanted to blow out the scene. I don't know how it is metering, but I don't trust it.

Do you all have any suggestions? Do I need to purchase a different flash for weddings? How can I get my camera and Flash to properly meter the scene for me so I don't have to pull my hair out changing flash manually. I just want to set my camera settings and let the flash do all the rest of the work... is this possible?

[Paul the Sunman]

What camera are you using? The more powerful Metz 52 AF-1 is pretty reliable on my K5 and K3, but hopeless off-camera with the K5. That's a K5 issue though, not the flash.

Were you shooting inside or outside?

[Blacknight659]

I was shooting inside, but I will likely be using this combo outside in the future.

Camera: K-5ii and K-5iis
Lens: 50-135, sigma 17-50
Manual: Iso 3200, F2.8, 1/50th of a second

My biggest frustration, I wanted to light someone from a distance, I wanted to light the room a bit by bouncing the flash, but I couldn't get the flash to put out enough power.

If I dropped my ISO (to 800 where I wanted it to be), and moved my shutter to 100, the flash would pop and just blow everyone out. (bounce or direct). I ended up metering for the scene, and setting to manual 1/8th power and just firing into the ceiling to get it done.

[08amczb]

I have the same problem with metz 44 af-1 and K-30. I'am going to buy a Pentax 540 fgz II, and I hope it solves my problem partially at least. I found the metz flash is much more reliable if I doesen't select the aperture or even go in P mode, but I would like to control the DoF and at least the maximum ISO myself. I'am waiting to the "K-3III" to solve my AF and flash problems. (The K-3 and the K-3II are too small step from my K-30 for the money I think and the K-1 is too expensive for me and I havn't got lenses for it.)

[clackers]

You may want to go with manual if this applies to you:


https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/115-pentax-k-5/136720-k-5-bounce-flash-ov...onse-metz.html


Manual is by definition very consistent.

[Blacknight659]

Bummer......

I just purchased a 540fgz from the forums. I hope this solves the problem. Any body interested in a Metz flash? I have one for sale now LOL.

[rawr]

Manual: Iso 3200, F2.8, 1/50th of a second

I really, really hope you aren't using those settings for weddings ... ISO 3200 will just be way too noisy, even with a K-5II.

I pretty much felt it either didn't want to light my subjects, or it wanted to blow out the scene.

Your settings may also explain why your flash isn't firing at full power. The flash was telling you: 'ISO 3200 + an exposure time of 1/50 seconds means you have plenty of light, so you don't need much flash at all. If I fire at full power, the photo will be horribly overexposed'. When using flash, always set the ISO to 200 or less if you can, just set the camera to X mode, and your flash results will likely be much better.

[Blacknight659]

Well I did... the images weren't terrible, but they have grain, and I was a second shooter, so the primary photographer had the bases covered.

I want to shoot lower ISO, but what I felt like I was getting a super dark room, and when I did lower the ISO to 800 or 1600, the flash would fire HOT and my subjects were super over exposed where the flash was hitting. I wanted a well lit room, and evenly lit subjects. I got blown out subjects and a dark room (not a pretty picture). I went with ISO 3200 - 6400 and just thought I would deal with noise.

One more note, the ceiling had a lot of art work and was about 20-40 ft high, I didn't think bounce flash would be a good idea (maybe bad color, IF it could bounce)

As you can tell from my settings, the light was BADDD..... what settings would you use to get the room lit, and my subjects lit, without making it look like on camera flash.

[Blacknight659]

Here is one I grabbed from the side (not a great image in any respect, please look at lighting)... Used direct flash and it just looks CRAPPY.


ISO 400
F 4.5
1/50
TTL Flash with the Metz 44 AF-1.


With some PP I can fix this shot, but In my opinion... IT SUCKS lighting wise.


Suggestions?

NOTE: Clackers noted above that Metz TTL tends to do a bad job with TTL. I still think there is a 1/2 me, 1/2 flash issue.

[clackers]

You know, Blacknight, it's not the worst for what it is: single frontal flash, group of people maybe five deep. I'm guessing that would not be your gameplan if you were the paid photographer.


ISO 400 and that shutter speed gave you enough ambient exposure of the church surfaces in the background. The roof might have been too high and dark for bounce. A humble umbrella would have been big enough to illuminate more people evenly, even better if you put it on a stand at 45 degrees to get some 3D shadowing. A second one could be put on the other side at half the power again.


I do hope the pro took the families outside for the 'real' shots.


A bit of post brings out some details in the dark suits, etc, anyway: