Pentax flash hazy? Pentax sf10

jaimiesz · 05-28-2021, 08:51 AM

Hi All! I have been really enjoying my Pentax SF10, but for some reason my flash is super hazy. I just shot 3 rolls of PORTRA 400 and all the flash photos turned out super hazy. What is the best setting on the camera or any tips to resolve this? It looks like the camera has a really good flash so I don't understand why the photos are so crisp. For reference I am using the on-camera flash and shooting in AUTO mode. I've attached a basic photo as well!

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**Apet-Sure** · 05-28-2021, 10:10 AM

Welcome to the forum! Nice to have you with us.

It looks to me like the photo above is grossly underexposed. You say all the flash photos turned out super hazy. Did you take non-flash photos also, and if so how do they look? I'm not familiar with the Pentax SF10. Looking at the camera's review here on PF I see that there is no flash or exposure compensation setting, so that rules that out as the cause. You say you were shooting in AUTO mode. According to the review, the available modes are P, Av, Tv, M, and B. Which of these were you using? This camera's flash sync speed is 1/100 sec. This means the shutter has to be set at 1/100 sec or slower for the flash to correctly expose the scene. If the shutter speed is faster, it may close before the flash fires, resulting in underexposure. Shooting in Tv or M mode you can tell the camera what shutter speed to use. These are just some random thoughts. Other members who are familiar with this camera might be more helpful.

**Lowell Goudge** · 05-28-2021, 10:36 AM

When you say the on camera flash, do you mean built in flash, or a hot shoe mounted flash. Also as the shots seem under exposed, is it possible that you have set shutter speed an d aperture that require more light than the flash produces.

Also what lens are you using? And if a hot shoe mounted flash what brand and model, and does it receive information from the camera for film speed, and camera settings

AfterPentax Mark II · 05-28-2021, 11:34 AM

The picture seems under exposed, so apparently the TTL flash did not work as it should. Did you use a lens that has an A setting on the aperture ring? If you did not set it to A you have to set the aperture manually to the right value to make a good exposed picture. If you set it to f22 than you will get underexposed pictures because the flash is not that strong, but if you set it 5.6 or 8 it should give a well exposed picture. So take a look at the setting of the aperture ring.

aaacb · 05-28-2021, 11:53 AM

In addition to possible under exposure, the scanner has the black point set far too high. Take this into a photo editor, bring down the black point, and you'll see a more reasonable image. The issue is, being a jpeg, it'll be ugly to add that much contrast so it's preferable to rescan with better settings. Looking at the exif info seems like you had the lab scan them? When you look at the negatives, do you see the image extremely faintly? A photo of the negative might help, against a bright window or a light table ideally.

---------- Post added 05-28-21 at 03:01 PM ----------

Here's a quick adjustment to show what i mean, the colors fall apart a bit when editing the jpeg to adjust the black point. If you were to do this from scanner settings it'd look better. The image is tricky to expose

AfterPentax Mark II · 05-29-2021, 02:19 AM

Originally posted by aaacb

In addition to possible under exposure, the scanner has the black point set far too high. Take this into a photo editor, bring down the black point, and you'll see a more reasonable image. The issue is, being a jpeg, it'll be ugly to add that much contrast so it's preferable to rescan with better settings. Looking at the exif info seems like you had the lab scan them? When you look at the negatives, do you see the image extremely faintly? A photo of the negative might help, against a bright window or a light table ideally.

---------- Post added 05-28-21 at 03:01 PM ----------

Here's a quick adjustment to show what i mean, the colors fall apart a bit when editing the jpeg to adjust the black point. If you were to do this from scanner settings it'd look better. The image is tricky to expose

If you look at this rendition of the picture I am sure that the setting of the aperture on the SF10 was wrong. But as aaacb wrote a picture of the negative might tell a different story.

**TwoUptons** · 05-29-2021, 07:28 AM

It could be both the scanner and the wrong aperture...

A SF10 with Portra 400 will have plenty of flash power to do a photo like that assuming it was made with something like a 35-70 zoom at 4m or less distance, as a guess...

The camera won't let you use a shutter speed that would be wrong, so that isn't it...
Do you know what aperture the lens was on? As mentioned above, if the lens was on "A", the camera should have picked something appropriate (say f5.6)
If you set the aperture yourself and it was set to something like f11 or f16, you might underexpose at those conditions.

That said, with the very dark background, there's a good chance a lot of the issue is with the scan. At night with no real background in range of the flash, the background should show up black, and then the scanner should expose for the subject. It seems to have tried to split the difference between the person and <nothing>, giving you a pretty bad underexposure on the scan.

Looking at the negative is step one. If the negative is an empty field of orange with a dark, well-defined subject, then it was the scan.
If the subject is faint and harder to distinguish from the orange background of the film, it was exposure in the camera.

On your next roll, try a flash shot indoors or with a nearby background (like a wall just behind the subject).
If those kinds of shots are bad, something is wonky about how the flash is discharging or being metered.

-Eric

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05-28-2021, 10:10 AM	#2
Apet-Sure Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Goldsboro North Carolina Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,872	Welcome to the forum! Nice to have you with us. It looks to me like the photo above is grossly underexposed. You say all the flash photos turned out super hazy. Did you take non-flash photos also, and if so how do they look? I'm not familiar with the Pentax SF10. Looking at the camera's review here on PF I see that there is no flash or exposure compensation setting, so that rules that out as the cause. You say you were shooting in AUTO mode. According to the review, the available modes are P, Av, Tv, M, and B. Which of these were you using? This camera's flash sync speed is 1/100 sec. This means the shutter has to be set at 1/100 sec or slower for the flash to correctly expose the scene. If the shutter speed is faster, it may close before the flash fires, resulting in underexposure. Shooting in Tv or M mode you can tell the camera what shutter speed to use. These are just some random thoughts. Other members who are familiar with this camera might be more helpful.

05-28-2021, 10:36 AM	#3
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,892	When you say the on camera flash, do you mean built in flash, or a hot shoe mounted flash. Also as the shots seem under exposed, is it possible that you have set shutter speed an d aperture that require more light than the flash produces. Also what lens are you using? And if a hot shoe mounted flash what brand and model, and does it receive information from the camera for film speed, and camera settings

05-28-2021, 11:34 AM	#4
AfterPentax Mark II Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2021 Posts: 1,467	The picture seems under exposed, so apparently the TTL flash did not work as it should. Did you use a lens that has an A setting on the aperture ring? If you did not set it to A you have to set the aperture manually to the right value to make a good exposed picture. If you set it to f22 than you will get underexposed pictures because the flash is not that strong, but if you set it 5.6 or 8 it should give a well exposed picture. So take a look at the setting of the aperture ring.

05-28-2021, 11:53 AM	#5
aaacb Pentaxian Join Date: May 2016 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,726	In addition to possible under exposure, the scanner has the black point set far too high. Take this into a photo editor, bring down the black point, and you'll see a more reasonable image. The issue is, being a jpeg, it'll be ugly to add that much contrast so it's preferable to rescan with better settings. Looking at the exif info seems like you had the lab scan them? When you look at the negatives, do you see the image extremely faintly? A photo of the negative might help, against a bright window or a light table ideally. ---------- Post added 05-28-21 at 03:01 PM ---------- Here's a quick adjustment to show what i mean, the colors fall apart a bit when editing the jpeg to adjust the black point. If you were to do this from scanner settings it'd look better. The image is tricky to expose

05-29-2021, 02:19 AM	#6
AfterPentax Mark II Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2021 Posts: 1,467	Originally posted by aaacb In addition to possible under exposure, the scanner has the black point set far too high. Take this into a photo editor, bring down the black point, and you'll see a more reasonable image. The issue is, being a jpeg, it'll be ugly to add that much contrast so it's preferable to rescan with better settings. Looking at the exif info seems like you had the lab scan them? When you look at the negatives, do you see the image extremely faintly? A photo of the negative might help, against a bright window or a light table ideally. ---------- Post added 05-28-21 at 03:01 PM ---------- Here's a quick adjustment to show what i mean, the colors fall apart a bit when editing the jpeg to adjust the black point. If you were to do this from scanner settings it'd look better. The image is tricky to expose If you look at this rendition of the picture I am sure that the setting of the aperture on the SF10 was wrong. But as aaacb wrote a picture of the negative might tell a different story.

05-29-2021, 07:28 AM	#7
TwoUptons Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2015 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,226	It could be both the scanner and the wrong aperture... A SF10 with Portra 400 will have plenty of flash power to do a photo like that assuming it was made with something like a 35-70 zoom at 4m or less distance, as a guess... The camera won't let you use a shutter speed that would be wrong, so that isn't it... Do you know what aperture the lens was on? As mentioned above, if the lens was on "A", the camera should have picked something appropriate (say f5.6) If you set the aperture yourself and it was set to something like f11 or f16, you might underexpose at those conditions. That said, with the very dark background, there's a good chance a lot of the issue is with the scan. At night with no real background in range of the flash, the background should show up black, and then the scanner should expose for the subject. It seems to have tried to split the difference between the person and <nothing>, giving you a pretty bad underexposure on the scan. Looking at the negative is step one. If the negative is an empty field of orange with a dark, well-defined subject, then it was the scan. If the subject is faint and harder to distinguish from the orange background of the film, it was exposure in the camera. On your next roll, try a flash shot indoors or with a nearby background (like a wall just behind the subject). If those kinds of shots are bad, something is wonky about how the flash is discharging or being metered. -Eric