[clackers]

Good morning all, I've had a bit of a mishap. I accidentally consumed invisible ink.

Now I'm in the ER, waiting to be seen.

I've also had to put up again with my dim work colleague.

He told me yesterday, "The wife left a note on the fridge saying, 'This isn't working. I'm leaving.' But what a lie! I opened the fridge door and it's working fine."

Anyway, this week I want to talk about using an inbuilt flash on a Pentax.

I tend to use flashes more in daytime than at night, to correct the problem of dark shadows on sunny days or an overcast ones the background being brighter than parts of the subject, or to avoid weird blue colour casts from being in shade or green if near grass and leaves.

A separate flash is more powerful, can be moved off-axis as we'll see in future tips, and can work when the shutter speed needs to be in excess of 1/200s, but the pop up is fine as 'fill flash'. I often will dial in the Flash Exposure Compensation to be -1 or even -2 stops, it really is a case of adjust to taste like salt and pepper, and will still get some nice 'catchlights' in the eyes. We don't want our subjects to have dead, black, shark eyes, so we can bring them to life with a spot of light. ��

The picture below was taken with I think the K-S2 and the DA18-55 kit lens.

To finish with, there's the story of the passionate supporter with tickets to the Australian Rules Football Grand Final who finds her seat.

As she sits down, a man comes along and asks if anyone is sitting next to her "No," she says. "The seat is empty."

"That's incredible," says the stranger. "Who in their right mind would have a seat like this and not use it?"

"Well, actually the seat belongs to me. I was supposed to come with my husband, but he passed away. We've seen five premiership trophies together."

The stranger replies: "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. That's terrible. Couldn't you find someone else - a friend or relative, or even a neighbour to take the seat?"

The woman shook her head. "No. They're all at the funeral."

Find the rest of the series here: Clackers' Beginners Tips (Collected) - PentaxForums.com

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Last edited by clackers; 11-03-2022 at 03:23 PM.

[UncleVanya]

This is a great example shot. I do this also often with a -2 adjustment myself.

[clackers]

This is a great example shot. I do this also often with a -2 adjustment myself.

Yep, the FEC dial means we can get the fill flash stylized or naturalistic to taste.

An advantage of a separate flash is that it can have its own FEC or even manual power settings.

[mikesbike]

I also employ the inboard flash for this type of use very often. However, since the flash is governed by its automated flash-output sensor (of course) in "seeing" all that daylight it will often tend to reduce output, making it less effective and/or cutting the distance for effectiveness, so I often turn up the output via flash comp. Whatever works best for the situation!

[Des]

You can also get cheap little diffusers that will spread the light from the popup flash. I have one that has a hole to allow it to slide over the lens. This sort of thing: https://www.amazon.com/Lumpna-Speedlight-Accessories-Photography-Lightweight/dp/B07W3S6GJW Cheap, weighs next to nothing, folds up small - you can leave it in the bag. Good for pseudo macro shots of flowers, insects etc.

[robgski]

Thanks for this tip, I really don't use flash often enough, mostly out of ignorance.

[RICHARD L.]

[pacerr]

Sometimes you need to add a little (cheap!) diffusion so the on-board flash isn't a single point-source.

[UncleVanya]

Direct use, probably with a minus 2 adjustment.

IMGP9382_DxO by -vanya_42nd-

And here’s a similar shot without flash: IMGP9383_DxO by -vanya_42nd-

[clackers]

I also employ the inboard flash for this type of use very often. However, since the flash is governed by its automated flash-output sensor (of course) in "seeing" all that daylight it will often tend to reduce output, making it less effective and/or cutting the distance for effectiveness, so I often turn up the output via flash comp. Whatever works best for the situation!

Yes, Mike. You would have to be careful that instead of filling in the shadows you're not now using it as a key light ... but ... maybe that's a stylized look you're after for the shot, or perhaps because the subject is backlit, you have to use it as a key.

[clackers]

Thanks for this tip, I really don't use flash often enough, mostly out of ignorance.

Yeah, I think it's what we can all do to take our photography to the next level, controlling the light instead of being at the whim of the conditions we find ourselves in!

[mikesbike]

Direct use, probably with a minus 2 adjustment.

IMGP9382_DxO by -vanya_42nd-

And here’s a similar shot without flash: IMGP9383_DxO by -vanya_42nd-

A good example of how the subject wearing a cap can put the upper face in shadow, and with the darker background causing the auto-flash to increase output, then reducing it back down by -2 for a more balanced result might be best.
apparently worked out well here.

I nearly always use the flash for outdoor people shots, even in or maybe especially under very bright conditions. These are conditions where the downward strong lighting will likely cast strong shadows under eye sockets, etc and with a likewise bright background, I found the flash will bring next to no improvement unless I increase its output which was auto-reduced due to the brightness. Using the flash also puts catchlight in the eyes. Another primary concern is the relatively short effective distance the flash is capable of (like in doing a group shot), keeping this in mind for positioning and output adjusting.

Pentax was the originator of the built-in flash concept, at first criticized by other makes not offering one, then later virtually all were copy-cats. Some people still never use one, but carry a flash unit. I can understand this reasoning. But I am more apt to be going as light as possible and with the least equipment. I have found in my own usage the inboard flash to be very handy for grab shots where fiddling with a flash unit would be a disadvantage or would mean a missed shot, and for a variety of other situations.

---------- Post added 10-30-22 at 09:58 AM ----------

Yeah, I think it's what we can all do to take our photography to the next level, controlling the light instead of being at the wim of the conditions we find ourselves in!

Absolutely!

[UncleVanya]

Pentax was the originator of the built-in flash concept, at first criticized by other makes not offering one, then later virtually all were copy-cats.

Wow. I have never even thought about this. Which camera was it? My PZ-1 was my first Pentax and also my first af camera. It had a built in flash that did a great job with the side body mounted flash to give nearly shadow free indoor shots at party distances.

[Des]

Pentax was the originator of the built-in flash concept, at first criticized by other makes not offering one, then later virtually all were copy-cats.

Voigtlander Vitrona (1964) is said to be the first camera with a built-in electronic flash: Voigtländer Vitrona - Camera-wiki.org - The free camera encyclopedia

Wikipedia says that first SLR camera with a built-in flash was the Hanimex Reflex 35 (1979) which was "Otherwise a wholly forgettable camera; a cheaply made 35 mm SLR of low specifications and poor quality, with a fixed Hanimar 41mm f/2.8 lens and mirror gate". But a page about the Reflex says that it was pipped by the Hanimex RF35d, a kind of prototype released about 18 months earlier (say 1978): https://www.aperturepreview.com/hanimex-35-reflex-flash

The Ricoh site (https://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/pentax/pentaxhistory/course/) says that the Pentax SFX (aka SF-1) (1987) was "the world's first SLR camera equipped with an internal flash". Perhaps they overlooked the Hanimex (who could blame them?). An earlier version of that page is cited by Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax_cameras#cite_note-timeline_uk-3) for the claim that the SFX/SF-1 was "The first 35mm SLR camera to feature a built-in TTL auto flash". It's not clear whether the Hanimex had TTL.

Maybe what they really mean is that the SFX was the first interchangeable-lens SLR with a built-in flash. That's a more meaningful claim to fame anyway.

As far as I am concerned the SFX is the clubhouse leader for that title. We need someone to channel our late lamented guru Steve Brot for a definitive answer. Is it the SFX, Steve? One knock for yes, two knocks for no. (I think Steve would have approved of this.)

[Sandy Hancock]

Flash tips aside, that last joke is a ball-tearer.