Originally posted by GoldenWreckedAngle Here's an example of the type of
crappy shot you can make above the sync speed with a Canon but not with a Pentax.
If I'm not mistaken, the technique in the shot above involves deliberately underexposing the surrounding ambient light using high shutter speed, at the same time brightening up the subject to "normal" using the flash.
Sure, it can be done with Pentax, with a few limitations.
a. You need a powerful flash like AF540 because of the loss of maximum power during High-Speed synch. At 1/1000 secs shutter speed, you are left with only about 1/4 of the Guide Number. With an AF540, that's still plenty for portraits.
b. Set the Flash to High-Speed Synch
c. Set the camera exposure to Manual mode "M" on the Pentax.
d. Set the aperture just wide enough to light up the subject using the flash at its reduced Guide Number (need to do a bit of maths to get it right).
e. Set the shutter speed high enough to deliberately underexpose the ambient background - typically 3 stops or more. The Viewfinder indicator will warn you by blinking the shutter speed when you are in Underexposure territory. I've ended up with 1/1000 secs, even 1/4000 secs - the maximum shutter speed to get the needed underexposure.
If its too bright outside e.g. midday, it may be impossible to achieve this. But late afternoon , or morning should be OK.
It works -try it.
I don't have any current photos to show here, but at one time I had a fad with "pretend" evening shots, with a dark-ish background, when the shot was actually taken in the afternoon - all done with a Pentax camera and flash
Last edited by kittykat46; 06-30-2009 at 01:09 AM.