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Home: Video University Forums: Digital Photography for Videographers:
Exposure question using the on camera light meter and flash

szerangue
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Feb 4, 2007, 2:11 PM

Post #1 of 9 (598 views)
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Exposure question using the on camera light meter and flash	Can't Post

When I point my camera at the subject and depress the shutter halfway, the camera will tell me if I am exposed correctly. Given a situation where you have to use a flash, I can't figure out how the camera lets me know if I am correctly exposed with the flash.
In a situtation like this, the camera will say I am underexposed because there is not enough light, even though I have the 580EFX attached using the ETTL setting. I have tried to read the book and I will try again but this part baffles me.
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RustyB
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Feb 4, 2007, 7:56 PM

Post #2 of 9 (587 views)
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Re: [szerangue] Exposure question using the on camera light meter and flash [In reply to]	Can't Post

I don't know about the Canon, but I think on my Olympus, I had to change the default flash setting on the camera to use the external flash....versus the pop-up flash or no flash at all. Maybe you have to specify it to the camera?

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szerangue
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Feb 4, 2007, 11:33 PM

Post #3 of 9 (576 views)
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Re: [RustyB] Exposure question using the on camera light meter and flash [In reply to]	Can't Post

There is nothing like that on the 30D.. I can use the external flash, I was just wondering how it works with the camera's light meter, if at all.
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Colvin ADTR
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Feb 5, 2007, 12:36 AM

Post #4 of 9 (565 views)
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Re: [szerangue] Exposure question using the on camera light meter and flash [In reply to]	Can't Post

There should be a setting on the 580 so that it communicates with the camera and takes over all the flash setting do-da. See if jenn m knows, she has canon stuff.

szerangue
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Feb 5, 2007, 12:44 AM

Post #5 of 9 (562 views)
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Re: [Colvin ADTR] Exposure question using the on camera light meter and flash [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks... maybe she will chime in... here is the thing... right now I am playing around with the camera.. I set it in AV mode... I have an aperture setting at f2.8 and it automatically, due to the darkness of the room, sets my shutter at 0''5 ( I am not even sure how to verbally express this slow shutter speed) So when I snap the picture, even with the flash on, I would need a tripod to keep the camera steady.
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Shadow
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Feb 5, 2007, 8:22 AM

Post #6 of 9 (547 views)
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Re: [szerangue] Exposure question using the on camera light meter and flash [In reply to]	Can't Post

I noticed on my 20D that same weird problem. Even in Ettl mode.
I don't get it.

I find that if I just force the photo it will be ok. If it is dark it won't take it sometimes due to auto focus problems. So I'll switch over to manual and try to figure out the focus (I miss those circle things on the manual focus lenses).

Also, a cople of times my camera totally froze and wouldn' take pictures. I don't know how that happened but I simply went clear settings (both camera and custom functions) and then it worked again. I don't know why that happened, it has happened twice. If you do that just remember to set your ISO back again (learned the hard way - as I seem to do with most things in life. Mad

)

If you find out what's going on, please post. Smile

I'll let you know if I find out anything as well.

H

videochicke
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Feb 5, 2007, 11:17 AM

Post #7 of 9 (538 views)
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Re: [szerangue] Exposure question using the on camera light meter and flash [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

Why use the AV mode? If you know you want an aperture of f2.8, why not pick your shutter speed as well and let the ETTL flash do the rest? If you want the ambient light to come through, go with a slow shutter speed. If you want the window behind to be exposed properly, go for the fast shutter speed. Unlike with video, you have so much control over the ratio of light between your subject and the background. But you need to be in manual to be in control. With video, if a couple is sitting by a stained glass window, either they are exposed or the window is. With photo, you can have it all.
Julie

Postal Boy
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Feb 5, 2007, 12:10 PM

Post #8 of 9 (529 views)
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Re: [videochicke] Exposure question using the on camera light meter and flash [In reply to]	Can't Post

I think she is right. I don't have mine here to play with right now, but the "smart flash" seems to adjust to the camera settings in the semi-auto modes. In other words, if the camera says that it should have a certain aperature and shutter speed, the flash adjusts its output to give correct exposure for those settings. In full manual, you set the shutter speed and iris and the flash boosts/reduces power to give the proper exposure (as best as it can). I may be off base here, but that is what I THINK it does on the Canon. That is something I need to play with more, though.

-Postal

szerangue
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Feb 5, 2007, 1:42 PM

Post #9 of 9 (522 views)
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Re: [Postal Boy] Exposure question using the on camera light meter and flash [In reply to]	Can't Post

You guys are right, I did some tests and that is the result I was getting.. In my tests, however, shooting in shutter priority mode gave me the best results when using the flash in auto mode.
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