can I use my 420ex with continuous light kit?

[cheeky_chappie]

as some of you reading my other thread will know i've recently bought this kit for video shoots:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Pro-Studio-Li...graphy_StudioEquipment_RL?hash=item2a0273c9e9

on reading various threads on here and other places i'm now aware this kit, whilst fine for video, might struggle to light my scenes for stills work unless i use extremely long shutter speeds which isn't ideal unless shooting product or something!

so, a question. can i use the kit in conjunction with my 420ex speedlite or is this pointless? i'll tell you why i ask, sometimes if i'm shooting stills in a poorly lit room the 420ex on its own can struggle to give me even half decent results sometimes. if the scene is better lit (with the continuous kit) will this make life 'easier' for the 420ex? do they compliment each other or am i talking rubbish?

 

[AliB]

Should work OK because the colour temperatures are the same @ 5500K so you won't get nasty colour differences. Metering again should be Ok because the camera will meter from the subject as it is lit.

So you should be Ok in theory. Have a bash and let us know how it goes!

 

[cheeky_chappie]

Should work OK because the colour temperatures are the same @ 5500K so you won't get nasty colour differences. Metering again should be Ok because the camera will meter from the subject as it is lit.

So you should be Ok in theory. Have a bash and let us know how it goes!

i think this has historically been my prob i.e. camera metering from a sometimes dimly lit subject, my hope is a well lit subject will result in better images from the camera. i'll have my first stills shoot using both in a couple of weeks, will update you on the results i.e. same, better ... or worse!!

 

[HoppyUK]

You just need to balance the flash with the ambient exposure level, and also colour temperature as mentioned. But since the lights are daylight balanced, same as the flash, that shouldn't be a problem.

Basically it's the same principle as fill-in flash technique in daylight. Set the camera on Av and the flash to E-TTL and the camera will meter the scene normally and set the shutter speed according to your selection of f/number and ISO. Then it will automatically balance the flash output to match the f/number.

Shutter speed has no effect on flash exposure, providing it is no higher than the max x-sync speed for your camera, usually 1/250sec or 1/200sec, but when the camera is set like this it won't go higher than the max speed anyway.

If the flash/ambient exposure level is not to your liking, using the +/- compensation on the gun will adjust the flash exposure level (by moderating power output) and +/- compensation on the camera will adjust the ambient light exposure level (by moderating the shutter speed).