DLSR "fill flash"

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Timmy2shoes

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Ello

I have a question regarding built in flash on a DLSR. When shooting in aperture priority, why does popping the flash decrease the shutter speed?
For example I shot at f8, which took a shot at 1/50 and produced a good clear image, but when I popped the flash up and took the same picture at f8 the shutter speed was at 1.3 seconds.
Is there a way to get the flash to be used like a fill flash, so keeping the shutter speed the same but 'boosting' the light on the shot?
I hope that makes sense, thanks in advance

Tim
 
Its probably set to 'slow sync' where it uses a longer shutter speed to stop the background being blacked out, usually when shooting portraits at night. Look in the camera manual for how to turn it off.
 
s162216 said:
Its probably set to 'slow sync' where it uses a longer shutter speed to stop the background being blacked out, usually when shooting portraits at night. Look in the camera manual for how to turn it off.
Click to expand...

This.

Although, really, you should try to avoid using that pop-up flash. Lighting from the front is so unattractive.
 
Its a canon 500d. I've looked through all the menus but all I can select is first/second curtain or the flash exposure compensation, but neither seem to solve it?
 
Timmy2shoes said:
Ello
Is there a way to get the flash to be used like a fill flash, so keeping the shutter speed the same but 'boosting' the light on the shot?
I hope that makes sense, thanks in advance

Tim
Click to expand...

have you tried dialling the settings you get from the first "metered" shot into manual mode and shooting with the flash that way? You can then adjust the settings until you get the desired effect.
 
Just looked up the manual for your camera, you need to change custom function 3 to 1 or 2:

C.Fn-3 Flash sync. speed in Av (Aperture-priority AE) mode
0: Auto
The flash sync speed is set automatically within a range of 1/200 sec. to
30 sec. to suit the scene’s brightness.
1: 1/200-1/60 sec. auto
When flash is used with aperture-priority AE (f), this prevents a slow
flash-sync speed from being set automatically in low-light conditions.
It is effective for preventing subject blur and camera shake. However,
while the subject will be properly exposed with the flash, the background
will come out dark.
2: 1/200 sec. (fixed)
The flash-sync speed is fixed to 1/200 sec. This more effectively
prevents subject blur and camera shake than with setting 1. However,
the background will come out darker than with setting 1.

I would set it to '1' personally as that gives you a wide range of handholdable shutter speeds and unlike with '2' you won't have an as dark background or be beyond the power of the flash for smaller apertures.

Personally to me that seems like a poor design decision, it would be better if the default option was '1' rather than '0' and it would be better if that range of shutter speeds in '1' started at a 1/30th rather than 1/60th as 1/30th is easily handholdable.
 
Last edited:
Brilliant, thanks all for your help i will give that a shot (no pun intended).
 
Some cameras allow you to manually set the flash power of a pop up flash - not sure about the Canon series though. If you have a static subject, or relatively stable lighting conditions, you can set exactly the power to give you the desired fill.
 
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