FE Lock problems

[Raptor Mike]

Iv'e got a Canon 60D and the 430EX II. I got the flash just before Christmas and finally decided to try and get my head around how it works rather than just bunging it on and taking photos.

The problem I'm having is that when I use FE lock on the highlights and then focus and shoot on a darker area the shutter speed is slowing down resulting in blown highlights. I have tried with the built in flash and get the same problem. We I use the * as an AE lock though it works fine. I am using aperture priority. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,
Mike

 

[Phil V]

My advice? Don't use AV mode if flash is your main source of light.

The Canon will always assume that your flash is fill if you're using any auto mode (ish). When I'm firing flash as the key light, I set the camera in Manual to ensure I know what the ambient is doing, whether that's as subtle fill or massively overpowered. Exactly as I want it.

 

[Raptor Mike]

My advice? Don't use AV mode if flash is your main source of light.

The Canon will always assume that your flash is fill if you're using any auto mode (ish). When I'm firing flash as the key light, I set the camera in Manual to ensure I know what the ambient is doing, whether that's as subtle fill or massively overpowered. Exactly as I want it.

Thank you
Lots to learn. I've never worried about flash because I do a lot of landscapes, animals and some motorsport. However having been asked to photography two of my families dos in the last year and seeing that they would have been better with a flash (for filling the subjects against windows) I thought I'd get one. Now my mrs wants me to do some zumba promos for her Facebook etc so I need to get to grips with it.

 

[Phil V]

The trick is to remember that you're dealing with 2 separate exposures, and you can balance them at will.