flash in the pan softbox..whats happening?

artona

artona

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stewart
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Hi

So whats happening. I am pleased with this test shot but I need to know how it came about

jessica-web.jpg


Remember I am a manual control sort of freak (being an old *art :cool::cool::cool:). I just have to know how it works.............

I have the 430ex attached to this walloping big flash in the pan softbox and on the camera I have a STE2 speedlite transmitter.

I switch them both on and press the button and bang the flash goes off.

SO whats working out the exposure on auto, is it just pot luck or is the speedlite transmitter now doing the work since the red thingy on the 430 ex is blocked by the softbox.

Do I use program, aperture auto or manual?

I want to use it outside this afternoon on some portraits of a guy dying of cancer so I might not get a second chance at them..............

If I set the 430ex to -1 stop for a bit of fill in will the speedlite transmitter realise that or do I need to work out what the array of buttons on the back of the transmitter do.... at the moment I just see a 747 flight deck when I look at them :bang::bang::bang::bang:

stew
 
The ST-E2 does the full ETTL from your camera so you just set up and shoot :).

Unless you want to delve into the Manual settings of your flash, the array of buttons are the power ratios you can output and the group output settings, if you had 3 or more flashes you can set them to group A,B,C and have each group outputting a different power but as you only have a single flash ignore all that.
 
All current TTL auto flash systems work out the exposure from a pre flash which is fired just before the main flash - it happens so fast you cannot usually separate the two visually.

With wireless TTL remote flash, the master unit (ST-E2 or 580EX/EXII) also sends out a series of morse code like flash pulses which tell the slave unit what to do. These are also so fast they're invisible to the naked eye - thousands of pulses per second.

Adjust the level of the flash with plus/minus compensation on the master unit. Then in Av mode, the camera will balance the ambient exposure by adjusting the shutter speed as necessary, and you can lighten/darken this in the same way by adjusting the camera's exposure compensation. Easy :)

If you use P, the whole shooting match is automatic and copes with most things. You can use any camera mode but most people prefer aperture priority for maximum control. Also check out the Flash Exposure Lock (FEL) button in the handbook which will sort out the exposure with off-centre subjects which is pretty much the only thing that fools the system - frame the subject in the centre, press FEL, camera fires the pre-flash and locks the settings, then recompose and shoot.

It all works very reliably indoors and at close range, but outdoors, especially in bright sun or with the sensor hidden by the softbox, you need to orientate the slave flash in the softbox so that it has line of sight with the master unit. I think you can do that with the bracket on FITP's softbox?
 
I highly recommend learning how to manually control off camera flash by shooting in manual mode and manually controlling the flash power.

You get far better creative control of your shots.
 
Ha !!

I was wondering if there would be a scandal in here........ but knew there wouldn't be !

Great response from Mr Hoppy again !!
 
ScarySquirrel said:
I highly recommend learning how to manually control off camera flash by shooting in manual mode and manually controlling the flash power.

You get far better creative control of your shots.
Click to expand...

I agree than manual settings are a good learning experience, but there is nothing you can do manually that you cannot do a lot more easily with TTL auto flash, and without much knowledge.

All flashes are set and triggered by the master unit, and if you don't like the power output that the camera's metering system has selected (I find it pretty good) that is also adjusted by the master ratio control. That's how Joe McNally works his magic, on full auto.
 
So, with the TTL system and the fact that the flash gun is behind the softbox. Is it the case that the Flash has to work that much harder ? (depending on your compensation etc - but in general )

Phil
 
Legacy said:
So, with the TTL system and the fact that the flash gun is behind the softbox. Is it the case that the Flash has to work that much harder ? (depending on your compensation etc - but in general )

Phil
Click to expand...

Yes, very definitely. The minute you fire a flash through any diffuser, there are losses at every surface, and the spread of light over a wider area reduces intensity a lot. Just as it does when you flip down the wide panel, for example.

Shoot-through umbrellas are worst for this - fire a flash through one of those and you'll lose at least two stops immediately, likely three. Softboxes are a bit more efficient as all the light is collected up from the back and forced out of the front. You still lose one ot two stops though, just through the light spread.

PS
Hi Phil. Thanks for the comment above :) Sold the Scoob last week - ten years on, almost to the day, and 140k of fun :'(
 
HoppyUK said:
Yes, very definitely. The minute you fire a flash through any diffuser, there are losses at every surface, and the spread of light over a wider area reduces intensity a lot. Just as it does when you flip down the wide panel, for example.

Shoot-through umbrellas are worst for this - fire a flash through one of those and you'll lose at least two stops immediately, likely three. Softboxes are a bit more efficient as all the light is collected up from the back and forced out of the front. You still lose one ot two stops though, just through the light spread.

PS
Hi Phil. Thanks for the comment above :) Sold the Scoob last week - ten years on, almost to the day, and 140k of fun :'(
Click to expand...

Richard,

So, just thinking out loud....... If you pictures are under exposed (using TTL), the likelihood is that the flash is already at it's power peek, as it's already trying to give an accurate exposure..... so the answer would be to adjust camera settings Av/Tv/ISO (if you were not going to reduce light to subject distance....)


Thats sad news about the Scoob...... My Subaru ownership ended at Rally Day 2008 in flames/smoke :gag:
 
ScarySquirrel said:
I highly recommend learning how to manually control off camera flash by shooting in manual mode and manually controlling the flash power.

You get far better creative control of your shots.
Click to expand...

Totally agree, I have been using manual flash since..........1975 :):)

Its these auto whatsits that work fantastically but I want to know and understand whats happening. The when they do not work I will know why ;)

stew
 
Legacy said:
Richard,

So, just thinking out loud....... If you pictures are under exposed (using TTL), the likelihood is that the flash is already at it's power peek, as it's already trying to give an accurate exposure..... so the answer would be to adjust camera settings Av/Tv/ISO (if you were not going to reduce light to subject distance....)
Click to expand...

Long recycle time is a clue that the flash is at max. Or switch it to manual and fire a max power shot and see if the exposure changes.

If it is maxing, lower the f/number or increase the ISO. Both make a big difference, but changing the shutter speed won't affect the flash at all. You could move closer, but that won't help much with bounce flash (it's the flash-to-ceiling-to-subject distance that matters) which is likely the common situation when you run out of bhp.

Thats sad news about the Scoob...... My Subaru ownership ended at Rally Day 2008 in flames/smoke :gag:
Click to expand...

:eek: Out in style though!

I had many amazing years with that fantastic car, went to some incredible places and met some wonderful people through Scoobynet... :'( This site has a similar vibe though, good place :)
 
HoppyUK said:
:eek: Out in style though!

I had many amazing years with that fantastic car, went to some incredible places and met some wonderful people through Scoobynet... :'( This site has a similar vibe though, good place :)
Click to expand...

....YES, Most definately !! ......
 
HoppyUK said:
If it is maxing, lower the f/number or increase the ISO. Both make a big difference, but changing the shutter speed won't affect the flash at all. You could move closer, but that won't help much with bounce flash (it's the flash-to-ceiling-to-subject distance that matters) which is likely the common situation when you run out of bhp.
Click to expand...

Yes, forgot that bit !! ;)

Since my recent purchase of sofbox/umbrella set up, I've not used the ETTL systems tbh.... I've opted for the Manual control...

I might have to have a bit of a play on the weekend to see if it shows any weekness :D

Phil
 
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