SB-900: TTL vs. Manual

[DropDead]

Hey, ive been using my SB-900 for a bit now. I started using the flash in manual mode and found my results not so great! So I chaned it to TTL mode which gives me fantastic results!

But I want to use manual due to fact that I shoot manual on my camra and prefer manual over any auto mode..

I was wondering what the main differences between TTL and Manual is and how it could vary the results given with the flash..

Like I do understand that manual means you set the flash up yourself and TTL is sort of Auto?

Im just confused whether I should start learning the manual sertings on my flash... Get more from the flashgun than TTL can provide

 

[HoppyUK]

Manual is good, auto-TTL is good. You can get the same result with either, but with auto the camera estimates the exposure and power of the gun, and in manual obviously you have to set it.

Same thing - the big difference with auto-TTL is that the camera can get it right, or close to it, in a flash (haha!) so when you need it to be right first time with no messing, that's when auto-TTL will get the shot while faffing about in manual might miss it. Fluid social situations, changing distances, subjects moving around, eg kids, auto-TTL always wins.

And if you don't like the exposure you get on auto-TTL, then you can adjust it with flash exposure compensation. That is 'manual' in a different form.

But if you have more time, manual is good, with the major benefit being that the exposure won't change, even when the scene changes that might fool auto-TTL. Think of manual as 'set & lock'.

In terms of exposure, flash works very much in line with the inverse square law, ie when the distance is doubled, the light is reduced to one quarter. Flash falls off very quickly with distance, more than you might expect, and when you're close, just a foot either way can make a difference. Keep all important subjects the same distance from the flash.

The other things to remember when experimenting with flash is the larger the light source, the softer the shadows. That's why bouncing is so good, because the ceiling becomes the new light source and it's a few feet wide. The size of the light source is also relative to distance, so if you use a softbox close, it will be very soft, but move it further away and it becomes relatively smaller, and harder.

Finally, light bounces off a surface at the same angle it strikes, like a snooker ball off the cushion. Remember that when you're setting up and positioning reflectors. You'll find a modelling light with studio flash an invaluable help when you're learning - and for a long time after, too!