Frustration with the T-90/Speedlite 300TL for fill flash

<p>Generally I'm pleased with this combo for typical flash use as the primary source of light. I've usually used Full Auto and A-TTL modes and have occasionally experimented with FEL mode. I've also used this for both direct and bounce-flash applications.</p>

<p>A quote from the 300TL Manual..."With the 300TL, automatic fill-in flash photography is possible in the Full Auto, A-TTL, ot FEL modes." All it says beyond that is the typical times one would use a fill flash. My problem is that the unit is producing too much light and washing out the subject in the foreground. My guess is that the camera and/or flash thinks it needs to fully illuminate the background.</p>

<p>One of the best flash units I ever used for fill flash was the Sunpak Auto 411. It has manual power from full down to 1/16 in half increments and my plan is to go with that unit for future fill flash needs. I also have a Speedlite 299T that has full and 1/16 manual, but nothing in between.</p>

<p>Does anybody out there have any ideas or suggestions about making the 300TL do the job the owner's manual only vaguely refers to?</p>

<p>Bob,</p>

<p>Here's an old thread that discusses fill with the 300TL:<br /><a href="http://www.photo.net/canon-fd-camera-forum/00V6kP">http://www.photo.net/canon-fd-camera-forum/00V6kP</a></p>

<p>As I believe I mentioned in that thread, I often feel like the fill light is too bright with the 300TL. It chooses a 1:1 ambient:flash ratio until the ambient reaches EV 10. I don't usually find it to be grossly overdone, but could wish for less fill.</p>

<p>Program mode gives automatic fill whenever ambient light is bright enough to compete with flash exposure; shutter speed is limited to a range of 1/60 to 1/250 sec. A-TTL mode gives automatic fill, but will allow shutter speeds all the way to 30 seconds to achieve ambient/flash balance in low-light situations.</p>

<p>I intended to scan the chart in the 300TL Reference Guide that graphically shows the programmed fill ratios, but I've buried my copy somewhere. I'll see whether I can find it and append the scan to this thread. It seems that all the online copies of the Guide are down today. Find a copy of it if you can. It's far better than the manual.</p>

<p>Alan...thanks for the update. I went to the thread you mentioned and was surprised (and a bit upset) to see that I had commented on this question back in November. Upset...because I totally forgot doing this and basically said the same thing I just said here.</p>

<p>I guess blaming age is a good excuse for this happening, but it still scares me. I just shot some pics using this combo for fill flash and got the same results as before. Somehow I thought using the same equipment and following the same procedure would produce different results. Wrong again :-)</p>

<p>Age levels the playing field for all of us . . . I didn't notice your name in the November thread either!</p>

<p>I've read the manual about 10 times and haven't made much sense out of it. I think it's just supposed to magically work. The only part that's easy to understand is the zoom head (I especially like the position indicator lights). I wonder if a little bit of a warming gel over the flash would soften up the fill? Or maybe a diffuser of some sort. I just recently got my 300tl to go with my T90 and haven't had a chance to use it in fill flash situations but I'm pretty happy with the bounce results using an ISO 400 film. None of the other canon speedlights I had prior to the 300tl had enough poop to actually use as a bounce flash even with their rotating heads.</p><div></div>