Manual flash vs TTL

Hi,

I have been trying out a D70 with SB 800 in manual mode but somehow

TTL is always a bit dimmer. Is it possible to emulate this on the

manual approach? I am wanting so I learn another technique and would

be handy if I get some cheap flashes or use it with other formats.

I had a 50mm lens. So I left it as 50mm, even thou I could flash-

zoom to 70mm with the digi FOV. So I did TTL 0-EV on Aperture mode

at f/4 and just took a photo of a wall, a power socket at about 2.2m

away.

I did the same in manual mode flash. I left it as 50mm flash head.

Adjusted the power so I had 2.2m (confirmed on my lens focssing

mark). ISO was auto with the D70/SB 800 combo. Also the same f/4

Aperture mode on the D70, aperture to SB 800 was also tranamitted

auto to the flash unit. The picture on manual mode is always a bit

brighter. I popped the manual flash right down to 1/128 is it? The

lowest power strength of the flash unit, TTL 0-EV was still dimmer.

Possible to emulate TTL on manual mode?

The other thing is when I did manual mode on the flash unit. Why

does it say -1EV" such? Why is it telling I am flash underexposing,

isn't manual flash simply just manual? I can see the distance of the

flash is reduced and the power is reduced...

Finally when a photog is confronted wif so many diff subjects. With

TTL we adjusted the power with flash EV, such as fully light subject

or weaker to fill light. What is the guideline for manual flashes?

Let's say I know the formula Aperture = guide/distance. How much do

pple usually vary the power with the subject? Is this to be done wif

the photog experience of how dark the subject is and what sort of

gray tone the subject is? What do we do if we want fill flash or

fully light by utilising manual approach?

As you can see I have been brought up with TTL but I am keen to learn!

Thanks.

There's no reason I can think of why it isn't possbile to get excellent results most of the time using full TTL flash with the SB-800 and a compatible camera. This flash works so well with my D2H that I seldom use it any other way.

My usual settings in full TTL (iTTL mode include "BL" (balanced fill flash) and "FP" (focal plane for sync at faster than the standard 1/250 sync, useful for using flash under bright outdoor lighting, especially when one wants more control over DOF and/or stopping motion).

For photographing people I'll set the flash to -1 EV. This fills in the face nicely without going overboard and is useful over a fairly generous camera-to-subject distance.

While it is possible to duplicate these results using other methods, I'd first want to exhaust all of the possibilities of full TTL mode.

Thanks Lex,

I am getting good results with the TTL mode. I am wanting some guidance with the manual mode of the flash unit. Its a technique I want to learn and if I happen to get a FM2n or get into medium format equipment in the future.

I understand how to calculate settings for manual flash but how much does one person vary the settings if we want fill or fully light the subject? And if its possible to emulate TTL flash pictures with manual flash or is this not possible for manual flash as TTL is too sophisticated? From the ones I have tried I have dropped the power right down, the distance scale was below the distance of my lens focussing indicator still from my photo's manual is brighter than TTL.

No problem with TTL at all, I am just making a comparison of TTL vs manual how I cannot emulate the flash effects with manual mode. TTL works great for -1 or -1.7 for landscapes.

Ray.

Ray,

each flash is different and you just have to learn to know your equipment is to trial and error. each flash have different guy number and produce different power. I use my nikon with metz-54mz and the auto on the metz work better than the ttl, and the manual mode is base on your experiences, such as bounce, distance, aperture, guide #. I usually bounce+fill with my metz flash since it act like 2 flashes.

for me guide # didn't tell me anything because I am too lazy or too stupid to understand it. I just set a point of distance from the subject at f 5.6 since I shoot digital so I can tell if it under, over, or correct exposure. if i move in closer, i close the aperature. if move farther, I open the aperture.

good luck

Fortunately the immediate feedback from a dSLR enables quickly determining what works and what doesn't.

I've fiddled around with various manual mode settings using my D2H and SB-800. It's possible to set the increments so closely that sometimes I can't see much difference.

So far I've found manual mode useful only when I want to be sure I get full power flash when photographing birds that are more than 40 feet away, or when I'm trying to use one of my old optical flash triggers. It appears that setting the SB-800 to manual mode disables the preflash so that any optically triggered flash can be used with it.

Thanks guys. Manual isn't really pracitcal as I looked more into manual flash. The mathematical equation of 4 components is an issue and plus the SB 800 has not flip out guide # tables its all computed, unless you are going to bring printed tables or a Pocket PC out.

Its been an enlightment.

Problem was the SB 800 is too smart for itself in manual mode with a current body. You can't alter the ISO or f# but you can alter the zoom head or power output (and referring to my own tables or Nikon's manual). Even more confusingly the 1/1 power is not proportional to 1/2. You gotta refer to the tables.

If you pop it into A mode (not AA), change this via the SB 800's setup, A mode lets you dial in a diff f# so you can sorta fool it that way ..

Ray