SB-600, D200, 12-24 f4 - photos way hot

<p>Greetings-<br>

I photographed a formal a few nights ago with the following: Nikon D200 on P mode (no exp comp), SB-600 (fresh batteries) on full balanced TTL with a diffuser on the flash head (no bracket), a 12-24 Tamron.<br>

My question is: with ultra wide focal lengths is the flash/camera not able to compensate for the close camera to subject distance? A few of my shots were really hot. (Alas, if I used the histogram I could have adjusted, but did not.)<br>

The flash head was at 45* and I believe that I did not have the built-in flip-diffuser down on the SB-600.<br>

I have used this combo with a 28-70 lens for years and have never had this problem.<br>

Thanks in advance-<br>

Jim</p>

<p>You didn't post a photo, so can't be sure, but if the background was dark and you were matrix metering in TTL mode, the wider angle would have the dark background affecting exposure more than it would with a narrower field of view. This is the most likely culprit.</p>

<p>Thanks Brain. I'll play around with the settings.<br>

Jim</p>

<p>Jim,<br>

In any Automode, (regardless of the camera brand) camera doesn't know what you're shooting and it only sees lights and darks (actually more then but you got the idea). Therefore when it sees DARKNESS and 2 white/colorful spots in the middle (people) it'll WANT to boost up your flash power and opposite goes for where it is light (i.e daylight) you're flash will be required less power. Thus your histogram and not just yours is pretty useless.<br>

Here's a quick tool that I teach my students for shooting manual<br>

I happened to have SB600 so the numbers are a bit more specific for you.</p>

<ol>

<li>Set the camera and flash to manual</li>

<li>Set your ISO to 800 (if it won't grain you out. If can't, then go to 400)</li>

<li>Set your flash to 1/8 power (you don't waste a lot of battery, your flash recycles faster and you can take the next picture faster). if ISO 800 is grain, then set the flash to 1/4 power with ISO 400 </li>

<li>Set your shutter 1/60-1/125 (my preferences iss pending what I'm shooting and what effect I want to get).</li>

<li>play with your f-stop b/n 5.6 to 11.</li>

<li>Meter and preset your white balance. If not available then set it to flash mode or daylight mode. Both are pretty good. (for me, I like to meter it but if I need to take the picture right here right now, I set it to flash WB).</li>

<li>As you're zooming in you open your aperture and as zoom out, you close it a bit.</li>

<li>And you have fun.</li>

<li>Oh yes, if you're tooo close and went to something like f11 or f16 and your shot is too bright, then bounce your flash and drop to something like f9 and see what happens</li>

</ol>

<p>Don't get me wrong about TTL, I do use Program, Aperture and Shutter modes all depending what I'm doing. But manual is manual and you can control what you need.<br>

I know some photographers that prefer to adjust flash power rather then aperture and I know some who'll adjust shutter speed instead. My reasoning behind this is that since you aren't shooting portrait but a party and need a quick-pic depth of field isn't something to concentrate. Also a <em>trade tool</em> is that when you take a picture and it looks under/over you know how to reajust it, tell your "subjects" that you'll take one more because one of them blinked - it makes you look more proffesional and knowledgable.<br>

Adam</p>