Eos 300D w 420EX Flafh incorrect exposure

[alfred_raouf]

I am a wedding photographer,usually i use manual exposure ( f/8 ,

1/60) and auto focus, the parameter setting is parameter 2( normal

for all contrast, sharpness,saturation and color balance )but some

pictures are right exposure and the other are incorrect exposure (

over/under exposure) where is the problem here, can someone answer

me.

Thanks in advance

[pete_hulme]

There's a very complete explanation at:

 

http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/index.html

 

It's helped me to understand some of the issues, but it's very complicated. I use a STOFEN diffuser, but find the flash often overpowers other lighting. I asked Canon UK if I could control the ambient:flash ratio, they said either buy a 10D or a 550EX!

 

I'm thinking about the WASIA hacked firmware which enables Flash Exposure Compensation. Take a look at:

 

http://www.bahneman.com/liem/photos/tricks/digital-rebel-tricks.html

 

Alfred, I don't want to hijack your question, but I wonder if anybody's got any negative feedback to give about this hack? Any reason why I can't reprogram back to the official Canon s/w if I don't like it?

[digitmstr]

Pete. you hijacker you... :)

 

There shouldn't be any reason since installing one firmware wipes out the old one. All the hack is doing is telling the firmware to ignore the "blocks" Canon put on the system. It's not creating any strees on the processing unit. In other words, the features "exposed" by the hack already exist in the camera except, Canon "blocked" them to further differentiate the 300D from the 10D...the rascals!

[PuppyDigs]

" Canon "blocked" them to further differentiate the 300D from the 10D...the rascals!"

 

Canon marketed the 300D/DKISS mainly to tyros and women (hence the Kiss name in Japan). Thus, they blocked the before mentioned features to avoid needless confusion!

[jimstrutz]

The firmware hack works fine, and does add some great features to the 300D/D-Rebel. But there is no guarantee that you will always be able to reload the original firmware. It's possible to bend a pin in the CF card slot, or for the camera to go completely dead while the firmware hack is loaded. Canon *may* choose not to honor the camera warranty with the hack loaded, but so far, with the people who have needed warranty repairs in a hacked camera, they either haven't noticed, or don't care. They do, however, sometimes reload the original firmware.

 

Alfred, there are lots of complaints of exposure issues with the 300D/D-Rebel and a Canon EX series flash. Using the firmware hack at least allows you to make corrections and shoot again. But most often the flash exposure errors are probably user errors. Unfortunately the above mentioned Photonotes.org site is temporarily down. But when it comes back up, you really should read the EOS flash article. It's quite long, but very informative.

 

The most common user error resulting in problems with flash exposures on Canon digital cameras, is not keeping the active AF point directly over the subject at the moment of exposure, or not having that subject medium toned. If the subject is light or dark you need to use FEC (Flash Exposure Compensation). Unfortunately, neither the 300D, or the 420EX have FEC. This is why using the firmware hack is so important. It provides FEC on the camera body.

 

The other alternative is to use FEL (Flash Exposure Lock) to hold the flash exposure after you have reframed your shot. But still you need to use FEC if the subject exposure you locked in was either too light or too dark.

 

When it's all said & done, quite a few people have abandoned Canon's E-TTL flash exposure system and gone back to using the old style autoflash units. They are at least predictable, even if slightly more combersome to use. I've gone back & forth, but for now I'm using a 550EX, and a Sigma EF-500 Super in E-TTL mode.

[jim_simon3]

I'm not good at directing to threads, but this thread discusses the use of a custom function on the 10D to enable the E-TTL system to take better pictures in the situations you describe. I don't know what custom features are on the 300D, but the discussions will give you ideas for work arounds as well. Generally this is a way to turn off the active forcusing point.

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=008rBZ

[alfred_raouf]

Dear all thanks for the advice

but after upgrading the firmware of the DRebel what is the next step how do I componsate the flash exposure, and did the photonotes.org changed to new site if yes where is it.

[jimstrutz]

<I>"...how do I componsate the flash exposure, and did the photonotes.org changed to new site if yes where is it?"</I>

<P>

Press the <i>Jump button</I> and turn the main dial to adjust FEC. There are instructions out there if you do a google search.

<P>

Right now PhotoNotes.org is down. Check it again in a few days. NK Guy posted a note about it. I'm sure he'll get it back up before too long.

<P>

[alfred_raouf]

I tryied everything to change FEC with my little and nothing happned. I downloaded the new firmware, and i pressed the jump botton and skrew the dial but still nothing happened and there is no information on the LCD , i tried in many program and still the same.

[jimstrutz]

I assume you unpacked the firmware from it's RAR or ZIP file, copied the FIR file to a CF card, inserted the card it into the camera, turned the camera on, and follwed the installation instructions on the LCD. After a minute or two, it will end it's procedutre, and you can then use the features of the firmware hack.

 

Then all you have to do (with the camera on) is press the "jump" button and a meter scale will appear in the upper LCD. Then you turn the main dial to select + or - FEC on the scale. Note that nothing on the LCD indicates that FEC is being set, or later, that it has been set.

 

Also note that you will need the appropriate software to unpack the firmware hack from the RAR or ZIP file it normally comes in.

[jim_larson1]

I have a 10D, and I rarely have flash exposure problems that require FEC (exception: with predominately white walls, I do use -1 FEC).

 

BUT -and this is big - BUT

 

. . .Canon E-TTL is tricky. It is designed for P&S photography which most SLR owners do not practice. *If you focus recompose you must use FEL* This will result in *two distinct flashes*, once when you hit FEL and the second when you take the picture. If you don't do this, the camera will expose for whatever is under the active focus point. That can be very bad.

 

The other choice is to turn off AF after focusing (easy to do with a 10D and CF-4). This way, there is *no* active focus point and the camera will use a more "evaluative" metering for the flash.

 

BTW: Many pros have problems with the Canon E-TTL system. That's why they are ditching it in favor of E-TTL2 (which basically delinks the focus point from the flash exposure algorythm and adds a few other worthless tricks).

[alfred_raouf]

Dear Jim thanks for your advice

but i have checked the firmware on the camera and it is the new one

and when i press the jump botton and turn the dial the shutter speed alter on the LCD panel and there is no slide to change FEC.

I'm gona Kill My SELF

[ericlabrecque]

Alfred, are you sure that you have the russian hack ? The 1.1.1 firmware from Canon doesn't have FEC.