Problem: Shooting Indoors with Rebel XT (350D) With Flash

[zachary]

Hi,

I have an Elan II and a Pro1 and I am looking to purchase a 350D. I

own a 420ex speedlite. My question is as follows:

 

I do quite a bit of indoor photography at dinners, weddings and

banquets where I need to use a flash. Typically, with my ElanII, I

set the camera to Manual mode and set the shutter speed to 1/60th,

the aperture I would adjust accordingly and let the flash properly

adjust the output automatically. Unfortunately, with the Pro1 I was

not able to do this, because when the camera is in Manual mode the

flash control becomes manual (adjustable on the camera body), too. So

with my Pro1, the only way I can shoot these banquets indoors is to

shoot in Tv mode at 1/60th and not be able to adjust the aperture.

(The problem is that due to the low ISO capabilities it always shoots

wide open and can be annoying with group shots etc...)

 

My question: With the Rebel XT (350D), will I be able to shoot

indoors as I can with my ElanII? That is, can I shoot in Manual mode,

with a 400-800 ISO, set both the shutter speed and aperture manually

and let the flash output adjust for proper exposure automatically?

 

Thanks for reading,

 

--ZAch

[bob_a]

350d should be simialar to my 20d. I use the 420ex in Manual (usually at 1/125 or 1/160 due to the crop factor) and it works virtually the same as my film Elan 7e.

[frank_skomial]

"(usually at 1/125 or 1/160 due to the crop factor)"

 

This is great site. Learning new things every day. Can someone explain, please, what shutter speed has to do with the crop factor?

 

Thanks

Frank

[bob_a]

Well, the original poster mentioned 1/60s shutter speed which is "common" for flash exposures with a full-frame [film] 35mm camera if, say, I'm using a normal lens (50mm). With the 1.6 crop, that lens becomes 80mm, so I'd like to be on a safe side and adjust my shutter accordingly to minimise shake... That's what I think, anyway.

[carlos_santos2]

Don't be afraid of using higher ISO's your 350D has very little noise even up at 1600. Does wonders for pictures and substantially reduces the need for flash, preiod.

 

AFAIK, the answer to your question is yes, you dial in time+aperture and flash (and as long as it's within reason, the flash will do it's best to keep up).

[chrisjb]

Hi, the 350D is ettl 2, so you`ll be fine we do nearly all flash pix, D30/30D both cameras used in manual and FEL used to meter for flash,and recompose. always between 30~80th sec depending how much ambient light wanted. And nearly always 800ISO.

Still won`t trust ettl 2 as to easily fooled. I`m suprised the pro1 is so limited and has no way to meter flash exposure?

 

Have fun

[chrisjb]

Something I read about the Pro1, check the manual to comfirm

 

In Av (Aperture priority) mode the user selects the desired aperture value and the camera automatically selects the appropriate shutter speed. Small apertures (large F-stop number) increase the depth of field (range of focus) whereas large apertures (small F-stop numbers) decreases the depth of field.

 

Available f/stop range is F2.4, F2.8, F3.2, F3.2, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8 and varies on the focal length being used. Flash sync is from 1/60 to 1/250 sec. in Av mode.

[arunas_salkauskas]

>> (usually at 1/125 or 1/160 due to the crop factor)

 

There's nothing about the smaller sensor that will change the amount of light you get to the image plane (except that you're looking at less of the plane so in toto you get less photons, but the same photons per unit of area), so there's no need to adjust the time of your exposures or flash sync just because you're not using the full field of view that the lens is capable of providing.

[chrisjb]

Ooops sorry for typo D30/20D. the 30D not here yet

[prinosphotography]

yes, the 350D will work the same way as your Elan II. With the camera in Manual, the

camera will provide autoexposure for the flash (ambient exposure depends on whatever

your manual settings are) . PowerShot digital P&S cameras handle M mode diffferently (I

have a G3 that works like your pro1, but my DSLRs work like your Elan II)

 

For the other point people have discussed re shutter speed & crop factor:

If your exposure is letting in enough ambient light, then the shutter speed chosen will

affect the motion blur visible in the photo, so you can adjust to 1/1.6 x focal length

instead of the 1/focal length rule for full frame (film) just as with non-flash exposures. In

practice though, you can often get away with much slower shutter speeds because the

flash provides most of the subject illumination and is quick enough to freeze the subject.