Fill flash techniques

[penn10]

I was shooting with 50mm f/1.8 on D50 on a cloudy day, so person's face casts

a shadow. I put on my SB800 and kept the head up 90 degrees with the bounce

card out. The goal was to get rid of the dark shadow.

 

It doesn't matter how I adjust the settings, the pictures were totally blown

out. Here are my settings - aperture priority set at 2.8, ISO set to the

camera's minimum 200; on SB800, TTL/BL mode with FV value set to its minimum -

3; on camera, EV value sets to its minimum at -5.

 

Even with all these settings, the pictures are still blown out. The only

change I can make it to change the aperture to 5.6, that solved the problem.

But I don't want to use 5.6, I like the bokeh of 2.8.

 

What do I need to do here? Thanks!

[mark_sirota1]

I'm thinking that ISO 200, f/2.8, and 1/500th (max sync for the D50, right?) was too much light -- that's about EV11, and a cloudy day is probably a couple stops brighter than that.

 

If the D50 supports FP high-speed sync, try that for a shorter shutter speed. If not, you'll need a smaller aperture, or an ND filter over the lens.

 

Or, because the D50 uses an electronic shutter above the max sync speed, you can use a non-dedicated flash to get higher sync speeds. There's probably some way to trick the SB-800 into working that way too.

[ronald_duren]

In lieu of using a smaller aperture use a neutral density filter, polarizer or a lower iso to maintain that 2.8 aperture that you prefer to use on a bright cloudy day.

[toddcwilson]

I think the D50 has a max sync speed of 1/250, with that large of an aperture you are obviously not stopping down enough light. The filter is a good idea and I have used that option with that lens. I sometimes use a polarizer to help stop down the light as well with that lens which helps a little. Another technique is to utilize a reflector and angle it to fill the shadows using natural light if you have the time to set up the shot - thus scrapping the flash all together.

[steve_crognale]

Shouldn't the output of the flash be automatically reduced to the proper level to balance ambient if it's in TTL BL?

[ken__4]

Check out the suggestions at http://www.planetneil.com/faq/flash-techniques.html. Hope that helps.

[joseph_smith3]

Frank, you need to learn and understand the difference between TTL BL and just TTL. I shoot in Aperture mode. If I had your situation and were using TTL BL, I would have set minus flash comp on the flash at about 1.7 or 2.0. I do not know what you mean by the FV and EV settings. If I were shooting the same situation, I would be in just TTL mode, which Nikon calls Standard TTL, and what I call true fill flash, and set minus flash comp if .7 or 1.0. In TTL BL, the computers in the flash and camera are working together to generate the right amount of flash light. You never know what amount the flash will output in TTL BL. Another factor is what synch setting was on your camera. This link will help you understand basic Nikon flash techniques that apply to the SB 800 as well as all Nikon flashes for film cameras too. http://www.moosepeterson.com/techtips/flash.html

 

Joe Smith

[steve_crognale]

Do you have it in matric metering mode? I just set mine (D50 - 105/2.8 D) up in aperture priority ste to @.8 and the exposure is correct. Indoors, dim light.

[steve_crognale]

That would be 2.8.

[penn10]

Thank you for you help, I will look into ND filters. By the way, I do not have any problem with in-door dim light, the flash works great. Just outdoor.

 

Mark S, what do you mean by EV11?

[mark_sirota1]

Steve, what you're missing is that Frank's problem wasn't too much light from the flash -- it was too much light from the sun.

[bmoorhouse]

The D50 has a max flash sync of 1/500, not 1/250 as someone above suggested. There is a trick though that allows you to take it all the way to 1/4000, since the D50 uses an electronic shutter above a certain speed. Basically, all you have to do is cover one of the contacts in the hotshoe with tape.

 

What shutter speed is metered with the flash off and the aperture at f/2.8? If it is faster than 1/500, the max sync speed might be your problem. If so, using the tape might help.

[mark_sirota1]

Frank, see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposure_value">Wikipedia's definition of Exposure Value</a>.

[toddcwilson]

I stand corrected on a portion of my earlier post regarding the max flash sync speed - I still had the D200's settings on my mind for the max sync for the built in flash. ND or polarizer are never bad to have on hand and may help you considerably.

[keith_durnford]

Have you tried using a diffuser on the flash or using the flash off camera and firing it through a reflector. Or perhaps just using a reflector to bounce some light back.

[puck]

There is a very good article about fill flash technique in this month's practical photography magazine. If you are in UK pick up a copy. If you are not in UK feel free to email me.

[steve_crognale]

Gotcha!

[bmoorhouse]

Thinking about this again . . . the problem is that with the flash attached, you can't use a

shutter speed faster than the 1/500 max sync speed. Considering the Cloudy-8 rule, you

would want something around 1/200 at f/8, 1/400 at f/5.6, 1/800 at f/4.0, and 1/1600

at f/2.8. Obviously if you are shooting at 1/500, no matter what FV you set, you are going

to get well over-exposed images.

 

Your only choices are to remove the flash, use at least a 2-stop ND, or tape the flash

contacts and fake out the camera.

[elliot1]

The problem is likely that you had the flash rotated to 90 degrees and not with your settings.

 

I use flash outdoors almost as much as indoors with excellent results. I usually turn the flash compensation up to +2 or +3. if my subject is 10 to 15 feet away. But I leave the flash in its normal forward position.

 

There is no need to rotate the flash for outdoor fill flash.

[photom]

Mark sounds like he is on the right track. When using rather bright outdoor lighting you cannot pick a wide aperture just because that is what you want. You have to use an aperture that will fit the lighting and shutter (&ISO) options available to you. Or use, ND filter perhaps. Sometimes you have to wait till late in the day or early morning for the shot you want or shoot under shade. On truly overcast days, shadows are usually much more subtle and fill flash may not be needed. Was it partly cloudy with the sun coming in and out? If the incident lighting was at EV 11 (heavy overcast between 9 and 3) then the shot may have been possible at f2.8, 1/500. Dial flash to 2.8 minus 1.5 stops or whatever style you wish. Keep it simple if you are having trouble.