Setting fill flash with a Minolta Flashmeter IV

[scott_murphy5]

<p>I had a Sekonic L-358 for years and alas have lost it, left it at a shoot and when I returned it was gone. It is probably in a pawn shop by now. It was so easy to set fill flash with my Sunpak 544 flashes in manual. I still have my Minolta Flashmeter IV but it is not nearly as "user friendly" as the Sekonic was. Normally I used to set flash contribution to about 25% +/- depending on the light and the Sekonic read it out as such.<br /> <br /> I went back through the owner's manual for the Minolta and now I realize why I got my Sekonic. To say it is hard to understand is an understatement and I can't remember how I used to do it<br /> <br /> Has anyone used this meter to figure out fill flash using flashes in manual? And if so, how do you did it? I am guessing I will have to work with f/ again rather than % contribution.<br /> <br /> Thanks in advance<br /> <br /> Scott</p>

[michaelmowery]

<p>Too technical for me. I am sure the tech geeks will chime in soon. You have a digital camera take a picture and see if you have enough fill or not then make your adjustments from there.</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>I've always worked with f-stops, never percentage. You pop a test flash and it tells you what the f-stop reading is. You decide where you want the fill to be in relation to the main -- two stops under, one stop under, half stop under, etc. That's all there is to it. And as Michael says today you don't really need the meter, just shoot and chimp. </p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>Well, 25% is two stops less. That's pretty easy.</p>

<p>However, the Minolta Flashmeter needs the flat incident adapter to properly measure lighting ratios, and also benefits from shading the receptor from other light sources. The Sekonic's "dome down a well" system is actually theoretically inferior to a flat diffuser, which is why Sekonic recommend that you switch all other lights off when measuring ratios - not easy to switch the sun off!</p>

<p>Anyhow. To get the flash fill two stops under the ambient or key light: You'd meter the ambient/key, subtract two stops and then meter the flash (while shading the flat diffuser from ambient) until you get the correct power setting. For example; the ambient is metering at f/11, so you set the flash power to meter at f/5.6.</p>

<p>Alternatively, a 25% frontal fill will add 1/3rd of a stop to the ambient reading. So you can simply adjust the flash power until the meter reads 1/3rd stop more exposure. And with this method you can just use the dome diffuser as normal, pointing it back toward the camera from the subject. The only drawback with this method is that you have to work out the contribution of the fill in terms of extra stops.</p>

<p>To do this: First convert your percentages to a decimal number. 25% (fill) + 100% (ambient) = 125% or 1.25 times the amount of light.<br /> Now you need a calculator that does logarithms. Multiply the decimal number by 2 (= 2.5 in this case). Take the log of 2.5 and divide it by the log of 2. Then subtract 1. The number you get is the increase in stops.</p>

<p>Some examples:<br /> 25% fill = + 1/3rd of a stop<br /> 50% fill = + 2/3rds of a stop (rounded up from 0.58 stops)<br /> 100% fill (1:1 ratio) = 1 stop<br /> IMO if you simply went for somewhere between + 1/3rd and half a stop the fill would be about right.</p>

<p>Edit: If you have a flash that does Auto Aperture mode, then all you need to do is to set the AA mode aperture to 2 stops less than what the ambient light is giving you. Dead easy!</p>

[ian_casement]

<p>Set the Minolta Meter IV to "analyse" and it gives you a graphical representation of total exposure and flash component of exposure. These are illustrated as pointers above the shutter speed and aperture readout on the LCD.</p>

<p>Changing the shutter speed on the meter will change the illustrated ratio. (I think aperture change does too).</p>

<p>Either adjust flash level or shutter/aperture setting to achieve your desired result.</p>