10D with Metz flash

[neil_browne1]

I have a 10D, and have had quite a time getting used to it in comparison to my FILM

based equipment.(A2E & Hasselbad)

The major problem is getting accurate flash exposure.

When I use portable flash, (metz 45cl4..60ct4) I plug the flash in the PC socket on the

side of the camera..when it fires the exposures seem erratic. Also I find that if I turn

down the flash power it helps ex. flash at 400iso..camera set at 100iso, and also if I

plug the flash into my radio slave , and then the radio slave into the body, it seems to

help stabilize the exposures I'm getting.

I have found this with both my metz 45cl4 & 60 ct4 flashes, as well as my photogenic

studio strobs.

 

Does any one have any experiance with this sort of problem, or advice on using flash

with the 10D??? (so far no problems with natural light)

 

Thanks,

Neil

[bill_goldman]

Any flash unit capable of connection to the pc connector on your camera is going to fire at full power unless the unit is set to a lower power setting. In any event, there is only one proper exposure with a flash firing at a fixed output at a specific distance to your subject. To determine that, you need a flash meter.

 

If you move your flash around and change your flash-to-subject distance, your exposure is going to change, so again, you need a flash meter. With a digital camera, you can keep changing your exposure settings until you get proper exposure but you're better off with a flash meter.

 

Alternatively, you can get an E-TTL capable flash unit (Canon EX or the proper Metz unit, for example) connected via your camera's hot shoe and get camera controlled automatic exposures.

[jimstrutz]

<I>"Any flash unit capable of connection to the pc connector on your camera is going to fire at full power unless the unit is set to a lower power setting"</I>

<P>

Bill's forgetting about auto flash. The Metz 45 and 60 are very capable of adjusting exposure for distance etc, all by themselves.

<P>

A number of people have complained about erratic metering while using a D30 or D60 with E-TTL flash. Quite a few of them have switched to auto flash like these Metz units to solve it. I have no idea why you would have a problem with them on a 10D, but perhaps the 10D's ISO ratings are too conservative?

[bob stewart jacksonville]

Does the 10D automatically set the white balance to flash when using the Metz flash? I found out the hard way using monolights with a pc cord on my 10d, that the white balance remained on automatic, not flash, giving unpleasant results. I kept playing with the flash output and exposure compensation, until I realized that my poor results were from not setting the white balance to flash. I may be off base on your problem, but it would be worth at least checking.

By the way if it is white balance, you can change this using Canon's file viewer utility if you still have the files in raw.