deantaylor

<p>hello</p> <p>A beginner asks about 35mm film, specifically, film purchased online and delivered in the<br> plastic cannister only--no box...</p> <p>Is this a fairly common occurrence in the industry, or, ought the delivery be returned<br> to what is a respected resource (B and H in New York)?</p> <p>thank you</p> <p>Dean Taylor</p>

<p>hello<br> A beginner asks about a lens board to accept the 210mm APO Symmar lens on a 4x5 Speed Graphic.<br> Specifically, would you know the dimension for the lens hole in the board--with this info, I might have a go at crafting my own lens board, to wit: a piece of aluminum stock, cut to size, drilled and painted flat black...<br> thank you<br> Dean Taylor</p>

<p>from a 1958 vinyl record titled “Famous Photographers Tell How"...an interview <br> with Henri Cartier-Bresson in which the legendary photojournalist shares his thoughts <br> on what photography is, the way he approaches it, and various opinions on <br> theory and technique.<br> http://petapixel.com/2015/05/03/an-interview-with-henri-cartier-bresson-from-1958/</p>

<p><em>A beginner asks about push/pull film exposure/processing...</em><br> <em> </em><br> <em><br /></em>I was careful to note this at the beginning of the thread to indicate to certain...'anxious'<br> types that the inquiry was not a challenge to their 'expertise'...</p> <p><em>What about those pros who do both:</em><br> response:<br> <em>"What about them?"</em><br> <em> </em><br> Do us both a favor and stay off my posted threads...okay?</p> <p> </p>

<p><em>You are overexposing to capture more shadow detail or underexposing to bring down highlights.</em><br> <em> </em><br> <em><br /></em>What about those pros who do <strong>both</strong>: they overexpose to capture more shadow detail, and then to<br> bring down the now-aggravated highlights, they then 'pull' process--leave it in the developer for a shorter<br> amount of time? As Charles noted above: <em>Pull film is expose it at a lower ISO than it is rated...Pull </em><br> <em>development is to reduce development by 25% or more.</em><br> <em> </em><br> Sincere thanks to both you and Charles--I have a better sense of the uses of pushing or pulling film...<br> We may push or pull in the event we set the ISO incorrectly at film loading...<em>or</em>, we may push or pull<br> with deliberation--before the fact--for example, 1) to capture detail in expected shadows, and then, 2) bring down<br> highlights we 'aggravated' when we purposefully overexposed the film in the first place...</p> <p>Best,</p> <p>Dean</p> <p><em> </em><br> <em> </em><br> <em> </em><br> <em> </em></p>

<p>edited to read:<br> <br> <em>Apparently, details obscured in <strong>the highlights of</strong> overexposed film have a better chance at resuscitation...</em></p>

<p>Shun</p> <p>Sincere thanks for your efforts...that is, indeed, the MB-D15 pdf...(thread title, though, ought to<br /> read 'MB-15'--pardon error...).<br /> <img src="http://news.mapcamera.com/media/12/blog071028_mb15.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><br /> if you come across the MB-15 (pictured here) pdf, please post!</p> <p> </p>

<p><em>Push film is expose it at a higher ISO than it is rated.</em><br /> <br /> Then, if a film is rated at a higher sensitivity, it is capable of<br /> (designed to) reacting quickly to a certain quantity of light.<br /> If another film is rated as having a lesser reactance to that same light<br /> quantity, and we have the camera treat it as being faster ('misrepresenting it <br /> to the camera'), it gets shortchanged in the exposure--it is underdeveloped.<br /> We 'bring it back from the dead' by giving it more time in the reviving<br /> juices of the developer bath--and, what a treat it is!<br /> <br /> Kidding aside, there seems to be varied reasons for this two-pronged procedure,<br /> some having to do with pure choice (versus, say, the error of setting the camera incorrectly<br /> when loading the film and attempting to compensate later).<br /> For example, if a scene is imbued with interesting features in half light,<br /> we might pull the exposure (overexpose) in order to capture those details,<br /> but then we must balance/compensate this programme to avoid blown highlights--less<br /> time in the developer ought to do it!<br /> <br /> Another pro I just discovered put it: "The rule of classical fine art photography is: <br />‘expose for the shadows and develop for the highlights'," because, as he notes, we cannot do much of anything at all in post with lost shadows, but we have options with bringing down highlights...<br /> <br />Apparently, details obscured in overexposed film have a better chance at resuscitation<br /> than details lost in shadows...the silver captured the details (they're there!) but, further<br /> light 'buried' them...yet, they can be 'dug out' in post...</p> <p>I am writing this down in order to inculcate (secure) the facts and ideas, not for your benefit!</p> <p>Best,</p> <p>Dean</p>

<p>yes, thank you, Charles...</p> <p>What I had in mind (but did not express) was that when we underexpose--push/expose--we<br> must then balance/compensate by going in the other direction in the processing side<br> of the equation--push/process. They do work in tandem, doing the opposite thing, but<br> using the same term...push/push, pull/pull...(learning all the time...).</p> <p>Best,</p> <p>Dean</p>

<p>edited to read:<br /> Is it always the case that they work in tandem to one another, i.e., if we, for example,<br /><em>push</em> the <strong>exposure</strong> we, then, must 'complete the transaction' (metaphor) and <em>pull</em><br />the <strong>processing</strong>...<br /> <br /> <em><br /></em></p>

<p>hello<br> After having gone through the usual channels--including Nikon--we ask if you<br> have the user's manual for the MB-15 battery grip...<br> We would gladly compensate for a xerox of same...</p> <p>thank you</p> <p>Dean Taylor</p> <p> </p>

<p>hello</p> <p>A beginner asks about push/pull film exposure/processing...</p> <p>Is it always the case that they work in tandem to one another, i.e., if we, for example,<br> <em>push</em> the film we, then, must 'complete the transaction' (metaphor) and <em>pull</em><br> the exposure...</p> <p>also...<br> How does all of this relate to the Zone System?</p> <p>thank you</p> <p>Dean</p> <p> </p>

<p>[one more...]</p> <p>as if on cue, here is an explication of the dr5 method from the Film Shooters Collective <br /> (<em>the dr5 process was created in 1991 by photographer David Wood in New York...</em>):</p> <p>http://filmshooterscollective.com/analog-film-photography-blog/its-not-magic-its-dr5-slides-from-negatives-dr5-lab-4-24</p> <p> </p> <h2> </h2>

<p>thanks, one and all, for informed--and generous!--commentary! Responses seem to run the gamut, but there is more than enough insight collected in one thread to guide any beginner's film trajectory...</p> <p>Best,</p> <p>Dean</p>

<p>thanks, Jos!</p> <p>here is a quote from Ken Rockwell regarding slide film:</p> <p><em>For color, most pros shoot positive film (slides)....</em><br> <em>What you see is what you've got, and color consistency is critical in pro photography.</em><br> <em>Slide film gives us the same colors every time. Slide film leaves nothing to interpretation when printed, projected or scanned, which is why pros who shoot color shoot slides. We get the color we want on-film, and every other stage in the production process will preserve and reproduce these colors.</em><br> <em>Wedding and news photographers were the only pros who usually shot color negative film, and a lot of that was so they could have the freedom to botch a shot and have the lab correct it later. Careful pros in advertising and magazines always shoot slide film precisely because the colors they imagine while shooting can be reproduced exactly from the slides.</em><br> <em> </em><br> Do you share that point of view?</p> <p>Best,</p> <p>Dean</p>

<p>hello<br> A beginner to 35mm photography asks about color slide film, as well as the dr5 method<br> for b/w transparency: http://www.dr5.com/<br> What is available for 35mm color slides? <br> thank you</p> <p>Dean</p> <p> </p>

<p>hello<br /><br />We have some Ilford (as wel as some Ektar 100) we'd like to stow in the freezer, but wanted to check with the pros regarding the proper procedure--specifically, avoiding ice crystals, condensation, etc., forming on the film.<br /><br />Do you wrap the film in freezer paper? <br /><br />Also, when you are ready to use, do you transition to the fridge, or simply place on a countertop to stabilize before use?<br /><br />thank you...<br /><br />Dean</p>

<p><em>Three new LED panels from Manfrotto are meant for small laptop bag pockets</em><br> on the outside chance you missed it, here is the article from Popular Photography:<br> <a href="http://is.gd/zJw8Su" target="_blank">http://is.gd/zJw8Su</a></p> <p><img src="http://www.popphoto.com/sites/popphoto.com/files/styles/large_1x_/public/9zxiah2p2umz-ollgtkiub6y0a7mtnuumpjtcsqz0iua_5f8kllj01htxsc4txn5dxaxifcol7fuzomdky4l50.jpg?itok=gBKwAkdR" alt="" width="2000" height="1962" /></p>

<p>hello</p> <p>Please take a moment to explain the shooting options in the following scenario:<br> An indoor shot, Manual shooting mode, minimal ambient light (table lamp), but it is preferred for <br> aesthetic considerations ('dramatic' effect, etc.).<br> A test shot: looks okay, but the question of adding some flash occurs to me. Raise built-in flash, release a shot,<br> and, although we find a 'correct' exposure, for the aesthetic goal here, it is too bright.<br> We can adjust the three main variables, true. But, for the D7000, is it possible to 'adjust'<br> the built-in flash output--or, is it an all-or-nothing blast of light?<br> The second question is: if it is not possible to adjust the built-in flash's output, is it true that with<br> an added flash system (on hot shoe) the option of adjusting that flash is available?</p> <p>thank you!</p> <p>Dean Taylor</p> <p> </p>

<p>[beginner question]...</p> <p>on using the lens aperture ring to control aperture in manual shooting mode: getting a 'FEE' signal on Nikon D7000, but the aperture is controllable from main command dial...</p> <p>how would we adjust camera settings to have aperture control from both lens ring and camera?</p> <p>thanks again!</p> <p>Dean</p>

<p>thanks, mate!</p> <p>Best,</p> <p>Dean</p>

<p>hello</p> <p>Would you know if the Nikon AF 50mm 1.4D lens has a switch for manual focus<br> control--or, is this option controlled solely from the camera (D7000 here)?</p> <p>thank you</p> <p>Dean Taylor</p>

<p>From the NY Times, an archive of those who labor on the streets of NYC:<br> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/04/23/magazine/shoeshine-slideshow.html?ref=magazine&smid=nytimesphoto" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/04/23/magazine/shoeshine-slideshow.html?ref=magazine&smid=nytimesphoto</a></p>

<p>hello<br> After several days of viewing and re-viewing the generous response to the OP--posted, it may be noted, at three photo forums (to cast more bread on open water)--a compilation is, forthwith, provided to one and all.<br> The hope here is that by having the complete 'anthology' at a glance (that's the key point here), that the learning process is streamlined, one may more readily compare 'A' to 'B,' etc., and reach something approaching a consensus, vis a vis the OP questions on the use of flash, etc.<br> Minimal editing (typos, etc.) was done to reduce clutter, improve readability, etc. It is not a perfect duplication (a photo or two may have been omitted) but, generally, the thread (of three forums, same OP) is intact. Three asterisks were set to delineate responses, but they may be stripped by the editor, with bold text alternating instead.<br> Best,<br> Dean Taylor</p> <p>***<br> Remember, in Manual mode (M) or Shutter Priority (S) only Normal camera sync works. If you want to use Slow + Rear camera sync only Aperture Priority (A) or Program (P) will allow it.<br> ***<br> When the D7000 detects flash is being used (popping up the on board flash is one way it knows) several Custom Settings control what happens depending upon how you have the camera's primary controls set.<br> Custom Setting e1, flash sync speed, is the upper limit for shutter speed when flash use is detected. Default is 1/250 sec.<br> Custom Setting e2, flash shutter speed, is the lower limit for shutter speed in A and P exposure modes when flash use is detected. Default is 1/60 sec.<br> Custom Setting e3, flash control for built-in flash, is the operating mode for the built-in. Default is TTL mode.<br> Nikon's implementation of Auto ISO with the built-in flash results in unnecessarily high ISOs in the opinion of many shooters. Using a fixed ISO or using Auto ISO with the built-in set to commander mode (even though there are not remote units) are both workarounds.<br> Nikon actually lists in the D7000 specifications that the shutter is capable of conventional flash synch at 1/320 sec. and I can confirm this to be correct. You have to set Custom Setting e1 to "1/320 s (Auto FP)" and set shutter to 1/320 in M or S mode.<br> Making use of all the flash flexibility Nikon has made available on DSLRs like the D7000 can be quite challenging. Fortunately shooting flash in P mode works quite well, the Auto ISO issue excepted, when you don't want to be bothered with all the details.<br> ***<br> The duration of the flash depends on the power output. It's longest at full power and shortest at low power. This is from the SB-700 manual:<br> 1/1042 sec. at M1/1 (full) output<br> 1/1136 sec. at M1/2 output<br> 1/2857 sec. at M1/4 output<br> 1/5714 sec. at M1/8 output<br> 1/10000 sec. at M1/16 output<br> 1/18182 sec. at M1/32 output<br> 1/25000 sec. at M1/64 output<br> 1/40000 sec. at M1/128 outpu<br> ***<br> Opening the flash will not change the three main exposure variables since you are in M mode! But, The meter reading will change to the + side and it is telling you that your picture will now be overexposed if you do not change something! (the flash will brighten the exposure!) If you choose to change one or more of the exposure variables to let in less light then the meter reading will move to the left towards the "-". Just stop when your meter reading is back to the middle "0" point and you are back to the correct exposure.<br> I would expect that changing the FC setting would change the amount that the meter moved in the above, but it does not seem to be doing this on my 7100. I need some more time to think about this, or maybe someone else has the answer?<br> ***<br> The D7000 has a maximum flash sync of 1/250.<br> So, if you set (for example) an exposure of f5.6, 1/500 and ISO 100 then pop up the flash, the shutter speed will drop to 1/250 giving you an over exposed picture regardless of how much light the flash puts out.<br> I hope this helps.<br> ***<br> Maximum sync speed is a property of the camera shutter, not a function of flash duration. Above the sync speed, the entire sensor is never exposed to light at the same time. If you shoot above the sync speed in normal flash mode, at the instant that the flash fires only part of the sensor is exposed and the resulting image is unevenly lit.<br> Here is a one of many good explanations:<br> <a href="http://neilvn.com/tangents/high-speed-flash-sync/">http://neilvn.com/tangents/high-speed-flash-sync/</a><br> The work-around at shutter speeds above maximum sync is for the flash to fire multiple times in rapid sequence to evenly expose the full sensor. This capability varies with the flash unit. Its behavior is controlled by the AutoFP settings in your camera.<br> Working with flash is hard to wrap your arms around without actually doing it. If you want to understand, find a good reference, start with the most basic configuration, and proceed from there. You can talk all day but I think you've got to practice hands on to really get it.<br> ***<br> The duration of the flash is actually very small (less than 1/10000 s I think) but it is difficult for manufacturers to make the flash work correctly with a very short exposure. When I talk about flash sync, I mean the fastest shutter speed at which a particular camera can make the flash work correctly, in the case of the D7000, this is 1/250 s.<br> I've just set my D7000 to A with ISO2000, f2.8 and pointed it at the light and it gave me a shutter speed of 1/3200s. When I pop up the flash the view finder shows me "HI f2.8". The picture is over exposed and was taken with exposure of 1/250.<br> When I do the same in M, it is more or less the same, I pop up the flash and the exposure changes to 1/250 f2.8 and I have an uncentred metre.<br> As well as posing a problem for high iso flash pictures of light bulbs I have messed up a number of pictures of people in bright sun light when I was trying to use flash to fill in dark shadows - there is a work around for this with some flash guns, but that's another story.<br> ***<br> The duration of the flash depends on the power output. It's longest at full power and shortest at low power. This is from the SB-700 manual:<br> 1/1042 sec. at M1/1 (full) output<br> 1/1136 sec. at M1/2 output<br> 1/2857 sec. at M1/4 output<br> 1/5714 sec. at M1/8 output<br> 1/10000 sec. at M1/16 output<br> 1/18182 sec. at M1/32 output<br> 1/25000 sec. at M1/64 output<br> 1/40000 sec. at M1/128 output<br> ***<br> When the D7000 detects flash is being used (popping up the on board flash is one way it knows) several Custom Settings control what happens depending upon how you have the camera's primary controls set.<br> Custom Setting e1, flash sync speed, is the upper limit for shutter speed when flash use is detected. Default is 1/250 sec.<br> Custom Setting e2, flash shutter speed, is the lower limit for shutter speed in A and P exposure modes when flash use is detected. Default is 1/60 sec.<br> Custom Setting e3, flash control for built-in flash, is the operating mode for the built-in. Default is TTL mode.<br> Nikon's implementation of Auto ISO with the built-in flash results in unnecessarily high ISOs in the opinion of many shooters. Using a fixed ISO or using Auto ISO with the built-in set to commander mode (even though there are not remote units) are both workarounds.<br> Nikon actually lists in the D7000 specifications that the shutter is capable of conventional flash synch at 1/320 sec. and I can confirm this to be correct. You have to set Custom Setting e1 to "1/320 s (Auto FP)" and set shutter to 1/320 in M or S mode.<br> Making use of all the flash flexibility Nikon has made available on DSLRs like the D7000 can be quite challenging. Fortunately shooting flash in P mode works quite well, the Auto ISO issue excepted, when you don't want to be bothered with all the details. <br> ***<br> I sold my D7000 a while ago, but I think the earlier poster has it wrong. If you are shooting full manual, I don't think popping up the flash is going to change the metering at all. Metering continues to be based on just ambient lighting and does not anticipate any contribution from the flash. And again, as long as you are in full manual mode, adjusting flash exposure compensation will not change the metering either. It only takes a moment to try this--you should do it yourself.<br> On the other hand, if you are in aperture priority or some other semi-automatic mode, the interaction between the camera's exposure settings and flash gets more complicated.<br> If you are just starting to think about flash and exposure, here's one good introduction:<br> <a href="http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101-balancing-flash-and.html">http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101-balancing-flash-and.html</a><br> ***<br> When you shoot with your flash, think like you're taking two photos instead of one.<br> The first photo is the scene you frame under the natural light. In this case, everything works as usual<br> The second photo is that of the main subject who will be flashed. In this case, shutter time is meaningless because flash duration is no more than 25% of exposure time. What matters is f/ number, which is the only thing controlling the amount of flash light hitting your sensor. Higher f/ number will result in limiting your flash reach, so only the closer objects will be flashed. It's a very useful technique when you're looking for subject isolation, like in this pic<br> Then there's TTL. TTL (through the lens) is something that should be active in your camera, preventing the flash to emit too much light. It's a sort of lifebelt assuring you never go (too) wrong.<br> I didn't handle flash compensation very well, I suppose it works as a flash power control. In d7100 flash compensation goes from -3EV to +1EV, that's to say (if I'm right) from 12,5% to 200% of nominal power.<br> Please note that, beyond exposure, flash light can always alter overall scene tone if flash light color temperature isn't close to ambiental light color temperature. This is particularly bothering when persons - and therefore skin tones - are involved in the pic.<br> Finally, an advice I got from a pro photographer: "Best way to handle flash? Trial and error"<br> ***<br> In broad sweeping terms...<br> When working with a flash, the scene gets divided into two parts, the background and the foreground/subject.<br> The meter of the camera is measuring for the ambient (background) exposure.<br> If you have the flash set to an auto-exposure mode, the camera do a test flash to measure the power needed to correctly light the subject (at the center of the frame), then do the real exposure after that.<br> If you are in a manual mode for the camera and flash, you normally set the ISO and shutter speed to control the lighting of the subject from the flash and use the aperture to control the background light.<br> The normal exposure compensation system will lighten or darken the whole scene (or just the background?) depending on the camera body. The test flashes will center the meter, then the exposure compensation will offset the metered reading.<br> The flash compensation will lighten/darken the subject only (what the flash lights).<br> ***<br> In manual mode, if I opt to use the camera's flash after setting the three exposure variables, will the flash and camera speed settings (shutter and ISO) automatically synch (via camera program)--or, must I correlate the two myself before the capture?<br> ***<br> With the camera in manual exposure mode and manual ISO, what you set is what you get, as expected.<br> For the flash, you have two main options:<br> TTL - auto power, the camera sends a test flash to measure the needed light when you press the shutter release, then does the real exposure.<br> manual - you pick the power level of the flash.<br> ***<br> To answer your question above, Yes, it will automatically sync, within limits. The shutter speed you set cannot be greater than the highest sync speed your camera is capable of handling. It also depends on the what camera sync mode you have set (Normal, where it will probably try to default to 1/60th unless you change it, Slow + Rear can sometimes automatically take the shutter speed to very slow speeds you may not expect and it only works in Aperture Priority (A) or Program (P) modes.<br> Also, depending on the flash mode you are using, it may be using the camera's light meter to set its output. If you are using center weighted than a person wearing a white shirt won't meter the same as a person wearing a black sweater, and the flash may not give the light you want. So, one approach is to go manual on aperture, shutter (keeping within sync ranges) and ISO for general scene exposure and also go manual with the flash, using just fixed flash power. I would start at -1.3 if you are seeking the flash's output based on the camera's light meter (if too dark just dial-in a little less compensation) and maybe 1/32 power if you are going manual flash output (too dark or too light than adjust as necessary). One mode will continue to use the camera's meter (and therefore vary with every shot), the other will always project the same amount of light.<br> There are so many variables involved that I don't think you will get answers that cover all situations. I'm no expert on this (in fact I almost always get it wrong on first attempts) so at least I know what you're going through. I bought the Nikonians Press book The Nikon Creative Lighting System by Mike Hagen, which has the merit of showing and explaining the vast possibilities. But in the end, for me, it's trial and error until a solution is found almost every time. And I don't have Mike's book with me all the time. Mike's book is 289 pages, so nobody is going to be able to answer your question(s) in a paragraph. Aside from studio photography, I'll bet wedding photographers are the most apt to respond to how they do it to suit their needs. So hope one of them chimes in.<br> There are also a whole lot of webinars (which generally also try to sell some sort of flash diffusers, etc.) by Cliff Mautner or Moose Petersen or John McNally and a host of others. They are free to watch at least.<br> I don't think the moderators will object to me suggesting Mike Hagen's recommendations (hopefully there are no copyright problems with me doing this) since I'm just going to paraphrase.<br> For general outdoor natural light photography try the Program (P) mode and set the camera sync to Slow/Rear. I would use Matrix metering. This will allow ambient light to be part of the scene, then set the flash output to -1.0 compensation, adjusting as necessary. This is about as close to "automatic" as you can get for fill-in or subject lighting. On a bright day no Speedlight is going to overpower the sun, so the flash's guide number will be a limiting factor, but it should work OK in the shade or overcast days, and work up-close in brighter conditions.<br> For indoor or party shots where there isn't sufficient ambient light, use Normal camera sync setting. In this case only the flash is lighting the scene.<br> Remember, in Manual mode (M) or Shutter Priority (S) only Normal camera sync works. If you want to use Slow + Rear camera sync only Aperture Priority (A) or Program (P) will allow it.<br> But to be honest with you, I only know what I read.<br> ***<br> For answers to most practical questions about using flash, I suggest exploring Russ McDonald's blog, starting with:<br> <a href="http://nikonclspracticalguide.blogspot.com/2008/01/nikon-flash-two-separate-metering.html">http://nikonclspracticalguide.blogspot.com/2008/01/nikon-flash-two-separate-metering.html</a><br> Although most of his discussion is about using a separate flash unit, much of it is applicable to using the pop-up flash as well.<br> ***<br> Your light meter is only metering the ambient light. If you use a flash, then you add light to the ambient light.<br> ***<br> On your camera model, the system adds the camera's exposure compensation to the flash's exposure compensation and applies that total compensation when metering the scene. In some later model Nikon cameras, the two types of compensation are not added together.<br> ***<br> Your flash is just another light source that gives off a brief and very bright pulse of light that lasts less than 1/1000th of a second. In many cases it is so much brighter than the ambient light that it will to a large extent overpower it with the ambient light making little or no contribution to your exposure.<br> The other chief property is light falloff. Nicely said the further away from the subject, the less light will reflect of your subject and back to the camera. The inverse square law describes how much dropoff there is, based on the distance from the flash.<br> If you flash on manual, you have to determine the proper exposure through trial and error, calculating the exposure using the flash's guide number (GN) or using a flash meter to measure the flash. You set the intensity required based on the aperture and ISO you are shooting at. Shutter speed (so long as it is no greater than your camera's synch speed) will likely have little to no impact on your exposure. Your camera's light meter reading is totally irrelevant, as it measures the ambient light when you are using it and does not incorporate the light from the flash (again in manual mode).<br> If you are using the TTL mode (a level of automation) and you are using either a Nikon flash (built-in) or one of the external units that are CLS (Nikon's term - Creative Light System) compliant (all of the flashes that have been released over the past number of years are) or a third part flash that is CLS compatible (many are not), the your camera will fire a pre-flash and measures the reflected light using the light meter in the camera, based on the ISO and aperture and sets your flash power to illuminate your subject "properly" and fires the flash. This happens so quickly that you will not see two separate flashes firing. I'm not 100% certain, but suspect that your camera will use the metering mode that has been selected to do the light reading.<br> Flash compensation is a way for you to override what the meter is telling the camera to do in the TTL modes (no impact on manual). If your image comes out looking too light or too dark, this is one thing you can do to compensate. You can dial in the amount of compensation either from the camera (press the camera's flash button and use the camera's command dial) or if you are using a Speedlight you can also enter the amount of compensation directly into the flash.<br> ***<br> The flash will add more light to the scene. So, my method when using manual exposure mode would be to take the photo and check the histogram. If it indicates that I need to make an adjustment, I would adjust the flash output and/or any of the three exposure variables, depending on my needs.<br> ***<br> One other consideration is that if you are in 'Manual' and have a 'speed' set greater than the flashes sync speed on opening the flash (referring to onboard one) the cameras 'speed' may be automatically set to the sync speed on the D7000 if it works as the D300.<br> ***<br> Dean - if you are just a beginner, why don't you just leave the flash in TTL mode and let the camera figure out the right exposure. The D7000 is a sophisticated camera with a lot of processing power. One thing that I will admit, I've never shot my built in flash on manual.<br> ***<br> Dean - I personally would not spend too much time figuring out how your built-in flash works on manual. These units have very limited functionality and I have virtually never used it as a flash, just because of its limits; power, inability to swivel the head, close prxoimity to the optical axis of the lens. For a number of reasons, these things really don't work particularly well for as a standalone flash for photography.<br> Pretty well the only thing I use it for is as a master to trigger off-camera Speedlight slaves. Even here, I only do this when I have not brought my electronic triggers along.<br> ***<br> As I said, your flash is adding light to the ambient light. This can be done in rougly 2 ways: manual or ttl. In manual you can set the power of the flash with a button. In ttl Nikon uses a preflash. The camera measures the preflash and calculates the power of the mainflash. If you have an external Nikon-flash on the camera with the head aimed to the front, it might be able that the distance is used to.<br> Some explanation <a href="http://nikonclspracticalguide.blogsp...-metering.html/">http://nikonclspracticalguide.blogsp...-metering.html</a><br> The shutter speed is limited at the fast site by the synchronization speed, at the slow site by a variable called something as slow. I don’t know the exact name of it now. That's probably set on 1/30, you can make that 30s. That's what I advise you to do.<br> ***<br> Just keep in mind if you have the camera in manual and adjust the exposure for the ambient light then raise the flash the correction to maintain the exposure will be dependent on the distance to the subject.<br> ***<br> When I started using flash [ single use flash bulbs ] I was introduced to the Guide Number applicable to the flash bulb and from the GN one found out the aperture to use. Shutter speed only affected the amount of ambient light and for mixed lighting [ ambient plus flash ... or syncro sunlight ] one worked out the required aperture from the GN and the shutter speed appropriate to use with that aperture .... in those days everything was 'manual' and when I got myself an electronic flash it remained the same .... GN56 meant f/5.6 at ten feet flash to subject distance f/8 at around 7' and f/11 at 5'. Later I got a flash with a GN of 80 which was twice the power of my original unit.<br> Fast forward to the digital age and I am completely lost and still fumbling with automatic flash units and dam clever cameras which balance the light they receive as they make the exposure and seem to give quite a good result if the flash is cut back a stop. The nearest I have got to manual is using Shutter priority to set the aperture to suit what I believed might be the GN of my 'on-board' and the distance to the principle subject ... subsequently seeing how well the camera does its job I remain in A mode and just open the flash to 'force flash' ... not a very clever solution but it seems to work AOK<br> Finally I would mention that there is a popular misconception that working in Manual is the way the experts work .... maybe I'm not an expert but I rarely use M unless it is obvious that A will not produce the result for some reason. So I suggest for a newbie is "Trust your camera" until it doesn't produce what you want and only then override its clever brain and hopefully you will get it right.<br> Finally[2] if you have a means of reading EXIF take a shot with and then without flash and compare the EXIF readouts.<br> Edit ... these days when I am in manual I am using the camera to tell me what exposure to give but estimating how much over or under what the camera thinks is correct for the subject. I find that idea somewhat humbling.<br> ***<br> Dean I tend to think of fill flash as a combination of two exposures, one from the ambient light and one from the flash. If you are in M mode and have Flash control set to iTTL, the flash output will still be automatically controlled by the camera to get the flash exposure of the main subject right (and it will take the aperture and ISO settings into account in doing this). The background brightness (which will be more affected by ambient light as flash strength falls off with distance) will be affected by the shutter speed, aperture and ISO setting and you can control these how you see fit. For example you might choose aperture for a desired DOF and ISO to adjust background brightness. The max SS will be limited to the sync speed (probably 1/250 sec).</p> <p> </p>

<p>[re: Nikon D7000]<br> hello<br /><br />A beginner asks about how using the flash interacts with the exposure factors and meters: shutter, aperture, ISO, the exposure meter in the viewfinder...<br /><br />If, in manual, I set shutter, aperture and ISO, receive a centered exposure meter reading, and then decide to open the flash for use in the capture, how does this one gesture affect the three main exposure variables?<br /><br />Also, to add to the mix, what effect does adjusting the flash compensation have vis a vis the exposure meter reading? That is, if the meter was centered before opting for flash, does the meter then include the flash variables in its exposure calculation?<br /><br />Pardon what may be a clumsy approach to this important topic...<br /><br />thank you<br /><br />Dean Taylor</p>