Last minute advice

Messages
320
Edit My Images
Yes
So i head of to Lapland with the family for a day trip in little over 12hours time. We are packing light and i will be taking my canon M5 with kit 15-45mm to save space. It will be probably a few degrees below 0 and i've been told to expect about 4 hours daylight. I won't have time for changing settings so have set up the camera for Shutter 1/100 (lens has IS), Aperture wide open and Auto ISO up to 6400. Metering will be either evaluative or center weighted. I will be shooting RAW. I was thinking of bringing my external flash (270 EX) so as to save the battery a bit on the camera.

My priority is getting half decent family photos without messing around and missing a shot.

Anyone any other advice?

Thanks
 
Do you not have a prime lens with higher aperture?
The hotshoe flash is going to be much better than direct flash as you will avoid horrible shadows etc, saying that I don't know how well your camera processes the images!
 
Settings will depend entirely on the location and what light is available.
The 15-45mm is a variable aperture lens and doesn't go that wide (ie it's not as wide as a decent f2.8 zoom) so it's never going to get a huge amount of light into the camera.
If your background is dark, the flash will light up the people in the foreground, but not the background. When using flash, it's the flash that freezes any movement (ie the people) and the shutter speed determines how much of the ambient light gets into the camera.
You could set the camera up with a slower shutter speed to expose the background/scene correctly, then adjust the power of the flash (usually measured as 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64) to expose the people properly.
Alternatively, set the camera to manual, shutter speed a bit lower at say 1/50th, aperture at it's widest and ISO at 800 or 1600, then let the camera decide on what power to set the flash on using TTL (ie leave the flash on auto) to expose the people properly.
I've never been happy leaving too many variables in auto, especially auto ISO.
The Canon 270EX doesn't have the option to bounce flash, so you'll just have to use it direct, but you can soften it with a homemade mini softbox over it.
 
Spare battery in an inside pocket (to keep it warm). Swap it out when the one in the camera starts reporting as low and stick the "low" one in the pocket - they deliver power slightly strangely when cold.
 
Guys thank you very much for the quick responses, i really appreciate them.

Do you not have a prime lens with higher aperture?
The hotshoe flash is going to be much better than direct flash as you will avoid horrible shadows etc, saying that I don't know how well your camera processes the images!
The only prime i have is the EF 50mm f1.8 which is too narrow a view. Will hopefully get a 22mm f2 pancake lens but not any time soon. The on board flash on the mirrorless is next to useless, so i will take the 270 EX with me.

The 15-45mm is a variable aperture lens and doesn't go that wide (ie it's not as wide as a decent f2.8 zoom)
When using flash, it's the flash that freezes any movement (ie the people) and the shutter speed determines how much of the ambient light gets into the camera.
You could set the camera up with a slower shutter speed to expose the background/scene correctly, then adjust the power of the flash (usually measured as 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64) to expose the people properly.
Alternatively, set the camera to manual, shutter speed a bit lower at say 1/50th, aperture at it's widest and ISO at 800 or 1600, then let the camera decide on what power to set the flash on using TTL (ie leave the flash on auto) to expose the people properly.
I've never been happy leaving too many variables in auto, especially auto ISO.
The Canon 270EX doesn't have the option to bounce flash, so you'll just have to use it direct, but you can soften it with a homemade mini softbox over it.
I have a Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 but it's too big to bring. The kit lens narrows very quickly, so i may try to keep it at 15mm as much as i can.
Great point about using the flash. Will drop the shutter speed and set the ISO as suggested and amend to suit. If the background is a stop or so below i wouldn't mind as long as it's not black!.
The flash will bounce vertically, but i don't expect to have anything to bounce off. I have the diffuser on it which may help a little.

Spare battery in an inside pocket (to keep it warm). Swap it out when the one in the camera starts reporting as low and stick the "low" one in the pocket - they deliver power slightly strangely when cold.
Sods law i don't have a spare battery, only bought the camera last week (downsizing from a Canon 60D with different batteries.
 
Guys thank you very much for the quick responses, i really appreciate them.


The only prime i have is the EF 50mm f1.8 which is too narrow a view. Will hopefully get a 22mm f2 pancake lens but not any time soon. The on board flash on the mirrorless is next to useless, so i will take the 270 EX with me.


I have a Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 but it's too big to bring. The kit lens narrows very quickly, so i may try to keep it at 15mm as much as i can.
Great point about using the flash. Will drop the shutter speed and set the ISO as suggested and amend to suit. If the background is a stop or so below i wouldn't mind as long as it's not black!.
The flash will bounce vertically, but i don't expect to have anything to bounce off. I have the diffuser on it which may help a little.


Sods law i don't have a spare battery, only bought the camera last week (downsizing from a Canon 60D with different batteries.
Spare batteries were the first thing I bought when I got my EOS M10. Two third party batteries plus a USB charger for less than £15, it's essential as the EOS M's do like to eat batteries.

If you're already talking about taking a flash and maybe a tripod (how else will you be in shot?), then you might as well put the Tamron 17-50mm in the bag as well ;)

If your flash does point up, you could put a piece of folded white card to get a larger white area to bounce off. Something like this: https://lifehacker.com/5484617/print-a-free-and-effective-flash-bounce-card
 
Spare batteries were the first thing I bought when I got my EOS M10. Two third party batteries plus a USB charger for less than £15, it's essential as the EOS M's do like to eat batteries.
I used to b able to get 3rd party batteries no problem, but something changed and now couriers won't send batteries to northern ireland. I assume it's a flying restriction. As a result im left with currys and jessops, which are quite a bit more expensive.
 
Back
Top