Red Eye flash

Doddy1974

Doddy1974

Messages
663
Name
Cathy
Edit My Images
Yes
When using the Red eye flash, can someone tell me...does it flash several times (like a strobe) before it goes off, or does the little red/orange light show and it's that that reduces the red eye effect?
I have always been behind the camera when I have used it, but I can hear the flash going off several times, so I wonder!

I am talking about the flash on a canon 1000D

TIA
 
Red eye occurs when the flash light source is close to the lens, which is why using off-camera flash or flash mounted on a bracket produces better results. The red that you see is the blood in the choroid at the back of the eye.

For a good explanation of red eye see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-eye_effect

The reason that you can see it is because the flash is too fast for the pupil to react. When the camera is set to red-eye reduction mode the flash emits a series of pre-flashes in order to get the iris to contract and reduce the reflections from the choroid.

As previously said, moving the flash away from the line of the lens can eliminate red eye, as can bouncing the flash off the ceiling/walls/etc.

HTH :-)
 
Doddy1974 said:
When using the Red eye flash, can someone tell me...does it flash several times (like a strobe) before it goes off, or does the little red/orange light show and it's that that reduces the red eye effect?
I have always been behind the camera when I have used it, but I can hear the flash going off several times, so I wonder!

I am talking about the flash on a canon 1000D

TIA
Click to expand...

I will answer your question OP
Yes the flash will fire before the photo is taken to reduce the chance of red eye, then as the photo is taken it will give the correct amount for the photo.
 
The red light you're referring to sounds like the AF assist beam.

Either way, red-eye reduction systems are frankly hopeless. They either don't work at all, or cause the subject to blink and squint.

Much easier to remove it in post processing. Most programmes have an automatic or semi-automatic action that sorts it out very effectively. Or move the flash further away from the lens axis.
 
HoppyUK said:
Either way, red-eye reduction systems are frankly hopeless. They either don't work at all, or cause the subject to blink and squint.
Click to expand...
He speaks the truth - complete waste of time! I think more people are aware of red eye these days and the reduction systems in cameras are the manufacturers way of kidding people they're addressing the problem, when the real answer is just to get the flash unit well away from the lens axis.
 
As the previous posters say, turn it off in camera, it's useless and you'll miss the moment.
Elements 6 and 8 have auto red eye removal which works well.

Best of all use daylight and avoid the camera's built in flash.
 
dinorock said:
shoot into a mirror and see what happens :thumbs:
Click to expand...

I can't do that which is why I asked! If the flash does emit several flashes first, it will trigger a seizure!

I think i will just turn it off as suggested, and do it postproduction if I get the red eye effect in my photos.

Thanks for you replies xx
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top