RobertP
TPer Emeritus
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- Name
- Robert
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Now I may be being daft here. I've read the instruction manual for the 580EX and I can work out what all the buttons do. I know all about the manual modes and strobe settings etc.
The one thing it does not tell me is how best to use it. Many (too many) years ago I had a SLR and a simple flashgun. You set the aperture according to a scale on the back of the gun, turned the dial to X and off you went.
Now I have choices. The gun is clever so I can use different modes on the camera and still get a picture. Other than trying it and working it out for myself there is no guidance. Maybe its supposed to be too obvious?
Aperture priority - The cameras metering is still working so in little light you get a flash and a long exposure... so thats out. Fill flash only for that one.
Shutter priority - Seems a similar story until you make it impossible for available light by having too fast a shutter...then the flash takes over and you get a good picture at max aperture.
Program Mode - well that obviously works but I would like to do it myself.
Manual - This seems to be the way to go. I can set the camera to F8 and a 250th and just let the flash do its thing. I took a load of pictures last night that way and they all came out good.
Having friends here that own cameras (SLR and digital but not DSLR) and I trust I let them use the 20D. With the camera in manual still as above they tried things I was sure would never work - like holding the camera 10" from someones face and shooting with flash. Have to say I am amazed at the result - perfect exposure and macro like detail level.
So I'm impressed with the flash but feel I have had to work out the not so blindingly obvious for myself.
The one thing it does not tell me is how best to use it. Many (too many) years ago I had a SLR and a simple flashgun. You set the aperture according to a scale on the back of the gun, turned the dial to X and off you went.
Now I have choices. The gun is clever so I can use different modes on the camera and still get a picture. Other than trying it and working it out for myself there is no guidance. Maybe its supposed to be too obvious?
Aperture priority - The cameras metering is still working so in little light you get a flash and a long exposure... so thats out. Fill flash only for that one.
Shutter priority - Seems a similar story until you make it impossible for available light by having too fast a shutter...then the flash takes over and you get a good picture at max aperture.
Program Mode - well that obviously works but I would like to do it myself.
Manual - This seems to be the way to go. I can set the camera to F8 and a 250th and just let the flash do its thing. I took a load of pictures last night that way and they all came out good.
Having friends here that own cameras (SLR and digital but not DSLR) and I trust I let them use the 20D. With the camera in manual still as above they tried things I was sure would never work - like holding the camera 10" from someones face and shooting with flash. Have to say I am amazed at the result - perfect exposure and macro like detail level.
So I'm impressed with the flash but feel I have had to work out the not so blindingly obvious for myself.