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Eos 450D + speedlite flash

  • 05-07-2009 6:47pm
    #1
    Freddie59
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,679 ✭✭✭


    I've posted about this before, so just an update. Would appreciate any advice. I had a Fuji s5000 for years. Never a problem with indoor photography (in full auto). As for the 450D? A different story alotogether. I've received various advice about using Tv only, AV only (with shutter forced to 1/200), etc.

    Nothing worked. Last night I was taking some photos at a birthday party in a club, with reasonable lighting, with a Speedlite 430EX attached. The shutter was nearly at tripod territory, and the ISO at 1600. Upon checking the Exif data on the Fuji snaps, it was able to shoot at f/2.8, ISO 400 with great results.

    I'm baffled as to why the 450D can't do this. I was using the 17-85 IS lens. I have a 50mm 1.4, but the obvious zooming problems prevented me from using it.

    Is a 2.8 lens the only answer? It seems a bit financially excessive, given that the S5000 had no problems. For a lot less dosh.

    Thanks in advance.

    Cheers,

    Freddie.


Comments

  • #2
    melekalikimaka
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 10,686 Mod ✭✭✭✭melekalikimaka


    at the widest you should only be losing max a stop so its not the lens...

    is exposure compensation on?

    thats the only thing i can think of


  • #3
    Freddie59
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,679 ✭✭✭Freddie59


    melekalikimaka wrote: »
    at the widest you should only be losing max a stop so its not the lens...

    is exposure compensation on?

    thats the only thing i can think of

    Thanks for that Mel. I'll check it later.


  • #4
    Freddie59
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,679 ✭✭✭Freddie59


    Final update, if it's any help to anyone in the same boat. I was trying to shoot M, but the camera, even with ISO 1600, was pushing shutter speeds to their lowest, with the inevitable blur in some shots.

    I suppose the reason I was using M is that I use this all the time outdoors. Final resolution was to use Tv, ISO 400-800 (depending on available light), and FEC of 2/3.

    Problem solved. Nice, clean photos, with no cave effect.


  • #5
    gloobag
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,229 ✭✭✭gloobag


    Why were you using 1600ISO with a flash attached? That's a bit excessive, my ISO rarely goes above 100 when using flash. I have gone up to 400 maybe 800, but that is rare.

    When using flash, you should definitely be in manual mode. Flash photography kinda changes the rules a bit from non flash, so you have to think a little differently (that exposure dial in your viewfinder is now useless). Basically, your aperture controls how much of the flash light is left into the photo (wider aperture = more flash), your shutter speed now controls the amount of ambient light in your photo.

    Regarding shutter speed, all cameras have a flash or "x"-sync speed. This is the fastest shutter speed at which your camera can take a photo while using flash. Most cameras are around the 1/200th to 1/250th mark. I'd say the 450D would be the latter.

    The faster the shutter speed when using flash, the less ambient light in the photo, the longer the shutter speed the more ambient light in the photo.

    For example, imagine taking a photo of a person with flash on a beach at a shutter speed of 1/250th, your subject will be lit while your background will be quite dark. If you now choose a slower shutter speed, your background will get brighter, while your subject remains lit at the same level as the previous photo. (Of course, if your background is quite close to your subject, it will also be lit by the flash.)

    That's a very basic explanation of flash photography, from my own experience.

    If you want to learn more, just google names like, David Hobby, Zack Arias and Joe McNally.


  • #6
    Freddie59
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,679 ✭✭✭Freddie59


    gloobag wrote: »
    Why were you using 1600ISO with a flash attached? That's a bit excessive, my ISO rarely goes above 100 when using flash. I have gone up to 400 maybe 800, but that is rare.

    When using flash, you should definitely be in manual mode. Flash photography kinda changes the rules a bit from non flash, so you have to think a little differently (that exposure dial in your viewfinder is now useless). Basically, your aperture controls how much of the flash light is left into the photo (wider aperture = more flash), your shutter speed now controls the amount of ambient light in your photo

    Thanks for that, Gloobag.

    I can see the problem now. I was relating everything to the exposure dial, thus the extremely slow shutter speeds. So I should ignore this and shoot in M?:confused:


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