skydiveoc 0 #1 April 3, 2005 im practicing some landing shots with my digi rebel with 420 speedlight and am having a hard time with backlit conditions. I am using sigma 15mm fisheye. With strong, low backlight (late in day), subjects are staying dark. There is alot of subject movement so I am shooting with a shutter speed as high as 500 so I guess the flash isn't reaching them. any advice? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
linestretch 0 #2 April 4, 2005 what metering are you using? try using only one focal point (the little squares in the viewfinder), and focus with that, and use spot metering, wich will meter off that focal point.....make sense?my pics & stuff! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #3 April 4, 2005 Quoteim practicing some landing shots with my digi rebel with 420 speedlight and am having a hard time with backlit conditions. I am using sigma 15mm fisheye. With strong, low backlight (late in day), subjects are staying dark. There is alot of subject movement so I am shooting with a shutter speed as high as 500 so I guess the flash isn't reaching them. any advice? FYI, this camera's fastest shutter speed that the flash will work with is 200. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lewmonst 0 #4 April 4, 2005 What Lori said... What settings are you trying to use? If you are on any of the Auto functions on the rebel, the camera will automatically drop the shutter speed down to the fastest possible sync with the flash. I'm not sure why you need a faster shutter speed than 200 anyway. How far away are you from the subjects? With a 15mm and a flash, you're going to have to be close, really close. Like, laying in the grass and having people land right in front of you or on top of you. Check your settings and what range the flash has at that setting. Also, are you using AF or M? I seriously don't bother taking my camera into the landing area when the light is bad, like if the wind is from the north, ever. Have you read the manual for your 420? peace lewhttp://www.exitshot.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiveoc 0 #5 April 4, 2005 re metering: i am firing from the hand and not using the viewfinder so the metering technique is out. I either use shutter priority at 500 or M with an f stop around 20. I will try to go sub 200 though on the shutter speed. I am close...close enough to get taken out from time to time! Ideal distance is about 8 feet. josh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmcd308 0 #6 April 4, 2005 A 420 won't cover the whole fov of a 15mm lens, so make sure your subject is right in the center. Also, Canons calc flash exposure just prior to the moment of exposure with a preflash. Flash exposure is determined at the active focus point except when the lens is in MF mode, when it is calculated at the center. Your 15mm lens also likely blocks some of the flash. See this: http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/flash.html and this: http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/eosfaq/flashfaq.htm ---------------------------------- www.jumpelvis.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #7 April 5, 2005 Quote Your 15mm lens also likely blocks some of the flash. Is this also true with the more recent 550 and 580 EX units? _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vdschoor 0 #8 April 5, 2005 QuoteQuote Your 15mm lens also likely blocks some of the flash. Is this also true with the more recent 550 and 580 EX units? I use the 550EX, and when I use it in combination with my Sigma 15mm, I set it to manual zoom at 24mm, that is roughly what the field of view of the 15mm on the digital rebel is. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmcd308 0 #9 April 5, 2005 Does the lens itself throw a shadow on any portion of the image with a cropped camera? On film, it would. ---------------------------------- www.jumpelvis.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmcd308 0 #10 April 5, 2005 It would on film. ---------------------------------- www.jumpelvis.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vdschoor 0 #11 April 5, 2005 QuoteDoes the lens itself throw a shadow on any portion of the image with a cropped camera? On film, it would. I'm not sure I understand your question here.. The only thing I've seen happen with that lens on a film body, that only a section of the image has the correct flash exposure.. I haven't seen this on the digital body yet. Iwan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmcd308 0 #12 April 5, 2005 Yeah, the angle of view of the lens is so wide that a portion of the foreground is actually in shadow where the flash is blocked by the top of the lens. It appears as a curved dark area in the foreground at the bottom of the picture. ---------------------------------- www.jumpelvis.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gthomas101 0 #13 April 6, 2005 When shooting with a high key backround, I always shoot in manual, I meter for the sky and stop the camera down so that my shutter speed is where i want it, 200 if i want to stop the action and slower if i want to catch some action is the photo, I hand hold the flash away from the camera which i also set manually, I hold the flash off to the left and above so it will help cover the area better. with a 15 mm lense it will not cover the entire frame but it will help, the trick is to get the photo looking somewhat like you didnt use a flash. If you turn the flash up a stop or two and use some kind of relfector while hand holding it cover a wider angle and give it a softer light on the subject. I have found that letting the camera do my thinking I get the photo the camera wants and not the one I want. But im a control freak, so my ex says so I would not listen to a word I have just said. Gary T.gthomasphoto.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
