Non Aquatic Pix: Nature shots

[hwchoy]

yes that's right. in manual mode it is important to set your shutter at your X-sync (commonly 1/250) and upwards. I'm not sure of the proper behaviour but when I set it below X-sync the flash will flash full-strength.

Usually wouldn't go wrong with ETTL especially when your shooting condition is variable out in the "wild".

[loupgarou]

ok : for the 300D, it appears you shoot in M mode and the flash will adjust accordingly.
you must however shoot with High Speed Sync flash
*ie: on 420EX, switch to that symbol*
*on 550, press the +- button together..*

otherwise your max shutter speed is limited to 1/200

in anycase, that's what went wrong the whole day at SBG last sat. forgot how to turn on high speed sync flash on the 550EX..

[Simon]

[quote:87f0b86e17="loupgarou"]ok : for the 300D, it appears you shoot in M mode and the flash will adjust accordingly.
you must however shoot with High Speed Sync flash
*ie: on 420EX, switch to that symbol*
*on 550, press the +- button together..*

otherwise your max shutter speed is limited to 1/200

in anycase, that's what went wrong the whole day at SBG last sat. forgot how to turn on high speed sync flash on the 550EX..[/quote:87f0b86e17]

hmmmm... on the Sigma flash, I can use high speed sync (FP) on other modes.. (have to confirm which ones)

[juggler]

Simon: steady lah. getting better and better.

[Simon]

[quote:0ec492276a="juggler"]Simon: steady lah. getting better and better. [/quote:0ec492276a]

no la, I'm just another beginner trying out a new hobby

[naturetan]

[quote:6090cde9c0="Simon"][quote:6090cde9c0="loupgarou"]otherwise your max shutter speed is limited to 1/200[/quote:6090cde9c0]
hmmmm... on the Sigma flash, I can use high speed sync (FP) on other modes.. (have to confirm which ones)[/quote:6090cde9c0]
Actually, you guys do not need to use the high speed sync, especially for macro shots. This mode is more commonly used when you're shooting at large aperture with ambient lights higher then 1/300 shutter speed. Usually good for sports or perhaps portrait of animals where longer lens is used. For most cameras (not sure about yours), ETTL/TTL is disabled with such mode and Flash metering is done on the Auto mode through a sensor at your Flash. So if you use any filters, attachment or converter, you'll have to calculate and compensate the exposure for every shots.

At the speed of 1/250, most hand held shots of lens with 300mm or below will be rendered very sharp. This I'm assuming your technique of holding the camera is correct.

[loupgarou]

according to people, if you shoot Av or Tv or P modes with flash, the metering is based on ambient light and all flash is fill flash..

*anyway, must read manual again..
that's why I suggest M, ie: you control the shutter speed to freeze fish 1/250 and you control the aperture for depth of field, the flash takes care of the exposure

[naturetan]

Yes, it's true that those Auto functions on the camera will make fill in flash. But I don't often use it in macro shots, since it's quite unpredictable. I like full control of my camera, so mostly I used Manual mode for macro. You can also have fill-in flash with camera manual mode too. I only rely on Auto when speed is the concern.

I use slide films quite often for important works. Unlike digital, it's very intolerable to exposure errors, but the color saturation is extremely rewarding. Any mistake made even just by 1/2 stop error, will change the overall image outcome. So somehow trained in this way to previsualized how's the outcome going to be, when I'm going to use any exposure combination.

Once you're more familiar with the camera technical stuff, try to train your eye to look like a camera with all those functions inside. If you manage to achieve that, you'll find you'll become more flexible with the subjects you composed.

[juggler]

[quote:2373ac7a="loupgarou"]according to people, if you shoot Av or Tv or P modes with flash, the metering is based on ambient light and all flash is fill flash..

*anyway, must read manual again..
that's why I suggest M, ie: you control the shutter speed to freeze fish 1/250 and you control the aperture for depth of field, the flash takes care of the exposure[/quote:2373ac7a]

Actually the fill-in flash (at Av, Tv, P modes) occurs at brighter light levels of >= 13 EV. At this point, the flash is -1.5 stops below the normal flash exposure during dimmer lighting (<= 10 EV). More details at http://www.bobatkins.com/photography...q/flashfaq.htm at the section "DETAILS OF FLASH EXPOSURE" near the end of the article.

[loupgarou]

hmm:cheem , but in that case, M still best mode cos you get to freeze fish and control dof

[naturetan]

[quote:ce65de55ff="loupgarou"]hmm:cheem , but in that case, M still best mode cos you get to freeze fish and control dof[/quote:ce65de55ff]
Yes, it's true. Not only you can control the DOF, you can also control the shutter speed you like. It's not necessary that you must use 1/250. You can also try speed at lower range, that's where tripod I never go without in the wild.

One of the most useful and creative technique you can use for M mode is when you need a bit of ambient light from the surrounding to give you a more natural or subtle effects, and yet you still able to keep to the good DOF for your main subjects. No Auto mode in camera can achieve that, except M.

[hwchoy]

problem with fish is that the "correct" exposure is never a constant, for very shiny fish it is a big problem. I usually go for M because there is no time for the preflash when shooting non-stop fishes like danio.