Exposure warning with external flash (non-P-mode)

[cumi]

I've just get the SB-600 to my D70s and I am really enjoining shooting with it, everything works simple and fine, the indoor photos are amazing (compared to what I did before).

Yet, there is a point what I don't understand: when shooting in P-mode (for example the camera shooses 1/60 (set max) and F4,5) the camera doesn't warns about exposure and the exposure is fine. But, when I choose the A-mode (aperture priority) and I set F4,5 the camera sets 1/60 and WARNS that the photo will be badly underexposed. ...The photo is great, as always. Even if I choose some smaller (like F8 or F11) apertures the photo is not underexposed, because the SB-600 is powerful enough and the iTTL knows what to flash...

The same in S-mode (shutter prio), too.

Why does the camera warns about the exposure (as I would use it without the flash) when shooting in non-P-mode? Flash set to iTTL (non-BL for indoor). ISO 200 always. I checked the manual of my camera and flash, too , but didn't really found the answer.

 

[Big Mike]

I think that when you put the camera into A-mode, the camera is programed to use the flash for fill, rather than the primary light. So it wants the ambient exposure to be sufficient...hence the warning when the light is low.

I'm not a Nikon guy, and even Canon's flash programing can be confusing...maybe someone else will have a better answer.

 

[cumi]

If anybody interested, I found the answer to this question:

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There is a marked difference in 'philosophy' in what Nikon shows the user in different modes. In P-mode, some information is effectively 'held back' so that the user doesn't see any info that he might not understand that would alarm him.

When you switch to A, S, or M mode, the camera meter becomes a more useful tool for judging the ambient exposure. Lots of wedding and event photographers take a fair amount of care to ensure that the ambient is pleasingly 'balanced' with the flash; it highlights the beauty of the location and gives images more like people 'remember' it.

You will never see a 'Lo' or underexposure warning in P-mode when using a flash.

With some cameras, you may encounter a 'Hi' or overexposure warning when using a flash in P-mode for daylight fill. This is an indication that the system is 'maxed out' at f/16 and 1/250th and will still overexpose. It's been a while since I shot a D70, but I think even the 'Hi' is unlikely as it features very high sync speeds.

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Hope this helps others, too.