C&C - First try at using 'real flash'

fjrabon · Dec 6, 2011

DSC_0013 by franklinrabon, on Flickr

Just got Amazon.com: Metz 50 AF-1 MZ 50314N Digital Flash for Nikon Cameras: Camera & Photo and trying to figure out how to get everything set up for it correctly. bounced it straight up off the ceiling, with the built in diffuser down and the reflector out (which I have no idea if that was even correct).

Also, are there any good 'intro to basic flash' tutorials out there? Everything I've found is like advanced off camera flash. All I really know at this point is just bouncing the flash off the ceiling or walls. Any general tips on how to get the most out of this unit?

bazooka · Dec 6, 2011

I recommend going through Lighting 101 at strobist.com 100% of the time. Even if you don't plan on using the flash off camera, it will be very beneficial to it's usage and your photography in general. Because light defines our photographs, the more we know about it, the better we can use it.

fjrabon · Dec 6, 2011

bazooka said:
I recommend going through Lighting 101 at strobist.com 100% of the time. Even if you don't plan on using the flash off camera, it will be very beneficial to it's usage and your photography in general. Because light defines our photographs, the more we know about it, the better we can use it.

awesome! Thanks. Though I'm going to blame you when I end up dropping a few thousand more on flash stuff now.

fjrabon · Dec 6, 2011

no comments on the actual picture, especially the lighting? I know it's just a dog and all.

Derrel · Dec 6, 2011

The quality of the light looks pretty good...soft and even...needs a bit more brightness to the shot IMHO...that looks like a NICE flash unit! The p[hoto could easily be lightened with any number of methods. Overall, pretty nice lighting for bounce flash...shadowless...even...small catchlights in the eyes...

fjrabon · Dec 6, 2011

Derrel said:
The quality of the light looks pretty good...soft and even...needs a bit more brightness to the shot IMHO...that looks like a NICE flash unit! The p[hoto could easily be lightened with any number of methods. Overall, pretty nice lighting for bounce flash...shadowless...even...small catchlights in the eyes...

Thanks Derrell, I'd definitely brighten it a bit in photoshop. Just wanted to put it up here, using only my standard 'RAW Conversion' editing (essentially a touch of saturation and a touch of contrast, that I always start with for every RAW conversion), so the lighting would be 'as was'.

As far as brightening the image, best way to do that easily 'in camera' is flash compensation? I guess it was a long bounce and the normal setting wasn't correct given the long bounce. I'm so new to this I just now realized while reading the manual (duh) that there is actually an indicator in the viewfinder that will give you a basic idea if it was properly exposed or not.

Vtec44 · Dec 6, 2011

Did you bounce it off the ceiling? I'd put a computer paper about 3ft above your dog and bounce your flash off of there. I do that once in a while with some product shot

fjrabon · Dec 6, 2011

Vtec44 said:
Did you bounce it off the ceiling? I'd put a computer paper about 3ft above your dog and bounce your flash off of there. I do that once in a while with some product shot

yeah, it's off the ceiling.

Ron Evers · Dec 6, 2011

I think you got a very nice image.

eccs19 · Dec 6, 2011

I've got that same flash for my Pentax. Just a note, the "built in diffuser" is actually not a diffuser, but it's more for having the flash widen the light. That flash can zoom up to 105mm (if I remember correctly), and goes fairly wide. You put that down to get the flash into it's widest mode. I've actually have to send mine back, as one of the battery terminals on the door fell off. :-( I hope that's not a sign of how it's built, but just bit of bad luck for me.

fjrabon · Dec 6, 2011

eccs19 said:
I've got that same flash for my Pentax. Just a note, the "built in diffuser" is actually not a diffuser, but it's more for having the flash widen the light. That flash can zoom up to 105mm (if I remember correctly), and goes fairly wide. You put that down to get the flash into it's widest mode. I've actually have to send mine back, as one of the battery terminals on the door fell off. :-( I hope that's not a sign of how it's built, but just bit of bad luck for me.

haha, yeah, I noticed that after going through the manual (yeah, you know, smart thing to do right), haha. For a while I kept wondering why putting that down turned off the focal length reading.

hmm, yeah, hope that's not indication fo the build quality. It seems to be pretty sturdy thus far.