Flash

sdtag · Jul 15, 2012

get your mind out of the gutter.

I just bought a Canon T4i bundle. It came with a Canon EF-S 18-55 IS II lens, and a DSLR300 flash.
The camera has a pop up flash built in but I think this hot shoe flash must be for longer distances?
I just received the camera yesterday and I'm still waaaaaaay new to this camera...
but...
when I take pictures in auto mode the pop up flash will pop up when needed and the resulting picture looks good.
When I try with the hot shoe flash the resulting picture is all washed out. I have tried the different settings on the flash unit, M, blue arrow, red arrow, all with the same result. Should I be doing something different in the camera? Maybe not have it in auto mode? Or is this flash only for longer distances? The washed out tests were about 6 feet or so. There was a little sync cable that came with the flash. Will it / do I need to plug it in somewhere? There doesn't seem to be much info about this in the camera manual.

Thanks in advance,
confused in OC

> The thread you started was moved per the Beginner's forum description: <

Photography Beginners' Forum
Don’t be shy. Use one of the forums in the - Photo Galleries - Photos submitted by members for general display or critique - section of TPF if you want C&C improvement tips on some of the photos you have taken. For equipment specific questions, use one of the forums in the Camera Forum section of TPF. Brushing up on some of the basics? The Beginner's forum is for asking basic technical photographic questions about things like shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance, metering modes, focusing modes.

cgipson1 · Jul 15, 2012

In Auto, your pop-up flash is doing TTL.. and so is being measured approximately correctly.

The other flash does not sound like a Canon flash... and is probably only a inexpensive Manual flash that does not use TTL. So it is putting out way too much light for the settings your camera is choosing in Auto. You will need to learn to shoot in manual flash mode to use it properly. Have fun!

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html

FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY 101 – A BEGINNER’S GUIDE - Canon Digital Photography Forums

How to use Manual Flash by ~Tiberius47 on deviantART

Canon Flash Primer | DPanswers

EDIT: Is this the flash??? Amazon.com: Precision Design DSLR300 Universal High Power Auto Flash with Zoom/Bounce/Swivel Head for Digital SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo Manual mode only....

sdtag · Jul 15, 2012

wow thanks for the quick reply and all the links.
YES! that is the flash. I didn't get it there but that's it.
looks kinda cheap for such a nice camera huh?

cgipson1 · Jul 15, 2012

sdtag said:
wow thanks for the quick reply and all the links.
YES! that is the flash. I didn't get it there but that's it.
looks kinda cheap for such a nice camera huh?

No problem! I don't shoot Canon, but that is a pretty basic question! Glad I could help!

sdtag · Jul 15, 2012

I have this in my area next Sunday.
Have you heard of these guys?
It was in a little ad under the first link you gave me.

DSLR Workshops Los Angeles,CA

I am thinking about a one day marathon, sessions 1 and 2.

cgipson1 · Jul 15, 2012

There are a million classes out there. If you really want to take a class, this one is probably as good as any of the other "generic (as in not taught by a big name)" classes. The reviews sound good.. I read a couple. My one thought, is that a class like this would do more good after you get a little experience... so you at least know the terminology, and some of the basic concepts. But it sounds like they may teach those somewhat.

Go for it!