SB-700 underexposure compensation

[prakhardeep]

I have a SB-700.

Last night i was shooting a stage show from a distance of about 15 feet. I was in i-TTL mode and my camera was in M mode at F/8, ISO 100 , 1/250s and Flash WB.

When i shot a scene the flash showed an underexposure of -1.3EV. So, i dialed in +1.3EV to compensate that. But, now it started to show -0.7EV on next shot.

Can't we use flash Exposure compensation to balance underexposure ?

 

[BlairWright]

it sounds like you have something set for auto exposure compensation on the camera. The flash should not change camera settings, only adjust it's self to compensate for the exposure.

If this is your D7K go check the B3 menu item (Easy exposure compensation), it may be turned on.

 

[BlairWright]

Sorry, forgot to answer your question about exposure comp and flash.

Nikon (*until the D4) does not have a flash exposure comp setting, it only has/had exposure comp which affects the entire exposure, not just the flash output but everything. You can in fact use it to balance your flash exposure but you would be better off exposing correctly with your flash, that may require you to place your flash in manual mode.

Best of luck, Blair

 

[SCraig]

Sorry, forgot to answer your question about exposure comp and flash.

Nikon (*until the D4) does not have a flash exposure comp setting, it only has/had exposure comp which affects the entire exposure, not just the flash output but everything. You can in fact use it to balance your flash exposure but you would be better off exposing correctly with your flash, that may require you to place your flash in manual mode.

Best of luck, Blair

My D90 has flash compensation. +1EV to -3 EV. And no I don't mean exposure compensation. From the manual:

Flash compensation is used to alter flash output from the level suggested by the camera, changing the brightness of the main subject relative to the background. Flash output can be increased to make the main subject appear brighter, or reduced to prevent unwanted highlights or reflections.

 

[jriepe]

Check the manual on your SB700 to see what the flash range is at ISO100 with an aperture of f/8. You can increase the range by using a higher ISO, a larger aperture setting or both. There should be a chart in your manual showing the range at different camera settings. I have the SB600 and according to the chart for that particular speedlight the range at ISO100 at f/8 with a 50mm lens is thirteen feet. At ISO400 the flash range doubles to twenty six feet. If your flash is firing at maximum output then dialing up exposure comp. is going to do nothing.

Jerry

 

[prakhardeep]

Sorry, forgot to answer your question about exposure comp and flash.

Nikon (*until the D4) does not have a flash exposure comp setting, it only has/had exposure comp which affects the entire exposure, not just the flash output but everything. You can in fact use it to balance your flash exposure but you would be better off exposing correctly with your flash, that may require you to place your flash in manual mode.

Best of luck, Blair

Thanks for the reply Blair.

I have dialed the compensation in the flash unit itself.

On the point you have written i have another query, in M mode the exposure compensation through the EC button does nothing except change the metering display in the camera. Does it change anything in flash ? I mean to say does it change the flash exposure setting as it does not change exposure in camera ?

 

[prakhardeep]

Check the manual on your SB700 to see what the flash range is at ISO100 with an aperture of f/8. You can increase the range by using a higher ISO, a larger aperture setting or both. There should be a chart in your manual showing the range at different camera settings. I have the SB600 and according to the chart for that particular speedlight the range at ISO100 at f/8 with a 50mm lens is thirteen feet. At ISO400 the flash range doubles to twenty six feet. If your flash is firing at maximum output then dialing up exposure comp. is going to do nothing.

Jerry

How do i know that the flash is firing at maximum output when it is in iTTL mode ?

In the manual it says the range at ISO 100, F/8 and 70mm is .6-4.2m i.e. 2-14feet.

 

[jriepe]

Check the manual on your SB700 to see what the flash range is at ISO100 with an aperture of f/8. You can increase the range by using a higher ISO, a larger aperture setting or both. There should be a chart in your manual showing the range at different camera settings. I have the SB600 and according to the chart for that particular speedlight the range at ISO100 at f/8 with a 50mm lens is thirteen feet. At ISO400 the flash range doubles to twenty six feet. If your flash is firing at maximum output then dialing up exposure comp. is going to do nothing.

Jerry

How do i know that the flash is firing at maximum output when it is in iTTL mode ?

In the manual it says the range at ISO 100, F/8 and 70mm is .6-4.2m i.e. 2-14feet.

There's the answer to your underexposure. If the maximum range is 14 feet at those settings and you need a longer reach you need to compensate by increasing the ISO or using a larger aperture. Lowering your shutter speed would probably also help. Not sure why you would need it at 1/250 shooting people.

Jerry

 

[SCraig]

There's the answer to your underexposure. If the maximum range is 14 feet at those settings and you need a longer reach you need to compensate by increasing the ISO or using a larger aperture. Lowering your shutter speed would probably also help. Not sure why you would need it at 1/250 shooting people.

Jerry

Shutter speed only controls the amount of ambient light when using a flash. The actual duration of the flash itself is about 1/10,000 second. Using a slower shutter speed is not going to make any difference.

 

[jriepe]

There's the answer to your underexposure. If the maximum range is 14 feet at those settings and you need a longer reach you need to compensate by increasing the ISO or using a larger aperture. Lowering your shutter speed would probably also help. Not sure why you would need it at 1/250 shooting people.

Jerry

Shutter speed only controls the amount of ambient light when using a flash. The actual duration of the flash itself is about 1/10,000 second. Using a slower shutter speed is not going to make any difference.

Thanks for clarifying that. I honestly didn't know whether it did or didn't but I do know that ISO and aperture have an impact on the flash range. But before I knew that I made the same mistake of using an aperture setting of f/8 with the smaller SB400 unit shooting animals indoors at a zoo and was confused as to why my images were underexposed. f/8 is fine as long as you're in range.

Jerry

 

[SCraig]

Thanks for clarifying that. I honestly didn't know whether it did or didn't but I do know that ISO and aperture have an impact on the flash range. But before I knew that I made the same mistake of using an aperture setting of f/8 with the smaller SB400 unit shooting animals indoors at a zoo and was confused as to why my images were underexposed. f/8 is fine as long as you're in range.

Jerry

Increased ISO will have an indirect impact on the flash range in the same way that it has an impact on any exposure in that it increases the sensitivity of the sensor to light. It doesn't change the output of the flash in any way, it just increases the sensitivity of the camera's sensor to light and as such at a greater distance whatever light level is present will have more impact on the exposure. A wider aperture, of course, simply lets more of whatever light is available hit the sensor.

 

[prakhardeep]

Check the manual on your SB700 to see what the flash range is at ISO100 with an aperture of f/8. You can increase the range by using a higher ISO, a larger aperture setting or both. There should be a chart in your manual showing the range at different camera settings. I have the SB600 and according to the chart for that particular speedlight the range at ISO100 at f/8 with a 50mm lens is thirteen feet. At ISO400 the flash range doubles to twenty six feet. If your flash is firing at maximum output then dialing up exposure comp. is going to do nothing.

Jerry

How do i know that the flash is firing at maximum output when it is in iTTL mode ?

In the manual it says the range at ISO 100, F/8 and 70mm is .6-4.2m i.e. 2-14feet.

There's the answer to your underexposure. If the maximum range is 14 feet at those settings and you need a longer reach you need to compensate by increasing the ISO or using a larger aperture. Lowering your shutter speed would probably also help. Not sure why you would need it at 1/250 shooting people.

Jerry

I need that speed as there were many dance performances.

 

[prakhardeep]

Thanks for clarifying that. I honestly didn't know whether it did or didn't but I do know that ISO and aperture have an impact on the flash range. But before I knew that I made the same mistake of using an aperture setting of f/8 with the smaller SB400 unit shooting animals indoors at a zoo and was confused as to why my images were underexposed. f/8 is fine as long as you're in range.

Jerry

Increased ISO will have an indirect impact on the flash range in the same way that it has an impact on any exposure in that it increases the sensitivity of the sensor to light. It doesn't change the output of the flash in any way, it just increases the sensitivity of the camera's sensor to light and as such at a greater distance whatever light level is present will have more impact on the exposure. A wider aperture, of course, simply lets more of whatever light is available hit the sensor.

Yes. When i couldn't get proper exposure i increased the ISO to 200 and then the flash displayed correct exposure.

 

[o hey tyler]

I'd shoot on ISO400 in those questions AT A MINIMUM no questions asked. It will give you more life out of your flash, and you will not have to worry about exposure from the distance that you're shooting.

Your camera can handle ISO400 quite well, and there's no reason to shoot in a dark room with flash, unless it's a SMALL dark room. You'll find a great improvement in your photos I would suspect.

 

[jriepe]

Thanks for clarifying that. I honestly didn't know whether it did or didn't but I do know that ISO and aperture have an impact on the flash range. But before I knew that I made the same mistake of using an aperture setting of f/8 with the smaller SB400 unit shooting animals indoors at a zoo and was confused as to why my images were underexposed. f/8 is fine as long as you're in range.

Jerry

Increased ISO will have an indirect impact on the flash range in the same way that it has an impact on any exposure in that it increases the sensitivity of the sensor to light. It doesn't change the output of the flash in any way, it just increases the sensitivity of the camera's sensor to light and as such at a greater distance whatever light level is present will have more impact on the exposure. A wider aperture, of course, simply lets more of whatever light is available hit the sensor.

Yes, I already knew that much. I'm not a TOTAL dummy. But no offense taken.

Jerry