Using external flash for first time.

[kindred_fp]

Hi Guys,

So I'm going to be shooting a bridal shower next Saturday. It will be from 12-4 at banquet hall near a golf course. I'm expecting lots of ambient light unless it is overcast, i got the SB-700.

Now the question I have, based on reading here if I shoot manual/aperture priority make sure to start with iso 400 and do test shots. My plan is just to take some candid shots and some group shots, very informal.

I was thinking as a backup, my nikon 5200 has a setting of auto, program or Indoor party setting. I know switching out of auto is the goal but I know as well that flash is in the advance side of taking shots. Which is the good backup auto setting to use, the Full auto, the program setting or the indoor party setting.

 

[rexbobcat]

Out of those three settings, I would use program. Full auto makes it so that you can't control when the on-camera flash fires and you can't change ISO. The indoor setting pretty much cranks the ISO up regardless of whether you need it that high or not.

Program allows you to change the ISO and work the on-board flash without having to stress about aperture or shutter speed.

 

[WayneF]

Hi Guys,

So I'm going to be shooting a bridal shower next Saturday. It will be from 12-4 at banquet hall near a golf course. I'm expecting lots of ambient light unless it is overcast, i got the SB-700.

Now the question I have, based on reading here if I shoot manual/aperture priority make sure to start with iso 400 and do test shots. My plan is just to take some candid shots and some group shots, very informal.

I was thinking as a backup, my nikon 5200 has a setting of auto, program or Indoor party setting. I know switching out of auto is the goal but I know as well that flash is in the advance side of taking shots. Which is the good backup auto setting to use, the Full auto, the program setting or the indoor party setting.

Surely you will want to practice this a lot before the event (in a similar situation). Don't go into a big shoot without ever having seen anything. Determine and answer your questions BEFORE the event.

The questions you should be wondering is about if bounce will be possible, and if considerable ambient, how much of that you want to use, or keep out? Bounce under commercial 12 foot ceilings is pushing SB-700 power (may need more than f/4 at ISO 400). Bright sun ambient matches flash white balance closely, but window light is blue (like shade), and incandescent light is orange, and mixed lighting causes difficult white balance problems. One strategy is to use low ISO and faster shutter speed to shut out ambient (which then depends entirely on the flash lighting).

The TTL flash is still fully automatic flash in any camera mode, including A, S, P, or M camera mode. The TTL flash power level tries to adapt to whatever camera settings it discovers to be in use. The camera settings (like ISO and shutter speed) are chosen more for the ambient (to allow it in, or to keep it out).

Any of the A or P, Auto, or Scene settings will set a minimum shutter speed with flash of 1/60 second (there are more obscure options), which may or may not be sufficient to expose the ambient indoors (depending on ISO and aperture, etc). Shutter speed does not affect flash (it can be the control with camera M mode to allow or keep out ambient), but fully auto settings then will go into high ISO and wide open lens to try to accomplish ambient at 1/60 second. Which can be a plus if you want the ambient, or not if white balance is the issue.

What I am saying is: Practice this some first. Experience is what determines and answers questions.

 

[kindred_fp]

Out of those three settings, I would use program. Full auto makes it so that you can't control when the on-camera flash fires and you can't change ISO. The indoor setting pretty much cranks the ISO up regardless of whether you need it that high or not.

Program allows you to change the ISO and work the on-board flash without having to stress about aperture or shutter speed.

I'll try program, but dumb question, I was planning to put my external flash, I dont think on board flash would fire right? I'll try to play with program today to get a better feel for it. In this case is it better to always try to bounce flash, use difuser and bounce, or should I dare direct with difuser?

 

[kindred_fp]

Hi Guys,

So I'm going to be shooting a bridal shower next Saturday. It will be from 12-4 at banquet hall near a golf course. I'm expecting lots of ambient light unless it is overcast, i got the SB-700.

Now the question I have, based on reading here if I shoot manual/aperture priority make sure to start with iso 400 and do test shots. My plan is just to take some candid shots and some group shots, very informal.

I was thinking as a backup, my nikon 5200 has a setting of auto, program or Indoor party setting. I know switching out of auto is the goal but I know as well that flash is in the advance side of taking shots. Which is the good backup auto setting to use, the Full auto, the program setting or the indoor party setting.

Surely you will want to practice this a lot before the event (in a similar situation). Don't go into a big shoot without ever having seen anything. Determine and answer your questions BEFORE the event.

The questions you should be wondering is about if bounce will be possible, and if considerable ambient, how much of that you want to use, or keep out? Bounce under commercial 12 foot ceilings is pushing SB-700 power (may need more than f/4 at ISO 400). Bright sun ambient matches flash white balance closely, but window light is blue (like shade), and incandescent light is orange, and mixed lighting causes difficult white balance problems. One strategy is to use low ISO and faster shutter speed to shut out ambient (which then depends entirely on the flash lighting).

The TTL flash is still fully automatic flash in any camera mode, including A, S, P, or M camera mode. The TTL flash power level tries to adapt to whatever camera settings it discovers to be in use. The camera settings (like ISO and shutter speed) are chosen more for the ambient (to allow it in, or to keep it out).

Any of the A or P, Auto, or Scene settings will set a minimum shutter speed with flash of 1/60 second (there are more obscure options), which may or may not be sufficient to expose the ambient indoors (depending on ISO and aperture, etc). Shutter speed does not affect flash (it can be the control with camera M mode to allow or keep out ambient), but fully auto settings then will go into high ISO and wide open lens to try to accomplish ambient at 1/60 second. Which can be a plus if you want the ambient, or not if white balance is the issue.

What I am saying is: Practice this some first. Experience is what determines and answers questions.

I'm more of a guest and helping out with the pictures, my wife was part of the bridal shower thats why. No pressure on my side but I want to take this opportunity as a event to practice on at the same time and hopefully get to get decent shots. So from what I gather, try with program, see how it looks with bounch flash and see the results? Any other advice? And yes I agree practice practice practice.

Always wondered if its better to not use external flash and just bump up iso and shoot with aperture priority or manual as I'm more experienced with this set up.

 

[WayneF]

I'm more of a guest and helping out with the pictures, my wife was part of the bridal shower thats why. No pressure on my side but I want to take this opportunity as a event to practice on at the same time and hopefully get to get decent shots. So from what I gather, try with program, see how it looks with bounch flash and see the results? Any other advice? And yes I agree practice practice practice.

Always wondered if its better to not use external flash and just bump up iso and shoot with aperture priority or manual as I'm more experienced with this set up.

We assume the automatic modes are "smart", and yes, they do know one or two important things that beginners may not have learned yet (sync speed, etc), but "smart" is not the right word. In general, computers are dumb about common sense. The human brain is the best photographic tool there is.

Camera P mode with flash, indoors in more dim light where we need flash, will ALWAYS use 1/60 second at probably f/4 (at lower ISO values).

The 1/60 second is just a Minimum shutter speed (it is NOT a correct shutter speed), simply because we are using flash (shutter speed does not affect the faster flash), and so we don't need the 1/4 second that the dim ambient probably actually meters - we are using flash instead. I am making up that it will meter 1/4 second with the flash turned off, but it is not untypical (indoors where flash is needed) - so near that. If 1/4 second is the right number we actually see (if we reach up and turn the flash off), that means with flash on, 1/60 second says the ambient is four stops underexposed. It is NOT a correct exposure for the ambient, which turning off the flash power shows to be 1/4 second (for example). So... the word smart is not appropriate.

The f/4 is because the light is dim (indoors where we need flash) and so the lens goes wide open trying to help. Except P Mode will not go fully wide open, P mode has a maximum aperture with flash. Camera models vary, external flash is normally f/4 or f/5 (internal flash is probably f/2.8 Maximum). But it will always be this value (indoors where flash is needed). Exception: I am speaking of ISO 100. In P mode with flash, high ISO will stop the lens down 1/2 stop more for every stop of ISO increase (a metering issue, but counterproductive to our dim light tries). But if ISO is high enough (more than the four stops higher), it could allow further metering changes.

So with external flash, and assuming ISO 100, P mode will always be 1/60 second and f/4, thereabouts, in every indoor flash picture you will ever take. Is that smart? I am NOT saying it is bad or dumb. It is very workable and not a bad try. I am just differentiating from "smart". Computers do what they do.


It is more common to use camera M mode for INDOOR flash, so that we can specify any shutter speed and any aperture and any ISO that we deem useful - for whatever purpose experience teaches us. The TTL flash is still automatic, and the flash is not affected by shutter speed, but ambient is, and this shutter choice can choose if to capture the ambient, or to shut it out (again, mixed lighting is really tough on white balance, there is no correct setting for two White Balances). However, this extra concern may be a bit much for a Day One experience. Said another way though, if P mode always sets 1/60 second and f/4, our setting the same values in M mode is exactly the same thing. Then we might choose to change it a little for some purpose.

Outdoors, fill flash in bright sun, it is impossible to ignore the strong ambient, and camera mode P becomes much more useful (because it knows about sync speed).

 

[Scatterbrained]

Well, you've got a week. If you really want to get a handle on this I'd recommend picking up this book: On Camera Flash Techniques for Wedding Photographers . It can be read in an evening (there's even a Kindle edition) and is very straight foward and easy to understand. On camera flash isn't a black art, it's actually pretty straight forward once you learn how to do it. Download the book, read it, practice around the house. You'll be amazed at what you can do, and how easy it really is.

 

[Derrel]

Wayne's first post has some gems in it.

As far as the way Nikon speedlights measure out the flash... see Page C2 and C3 in the SB700 manual online here :http://www.nikonusa.com/pdf/manuals/Speedlights/SB-700.pdf

There are two basic strategies: TTL-BL, which is "Balanced Lighting", which strives to give a balance between the flash in the foreground, and the background exposure, and plain vanilla TTL flash control

Unlike higher-end Nikon flashes, the SB 700 does NOTR allow the user to directly set TTL or TTL-BL; it's based on the camera's settings.

Use Matrix or Center-weighted metering, and in TTL mode, the flash sets itself to TTL-BL, according to page C2 in the manual.

GOOD idea to try the flash and your lens out at the ISOs of 400, 640, and maybe 800, just to see how it works. As Wayne mentioned, off of say, a 12-foot commercial ceiling, the SB 700 is going to almost demand at least ISO 400, and a wider f/stop, such as in the f/4 to f/4.5 range, at least. Bouncing a flash in a higher-ceilinged, BIG room means quite a severe loss of effective flash power, which is why we're talking about ISO 400, 640, and 800! And of course, be prepared with PLENTY of fresh AA batteries, to keep recycle times reasonable.