using flash with manual exposure

MrBuffalo

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Hi all!

I bought a DSLR 2 years ago for shooting film, and recently have been trying to get into some photography as well. However, I'm at a complete loss when trying to use the flash.

I expose everything manually, the same I do with video, but when using the flash all my images are completely blown out. So I tried using the portrait setting as reference, replicated all the settings, and even at the exact same shutter speed, aperture and iso settings, the portrait preset pictures comes out nice, while the same picture on manual comes out 90% white.

The only difference I can detect is that in portrait mode there seems to be a delay between the flash firing and the shutter opening, while in manual the flash and the shutter seem to fire almost simultaneously. I've been up and down the camera manual (it's a Nikon D5200) but can't find a setting to delay flash/shutter for the life of me.

Anybody got an idea what I'm doing wrong? Apologies in advance if this is a terrible noob question, but I'm trying hard to figure out how to properly use the flash in manual, I'm just not a fan of uing the preset modes...
 
What mode do you have your flash in?

Delaying the flash would simply cause the flash to not be a part of the exposure. Delaying the flash would be the same as not using a flash.
 
I tried both "Fill" and "Red-eye reduction" - same blown out results with both.
 
If you are in Manual for Flash exposure then the Intensity of the flash is too high. Thus the photo is being blown out.

When in auto you camera is adjusting the flash intensity

If you are in Manual and not TTL then it is up to you to set the flash intensity.
For instance on the LCD panel it may show 1/1 or 1/4. If it is too intensity (bright and blowing out your photo) then you need a lower number such as 1/16, or lower.

Make sure your shutter speed is within the sync speed of the flash too, which is commonly 1/200th.
 
Hi all!

I bought a DSLR 2 years ago for shooting film, and recently have been trying to get into some photography as well. However, I'm at a complete loss when trying to use the flash.

I expose everything manually, the same I do with video, but when using the flash all my images are completely blown out. So I tried using the portrait setting as reference, replicated all the settings, and even at the exact same shutter speed, aperture and iso settings, the portrait preset pictures comes out nice, while the same picture on manual comes out 90% white.

The only difference I can detect is that in portrait mode there seems to be a delay between the flash firing and the shutter opening, while in manual the flash and the shutter seem to fire almost simultaneously. I've been up and down the camera manual (it's a Nikon D5200) but can't find a setting to delay flash/shutter for the life of me.

Anybody got an idea what I'm doing wrong? Apologies in advance if this is a terrible noob question, but I'm trying hard to figure out how to properly use the flash in manual, I'm just not a fan of uing the preset modes...


I understand what you said about copying Portrait mode, but I'm not very sure about any other details of what you are doing. But there are details that are important, like flash mode, etc. Flash photography is NOT a small subject.

In your manual mode movies, if you added in a couple of huge lights on the scene, they probably overwhelm and overexpose, until you make some adjustments for them.

Flash is is another big light, generally speaking. It makes a big change. It has to be controlled.

If the flash is in TTL mode, the flash exposure is automated and tries to be correct for whatever camera settings are in play. It may not always be perfect, in which case Flash Compensation is used to slightly tweak TTL flash mode exposure of the desired result.

If the flash (the flash itself) is in Manual mode, then it is not automatic, it cannot respond to anything, and then it is only you that can set its power level, etc.
Compensation does not work for manual flash mode, you have to change the manual power level yourself.
You did not mention Manual flash, or which flash, or anything about the flash, but the simplest statement: If the flash is too bright and blowing out your picture, turn the flash power level down until it doesn't.
 
Welcome to the forum, to start off when exposing like you are shooting video is only adjusting for ambient light only. When you add a flash you are adding more light to the scene which over exposes your image and that is why it white. Next if you are using manual on the camera you need to use manual on the flash so you can change the power level 1/1-Full power, 1/2, 1/4....1/128 or the scene.

The next thing to know is aperture affects to flash exposer and shutter speed affects the ambient light. Meaning if you have you flash set to full power 1/1 you f-stop would need to be at like F/22, if you flash is set to 1/64 you could shot at like f/4. The shutter speed affects all light except the flash, 1/60 allows more sun light and 1/200 allows less but doesn't affect flash. Now all cameras have a shutter sync speed which is 1/60 -1/200sec.

Now when you are shooting in portrait mode your camera is changing all the settings shutter, aperture, ISO, and flash power so unless you are matching all these settings you are not going to get a correctly exposed image. The delay you may be seeing is the pre-flash, the flash sends a short flash out into your scene and it bounces back through the lens telling the camera/flash what settings to use.
 
Flash is is another big light, generally speaking. It makes a big change. It has to be controlled.

If the flash is in TTL mode, the flash exposure is automated and tries to be correct for whatever camera settings are in play. It may not always be perfect, in which case Flash Compensation is used to slightly tweak TTL flash mode exposure of the desired result.

If the flash (the flash itself) is in Manual mode, then it is not automatic, it cannot respond to anything, and then it is only you that can set its power level, etc.
Compensation does not work for manual flash mode, you have to change the manual power level yourself.
You did not mention Manual flash, or which flash, or anything about the flash, but the simplest statement: If the flash is too bright and blowing out your picture, turn the flash power level down until it doesn't.

Thank you! Looking at flash like a powerful film light makes perfect sense (i know how to adjust for those), and you were right, flash was in TTL mode. I found the setting the setting that lets me manually change the flash intensity, which gives me much better results :)
 

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