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E-20/Fl-40 - white balance and metering

  • Thread starter Thread starter Todd Berk
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Todd Berk

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I purchased my E-20 about a month ago and am new to SLR photography. I have been faithfully reading the posts here for the past 90 days, along with articles here and there, and have learned a huge amount. I have been taking a fair number of pictures. Thanks to all of you for your ideas and suggestions!

I want to confirm settings I think are appropraite for a "shoot" next week. We are having a baby next week, and I want the right settings for indoor flash potraits of a newborn and my wife.

These are what I plan on using:
Auto ISO
6500k white balance
Center weighted metering
Pop up flash on
Fl-40 on
1/125 shutter priority

The 2 items I am most concerned about are white balance and center weighted metering. Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Todd
 
Todd Berk said:
I purchased my E-20 about a month ago and am new to SLR
photography. I have been faithfully reading the posts here for the
past 90 days, along with articles here and there, and have learned
a huge amount. I have been taking a fair number of pictures.
Thanks to all of you for your ideas and suggestions!

I want to confirm settings I think are appropraite for a "shoot"
next week. We are having a baby next week, and I want the right
settings for indoor flash potraits of a newborn and my wife.

These are what I plan on using:
Auto ISO
6500k white balance
Center weighted metering
Pop up flash on
Fl-40 on
1/125 shutter priority

The 2 items I am most concerned about are white balance and center
weighted metering. Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Todd

Todd, I would lock the iso by selecing 80..there have been a lot of posts about the camera interpeting the same scene differently in subsequent shots. I like to use as much manual as I can. .I would also use the fl40 as a bounce to the ceiling..instead of direct.Dave Weikel has a great tip on using the fl40 in manual...it alows great control of the flash output. you can shoose ido and ap settings to match right on the back of the fl40. Up close this flash will white you out before you know it, and as you know, thats one of the few things you cant fix in ps.remember too, you can sower the intensity of the built in flash via the menu, I expect you will be close in a light colored environment, next, I would shoot in raw...it is very tolerant of overexposing light or white areas....lastly, the 6500 is good, BUT,it only takes a second to do the white bal setting on sight, bring an 8x11 sheet of good white paper and set it in the room before you shoot...then remember to set to -0-, not auto/. Everyone is diff Dept.,, I like ap of 5.6 and either ap mode or setting the shutter to 160 or so in man mode...rarely get a bad shot that way. Congrats.....
Click to expand...
--MATTinFL
 
Todd Berk said:
I purchased my E-20 about a month ago and am new to SLR
photography. I have been faithfully reading the posts here for the
past 90 days, along with articles here and there, and have learned
a huge amount. I have been taking a fair number of pictures.
Thanks to all of you for your ideas and suggestions!

I want to confirm settings I think are appropraite for a "shoot"
next week. We are having a baby next week, and I want the right
settings for indoor flash potraits of a newborn and my wife.

These are what I plan on using:
Auto ISO
6500k white balance
Center weighted metering
Pop up flash on
Fl-40 on
1/125 shutter priority

The 2 items I am most concerned about are white balance and center
weighted metering. Your comments would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Joe Peoples writes:

Stay with ISO 80, unless you absolutely need the extra stop that 160 will give you. If you haven't noticed, ISO 320 is atrocious, but any photo is better than none at all. I prefer 6500K white balance, as the flash is usually too blue for my taste. What does "pop up flash" mean? Bounced straight up? Not generally a great light, unless you tape or rubber band a white card for some front kick. You may want to look into a Sto-fen Omnibounce, which is a (relatively expensive, but does a great job) plastic dome that fits over the front of the flash. You can tilt your FL40 up at a 45 degree angle or use it straight on and get a nice light. The Shutter Priority mode will allow you to focus on the experience at hand and not the camera. Congratulations and good luck with the photos.
 
Todd Berk wrote:

I purchased my E-20 about a month ago and am new to SLR photography. I have been faithfully reading the posts here for the past 90 days, along with articles here and there, and have learned a huge amount. I have been taking a fair number of pictures. Thanks to all of you for your ideas and suggestions!

I want to confirm settings I think are appropraite for a "shoot" next week. We are having a baby next week, and I want the right settings for indoor flash potraits of a newborn and my wife.

These are what I plan on using:
Auto ISO
6500k white balance
Center weighted metering
Pop up flash on
Fl-40 on with------- sto-fen omnibounce and Stroboframe quickflip
1/125 shutter priority

The 2 items I am most concerned about are white balance and center weighted metering. Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Todd
 
Hi Todd,

Your setup looks about right to me, although I would lock in the iso at 80. Depending on the room auto white balance can work ok but I like the warmth that 6500k gives. Center weighted is definately the way to go. If you want more control of dof use manual mode and the Fl 40 will do the rest.

Best of luck with your new arrival.

regards,

Allan
Todd Berk said:
I purchased my E-20 about a month ago and am new to SLR
photography. I have been faithfully reading the posts here for the
past 90 days, along with articles here and there, and have learned
a huge amount. I have been taking a fair number of pictures.
Thanks to all of you for your ideas and suggestions!

I want to confirm settings I think are appropraite for a "shoot"
next week. We are having a baby next week, and I want the right
settings for indoor flash potraits of a newborn and my wife.

These are what I plan on using:
Auto ISO
6500k white balance
Center weighted metering
Pop up flash on
Fl-40 on
1/125 shutter priority

The 2 items I am most concerned about are white balance and center
weighted metering. Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Todd
Click to expand...
 
Todd Berk said:
These are what I plan on using:
Auto ISO
6500k white balance
Center weighted metering
Pop up flash on
Fl-40 on with------- sto-fen omnibounce and Stroboframe quickflip
1/125 shutter priority
Click to expand...
The 2 items I am most concerned about are white balance and center> weighted metering. Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

Joe Peoples writes:

As others here have also suggested, ISO 80 is the way to go. If you use Auto ISO, you are at the mercy of the camera. As far as the Stroboframe is concerned, I only use mine when I will be doing vertical photos, otherwise I mount the flash directly to the camera. When I'm in tight quarters, I'm afraid someone would block the light from the flash if it's on the Stroboframe. Bring it with you anyway, consider your comfortability, and make a decision there. One thing many dance club photographers do is hold the flash in their left hand, so they can place the light wherever they can reach. As long as you have the cable, you can do what you like. Use the feedback from the LCD and develop a workflow. Again...all the best!
 
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