FL56AM problems...

Please don't tell me to use the search. I did, and I inspected several hundred messages by hand, I don't see to find something similar.

I was one of the ones praising the FL56AM, I really like it, but I just realized that almost always I used it wireless and in (M)anual mode, and works great.

Two weeks ago I shoot a wedding (not as official photographer, thanks God) for a friend, and decided to use the flash in the hotshoe. Then it came all the problems we know, the flash underexposure and such. I used all flash settings: rear, ADI, TTL, AUTO, Fill... whatever.

I ended using it "wireless" holding it in one hand and shooting with the other, the pics aren't great but they are usable at least.

When I came back home I was sondering what the heck happened to the flash, then I noticed the following:

When using it in auto (or TTL as it says), no matter if used ADI or pre-flash, I was having this horrible underexposure, even setting the EV to +2 in both, camera AND flash.

Then I decided to go (M)anual, and noticed something worse: with the flash being in the hotshoe, in (M)anual mode, everytime I half-pressed the shutter it went automatically to TTL, and got underexposure. Direct or bounced flash, auto or manual zoom... it doesn't matter.

And as I said, using it wireless it works great.

Has anyone experienced this?

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http://flickr.com/photos/luisferfranco

I was in the similar boat as you - I used in wireless most of the time, and bounce as often as I could.

When I put it on the hot-shoe I turn my camera in the manual mode and go wth 1/120 5.6 with flash around 1/4. For some reason, I thought it woun't work with A (my usual settings). Actually it does work with A pretty well, just had to adjust the settings, usually means to "walk" through the flash menus to get to manual. Camera can be on either A, M, S or P.

It takes a bit of learning but now I am very happy - I almost never have any issues with flash, so I bought 3 56s (mu old KM and 2 Sonys) in total!!!



take a look at my "official" (better stuff) flickr feed
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rogic
and testing flickr feed (last 3 photos with 56 plus new 16-80):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11066366@N00

Novak, that is a very nice shot. Kudos.
--
Vote Libertarian and win a free country.

I have to get another flash for a wedding in 3 weeks..this isnt encouraging!

Maybe I will get a metz!

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Clint is on holiday! Soon to return! ;-)

...I don't know.

Want some worse problems? I live in Mexico, I bought the camera/flash in the US waaaaaaaaaay before Sony introduced the Alpha in Mexico, I have no warranty.

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http://flickr.com/photos/luisferfranco

I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I think I have the same problem with a metz (54-MZ3) with proper SCA Adapter (3302 M7). I know that there is a problem, but I don’t know where: camera or flash. I’ve also tried almost all the camera and flash settings, and didn’t realize, until now, how to solve the problem: underexposure.
This is very frustrating...

All of the great things that I hear about the metz are in reference to the 54-MZ4...(with the same M7 adapter you have) I haven't read anything regarding the MZ3.

I don't know what the difference is between the two...I'd love to get my hands on one but they don't sell them in the US....lucky Europeans.

abilio64 said:

I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I think I have the same problem
with a metz (54-MZ3) with proper SCA Adapter (3302 M7). I know that
there is a problem, but I don’t know where: camera or flash. I’ve
also tried almost all the camera and flash settings, and didn’t
realize, until now, how to solve the problem: underexposure.
This is very frustrating...

Click to expand...

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http://sheldons.smugmug.com

I don't have the Alpha, but on my KM 5D I've noticed mine is finicky if I have the ratio option turned on. Even in full auto mode it will behave eratically if this option is accidently set to 1 or 2, make sure it's off. Sorry if this sounds basic, but the basics can sometimes be what drives you nuts with stuff like this!
--
My gallery for your perusal:
http://www.pbase.com/gipper51/root

gipper51 said:

I don't have the Alpha, but on my KM 5D I've noticed mine is
finicky if I have the ratio option turned on. Even in full auto
mode it will behave eratically if this option is accidently set to
1 or 2, make sure it's off. Sorry if this sounds basic, but the
basics can sometimes be what drives you nuts with stuff like this!
--
My gallery for your perusal:
http://www.pbase.com/gipper51/root

Click to expand...

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Odds N' Ends album here:
http://www.pbase.com/jimh/inbox&page=all
Z album here: http://www.pbase.com/jimh/marilyn_the_car&page=all

read your manual about turning on custom mode (you have to press three buttons at once) this then allows use of manual flash mode in P,A and S modes

i have 3 metz 54mz3 with SCA3302 M7

in TTL mode the flash under exposes about -0.5 to -1.0 ev i turn up the flash compensation i have a 7D dont know if the sony supports flash compensation.

Auto mode on the flash give the most accurate results

What lens were you using?

--
http://www.photoboxgallery.com/Motorwind
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_search.php?action=file&userID=1321100

I must apply the RTFM technique more often

--
http://flickr.com/photos/luisferfranco

Several...

In fact, I thought the problem could be related to the lens not sending the distance correctly, so I used the following:

• Kit lens (18-70)
• Original Beercan
• TAMRON 28-200 3.8/5.6 Di (IF)
• Quantaray 70-300 4/5.6

Was the same thing with every lens.

Using pre-flash TTL should not worry about (D)istance settings, isn't it?

Other thing... maybe the connectors to the lens be dirty? or maybe some terminal is not doing proper contact? how can I know?

--
http://flickr.com/photos/luisferfranco

can you post a link to a couple of the underexposed shots so we can see the EXIF info?

Thanks,

Cliff

--
http://sheldons.smugmug.com

luisferfranco said:

Several...

In fact, I thought the problem could be related to the lens not
sending the distance correctly, so I used the following:

• Kit lens (18-70)
• Original Beercan
• TAMRON 28-200 3.8/5.6 Di (IF)
• Quantaray 70-300 4/5.6

Was the same thing with every lens.

Using pre-flash TTL should not worry about (D)istance settings,
isn't it?

Other thing... maybe the connectors to the lens be dirty? or maybe
some terminal is not doing proper contact? how can I know?

--
http://flickr.com/photos/luisferfranco

Click to expand...

Yes, that's why I asked, to see if it could be mode specific. With lenses which don't support ADI (i.e. don't have 8 contacts) like the beercan, auto flash will default to TTL. But the kit lens is ADI so if you tried both modes with that lens it means it does do it in ADI mode as well as TTL.
--
http://www.photoboxgallery.com/Motorwind
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_search.php?action=file&userID=1321100

Thanks,

Now I can use the flash with manual settings in A mode.

I hate using a "super-auto" flash in manual mode, but I know I can expose correctly, I think I'll miss some shots tho
--
http://flickr.com/photos/luisferfranco

I don't see how the EXIF might help in this problem. In all cases, the camera was on tripod with kit lens and remote release. There is no PP other than resizing the full image.

1) The subject w/o flash, ISO-400, 1/3s, @35mm, pattern metering



2) Using internal flash, ISO-400 1/60s, 35mm, pattern mettering



3 and 4) I tested the four combinations: ADI/TTL and AUTO/FILL the results were very similar:





5) Finally, I compensate the flash with EV+2 (not camera), all other settings were the same.



Any idea?
--
http://flickr.com/photos/luisferfranco

Hi Luis,

glad you found custom mode

I think you are experiencing classic flash uderexposure

if you search for a thread by David Kilpatrick you will find some examples

basically David theorised that if there is the slightest bit of highlight blow out the camera will severely under expose. his example was photographing a shiny glass object with direct flash and observing the results.

Shooting RAW is the best for you, as i think the in camera JPG conversion engine is really bad and is the main cause of your problems.

Repeat your test shooting RAW+jpg and compare the difference between the RAW file and the JPG

To further help your undersatnding my similar experiences have led me to shoot RAW M mode (i would use A mode but slow sync sucks which is another story), off camera wirless flash, and Manual flash mode when on camera.

I use 5x 5600 hsd and 3 metz 54 mz3 flashes to light up real estate interiros here are some links to my posts with examples from my set up and info you might find uselful (from the minolta forum)

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1035&message=21082567

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1035&message=21712019

hope this helps

eye-spy said:

Hi Luis,

glad you found custom mode

I think you are experiencing classic flash uderexposure

if you search for a thread by David Kilpatrick you will find some
examples

basically David theorised that if there is the slightest bit of
highlight blow out the camera will severely under expose. his
example was photographing a shiny glass object with direct flash
and observing the results.

Click to expand...

There is absolutely nothing blown out in Luis' photos though unless he's cropped it out...in David's examples you can clearly see the blown out spots.

Luis, for the underexposed F56 shots you told us the flash settings but what were the rest of the cameras settings? What mode was the camera in? (Auto, A, S, M...etc) What was the shutter speed, apperture etc....This info would be in the EXIF, thats why I asked for it.

Thanks,

Cliff