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What should a flash for macro be capable of?

Started Apr 11, 2019 | Questions thread
filmluvr
filmluvr Veteran Member • Posts: 3,843
Re: What should a flash for macro be capable of?

John K wrote:

E-TTL flash metering with some hardware is better than others. With the Canon 40D + MT-24EX it was horribly inconsistent, changing from frame to frame even if I was taking the exact same shot. With the 80D + MT-26EX-RT it's pretty good, but I avoid letting the backgrounds go black due to flash fall off by making sure that there's something in the background to bounce the metering burst back into the lens

I never had those problems using a 40D with the 420EX, nor does it happen with the 5D that I use now. Very occasionally, a frame will be overexposed, but it occurs too infrequently to justify fiddling with manual flash (and not more often than any other genre I shoot). I'll add that I have shot many macro frames with a background that exposed to near total black, which is often the effect I want. These images usually expose properly without any intervention on my part. At worst, I just tell the body to turn down flash exposure by a stop. In the end, purchasing a TTL-compatible flash will provide one more option for shooting, and the photog can make the final determination later as to which technique works best.

Jack

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Canon EOS 5D Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM Canon EF 28-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS USM Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM +8 more
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