A55 Defective on AUTO with flash?

[scottjweber]

I just shot my first wedding with my A55 and HVL-F58 flash this weekend and was shocked at how many shots had motion blur. This is a powerful flash and even with the subject a few feet away I noticed about 1 in 4 images had severe motion blur or some type of flash sync issue that ruined the picture. It was not really noticeable on the LCD when reviewing but what I did notice was that even though the histogram was indicating proper exposure, many shots looked like the white balance was just way off which I knew I could just fix in PP and they were skewed to the left of the graph. Obviously in the middle of a wedding you must soldier on since I did not have a backup system with me (for the first and last time).

Again, I was new to this system and even thought I had practiced with it before the wedding I never noticed this unreliable flash performance. Once I viewed the images on my PC it was very disappointing and I needed to find out what was going on so I called Sony support and they went through some procedures with me and what we concluded was that on either AUTO or AUTO+ my camera does not recognize that the built in flash is raised and ready to fire or that I have an external flash mounted. As a result, if the ambient light drops below a certain value the camera selects the "Twilight" mode and drops the shutter speed from 1/60 all the way to 1/3 or less! Nothing in-between and obviously the flash duration is no where near that long and the pictures end up with a orange halo and streaks of light on the right side of the subject much like a slow sync image would look. Not to mention there is no chance of getting a sharp picture at those speeds without a tripod and non-living subject.

I am within the 30 day exchange window with B&H so am getting a replacement but I fear that it will have the same issues and that this is a defect in the cameras software. Everything is fine in the other modes including P which in retrospect would have been were I just left the camera. I would be curious of others can replicate this same behavior?

 

[Yezariael]

in auto+ mode my a55 usually wants to use night portrait or night shot with long exposure... that means it fires the flash and also uses long exposure; this would result in motion blur when used on moving objects or person...

but if sony support said to you it has some faults, send it back...

 

[ET2]

Auto+ can it's own choose twilight mode, HDR, or some other mode. Why were you shooting wedding with auto+ mode?

 

[scottjweber]

I wasn't shooting in AUTO+. As my post stated, we concluded that the camera makes this random low shutter speed selection in that mode as well as AUTO.

 

[Duck44]

Was the flash bounced or direct? Do you have examples?

 

[HobbiesAreFun]

I wasn't shooting in AUTO+. As my post stated, we concluded that the camera makes this random low shutter speed selection in that mode as well as AUTO.

Why would you shoot a wedding in Auto?

--
A Beginning Amateur Photographer

 

[Ira Blumberg]

I wasn't shooting in AUTO+. As my post stated, we concluded that the camera makes this random low shutter speed selection in that mode as well as AUTO.

I agree the camera should recognize the flash and respond accordingly in auto mode. However, I will second ET2's question. Why are you shooting a wedding in auto mode?

It seems to me that manual mode is more appropriate as it allows you to set the highest shutter speed that will sync (1/160th) to minimize the effects of ambient light. Also, you should set an aperture that best suits the image. The whole point of having an auto flash is that it allows you to set the shutter and aperture as best suit your shot and the flash and camera together figure out how much light the flash should provide.

Unfortunately, from what we have seen in other threads, the a55 may have a problem when using external flashes as it may not provide adequate illumination in the EVF when you set shutter speed and aperture manually.

Ira

 

[Biu]

I believe you could very well claimed the title of being the first one shooting a wedding in "Auto"

There probably is nothing wrong with your camera. Just that the Auto mode tries to capture more ambient night in your scene and lowers the shutter too much. When you are shooting, you didn't even bother to see what shutter speed the camera is using, otherwise you know there is problem right the way.

When the shutter speed is low enough for motion blur for the desired effect, you "as the photographer" need to tell your subject not to move and use a tripod. If you are shooting dancing moment or motion, you need to use a faster shutter. (This is particular important if the ambient light is bright! In a very dark scene, you don't have this problem. I am betting your hall or ball room is rather bright.)

Another problem is the Auto ISO which the camera tries to boost in door even you have a flash. This will decrease the freezing capability of the flash as the sensor picks up ambient light a lot faster and stronger.

My advice is not to take another wedding job until you figure out how to use M mode with flashs and the effect you get with different settings.

 

[Condor99]

About 95% of the people on this forum who are complaining about a defective camera are using it wrong. A wedding in Auto is not recommended. Reading the manual and practicing with it a lot before you go off shooting weddings is recommended.
--
Tom Seiler
My portfolio:
http://picasaweb.google.com/SeilerBird/MyPortfolio
Sony a330 Copper > Sony 18-55
Sony a55 > Tamron 200-500
Sony 75-300

 

[VisualFX]

Wow you people above me just didn't read his post. He stated he did NOT use AUTO mode!

I wasn't shooting in AUTO+. As my post stated, we concluded that the camera makes this random low shutter speed selection in that mode as well as AUTO.

 

[sybersitizen]

It seems to me that manual mode is more appropriate... Unfortunately, from what we have seen in other threads, the a55 may have a problem when using external flashes as it may not provide adequate illumination in the EVF when you set shutter speed and aperture manually.

This only occurs with non-dedicated flashes and/or generic triggers. There's no problem with supported flashes that the camera recognizes.

 

[Glenn]

hrm well he says he wasn't using auto mode but on the other hand even in auto mode the camera should be able to take reasonable pictures if not perfect ones. Thats what it's for. if he wasn't using auto mode then I wonder how he dragged the shutter so much as to cause blurr?

Auto should be able to yeild good results (even with a few problems) especially at weddings. thats an event like a graduation. or the birth of a child thats people go out and buy new cameras for and exactly where auto modes should be able to be used safely.
--
http://www.fotosource.com/downloads/flyer/eye_cancer_en_CA.pdf

 

[sybersitizen]

I called Sony support and they went through some procedures with me and what we concluded was that on either AUTO or AUTO+ my camera does not recognize that the built in flash is raised and ready to fire or that I have an external flash mounted. As a result, if the ambient light drops below a certain value the camera selects the "Twilight" mode and drops the shutter speed from 1/60 all the way to 1/3 or less!

I just briefly tested my A55 + Minolta 5600HS(D) in Auto and Auto+ modes. Thankfully I am seeing no such issue. If I look under my dark mahogany desk and point the camera into a corner there the speed does drop down as low as 1/4 second at ISO 800. But general room shots in poor lighting hover between 1/60 and 1/20 second at ISO 160 to 500. Still not ideal, but acceptable. Sounds like your camera has a defect. But regardless, you should not have been using Auto or Auto+ in that situation at all.

 

[Condor99]

hrm well he says he wasn't using auto mode but on the other hand even in auto mode the camera should be able to take reasonable pictures if not perfect ones. Thats what it's for. if he wasn't using auto mode then I wonder how he dragged the shutter so much as to cause blurr?

The title of his post is a55 defective on AUTO with flash.

Auto should be able to yeild good results (even with a few problems) especially at weddings. thats an event like a graduation. or the birth of a child thats people go out and buy new cameras for and exactly where auto modes should be able to be used safely.

Auto mode does not mean every shot comes out perfectly. The photographer needs to know how to make sure the shots are coming out properly as he is taking them. A wedding is a one shot affair (hopefully) and he didn't properly test his settings and shooting techniques before the shoot. It is a poor workman who blames his tools. He did notice some problems and he "soldiered on". Why not switch to his back up camera instead? And if he didn't have a back up camera what was he doing shooting a wedding in the first place?

--
Tom Seiler
My portfolio:
http://picasaweb.google.com/SeilerBird/MyPortfolio
Sony a330 Copper > Sony 18-55
Sony a55 > Tamron 200-500
Sony 75-300

 

[sybersitizen]

In my test above, and apparently in the OP's situation, it looks like our powerful flashes were barely being used to do anything. Instead, the camera chose unnecessarily slow shutter speeds and/or high ISO settings. The explanation for this could be that the camera doesn't know what kind of flash is attached. It might be only a Sony F20 or Minolta 2500(D), so the camera has to adjust itself to some lowest common denominator. That's just one reason why it's wiser to work with the more advanced PASM modes when possible, where you can direct the camera to use some combination of aperture/shutter speed/ISO that's more appropriate for the flash you have and for the situation.

 

[Gavin 11]

Question, what mode where you shooting in? You say only defective in auto mode?

If you were on Auto, then I feel you should have been on Aperture priority, the camera should then shoot at around 1/60 to 1/160.

On my A-700 this is the case, unless you use the AEL button, which then activates Slow Flash Sync mode!
Take control of the camera?

“I prefer my Sony A-7xx, to be made out of wood” ;-)

 

[Biu]

The Auto mode is just a mode for typical picture taking to ensure proper exposure, no camera would know that it is shooting a wedding. With the ambient lighting and flash on, the camera can only tell that one is trying to take a picture indoor or at night. The camera decided to use a lower shutter speed because pictures would usually look better with capturing more ambient light. Otherwise, if the camera just make use the full power of your powerful flash, all your photos will only show the subject in a dark background. There will of course be no blur but no body will accept that.

To take good indoor pictures with people moving (like dancing), one would need a good combinataion to achieve that. Powerful flash for the working distance. A fast lens to capture enough ambient light in fast shutter speed, a bit higher iso to further improve shutter speed is needed. The photographer need to determine how he or she wants the picture look and set accordingly.

This is why most amature bodies also has scene mode. If the original poster at least choose a scene mode, the camera could make a closer decision.

In my test above, and apparently in the OP's situation, it looks like our powerful flashes were barely being used to do anything. Instead, the camera chose unnecessarily slow shutter speeds and/or high ISO settings. The explanation for this could be that the camera doesn't know what kind of flash is attached. It might be only a Sony F20 or Minolta 2500(D), so the camera has to adjust itself to some lowest common denominator. That's just one reason why it's wiser to work with the more advanced PASM modes when possible, where you can direct the camera to use some combination of aperture/shutter speed/ISO that's more appropriate for the flash you have and for the situation.

 

[tom55604]

I wasn't shooting in AUTO+. As my post stated, we concluded that the camera makes this random low shutter speed selection in that mode as well as AUTO.

I agree the camera should recognize the flash and respond accordingly in auto mode. However, I will second ET2's question. Why are you shooting a wedding in auto mode?

It seems to me that manual mode is more appropriate as it allows you to set the highest shutter speed that will sync (1/160th) to minimize the effects of ambient light. Also, you should set an aperture that best suits the image. The whole point of having an auto flash is that it allows you to set the shutter and aperture as best suit your shot and the flash and camera together figure out how much light the flash should provide.

Unfortunately, from what we have seen in other threads, the a55 may have a problem when using external flashes as it may not provide adequate illumination in the EVF when you set shutter speed and aperture manually.

Ira

I have never had to shoot a wedding in Manual mode with my a-mount cameras going back to the Minolta 5000AF though the later AF cameras and with teh KM7D and A700. I have been very successful using either P-mode or A-mode depending on what I wanted to accomplish. I will agree that using any auto mode including "P" for important shots means that the photographer must understand how the camera will react under different circumstances in each mode and then select the proper mode.

If the photographer has not had the opportunity to learn the choices the camera will make, then he/she should use A-mode and watch the shutter speed the camera chooses, and if that is not appropriate, then switch to manual. As I said, I've never had to switch Manual (as long as I am using a dedicated flash).

tom

 

[tom55604]

In my test above, and apparently in the OP's situation, it looks like our powerful flashes were barely being used to do anything. Instead, the camera chose unnecessarily slow shutter speeds and/or high ISO settings. The explanation for this could be that the camera doesn't know what kind of flash is attached. It might be only a Sony F20 or Minolta 2500(D), so the camera has to adjust itself to some lowest common denominator. That's just one reason why it's wiser to work with the more advanced PASM modes when possible, where you can direct the camera to use some combination of aperture/shutter speed/ISO that's more appropriate for the flash you have and for the situation.

 

[tom55604]

Wow you people above me just didn't read his post. He stated he did NOT use AUTO mode!

I wasn't shooting in AUTO+. As my post stated, we concluded that the camera makes this random low shutter speed selection in that mode as well as AUTO.

No, he did not say he didn't use AUTO; he said he did not use AUTO+ which is a different mode.

tom