E20 Flash Problems

[Gary Eickmeier]

I seem to be getting various exposure results with my new E20, using the built-in flash. Some are fine, many are dark. I am shooting ISO 80, Program mode, flash in Auto, subjects well within 15 feet. I can't find anything in the manual to give me a clue. Has anyone experienced this?

Thanks,

Gary Eickmeier

 

[Brian Mackey]

can you post an example?

I seem to be getting various exposure results with my new E20,
using the built-in flash. Some are fine, many are dark. I am
shooting ISO 80, Program mode, flash in Auto, subjects well within
15 feet. I can't find anything in the manual to give me a clue. Has
anyone experienced this?

Thanks,

Gary Eickmeier

--
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/mackey135/njdigitalservices.htm
'I have discovered digital photography' Livin life at 5 megapixels!

 

[Gary Eickmeier]

can you post an example?

I have never posted images to the forum before, and I can't find any guidance on the site for it, but I will make a few assumptions and give it a try. Here are (I hope) four images, two of them normal and two of them too dark:

http://www.pbase.com/image/2047368/medium

http://www.pbase.com/image/2047490/medium

http://www.pbase.com/image/2047696/medium

http://www.pbase.com/image/2047812/medium

Well, I didn't see anything but the URL to Pbase when I tried to preview my message, but this is the best I can do until someone clues me in on posting images.

It shouldn't be hard to see which ones are normal vs. dark. Any help would be appreciated. Mainly I just want to know if I should return this camera.

Thanks,

Gary Eickmeier

 

[Jerry Kwit]

It shouldn't be hard to see which ones are normal vs. dark. Any
help would be appreciated. Mainly I just want to know if I should
return this camera.

I also find the Oly flash a little too dark for my taste. Try these settings:

Aperture Priority F3.2
Exp. Comp. + .7
Flash intensity + 2 ticks

These settings work better for me in general but you can certainly vary them to suit.

JK

 

[Gary Eickmeier]

All right, let's try this:









The missing step was to type ".jpg" at the end of the URL to the image at Pbase. Might put that in the instructions below. Navigating around Pbase is a nightmare of its own!

As I said, two images are normal, two are dark. This is happening randomly to me with this camera.

Gary Eickmeier

 

[Gary Eickmeier]

I also find the Oly flash a little too dark for my taste. Try
these settings:

Aperture Priority F3.2
Exp. Comp. + .7
Flash intensity + 2 ticks

These settings work better for me in general but you can certainly
vary them to suit.

Thanks Jerry. But I am getting some normal and some too dark, randomly. Biasing them all upward won't solve this variability problem, nor should I have to monkey around with this. Any amateur point and shoot can take well-exposed pictures with its built-in flash. There must be something amiss with this sample of the E20.

Gary Eickmeier

 

[Jerry Kwit]

But I am getting some normal and some too dark,
randomly.

Mine does the same thing. Some good, more too dark.

Biasing them all upward won't solve this variability
problem, nor should I have to monkey around with this.

You're right, you shouldn't have to monkey around with this, but it wouldn't hurt to try the settings.

Any amateur point and shoot can take well-exposed pictures with its built-> in flash. There must be something amiss with this sample of the E20.

Better luck on the next one.......

JK

 

[Gary Eickmeier]

But I am getting some normal and some too dark,
randomly.

Mine does the same thing. Some good, more too dark.

Another poster, Brian Mackey, told me to try the fill flash mode, where the flash is always going to fire. I will try it, but I still don't see why Auto wouldn't work as advertised.

Anyone else out there with an E10 or E20? PLEASE help us out.

Gary Eickmeier

 

[Russ Yost]

Flash exposure depends on camera's knowledge of distance to subject, which depends on focusing. How are you focusing? Auto or manual?

Manual is difficult on Exx. I recommend auto. But, when you have two subjects, aim at one, half-press and hold, then reaim to compose, then press the rest of the way. Allow time for autofocus (steady green light) and also be aware of auto-focus problems with low contrast in the central focus area. I had an E10 and I think it was always "spot focus". If this is a choice on the E20, I recommend spot focus, and aiming the camera during the focus phase at a suitable focus target (correct distance and with some contrast).

All right, let's try this:









The missing step was to type ".jpg" at the end of the URL to the
image at Pbase. Might put that in the instructions below.
Navigating around Pbase is a nightmare of its own!

As I said, two images are normal, two are dark. This is happening
randomly to me with this camera.

Gary Eickmeier

--
Russell

 

[Brian Mackey]

Sorry I had to get off the phone, I have to mail a box to JIM-n-AZ!

Anyway, I always use the flash in the always on postion..

why Oly calls it Fill Flash I dont know, but to me this is the Normal position

hope you get it resolved..

But I am getting some normal and some too dark,
randomly.

Mine does the same thing. Some good, more too dark.

Another poster, Brian Mackey, told me to try the fill flash mode,
where the flash is always going to fire. I will try it, but I still
don't see why Auto wouldn't work as advertised.

Anyone else out there with an E10 or E20? PLEASE help us out.

Gary Eickmeier

--
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/mackey135/njdigitalservices.htm
'I have discovered digital photography' Livin life at 5 megapixels!

 

[filmmaker]

Hi,

I had the same inconsistant results with my flash photos with my E-20.

However, upon playing around with various settings i found this to work out fine for me with more consistantency.

1. For flash photography instead of using ESP, switch the meter mode to Centre Weighted Average.

Everything else on Auto.

2. Check to make sure that your White Balance in on AUTO.

Please let me know how this works for you.

all the best

 

[Brian Mackey]

I use center weighted only..

Hi,

I had the same inconsistant results with my flash photos with my E-20.

However, upon playing around with various settings i found this to
work out fine for me with more consistantency.

1. For flash photography instead of using ESP, switch the meter
mode to Centre Weighted Average.

Everything else on Auto.

2. Check to make sure that your White Balance in on AUTO.

Please let me know how this works for you.

all the best

--
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/mackey135/njdigitalservices.htm
'I have discovered digital photography' Livin life at 5 megapixels!

 

[Brian Mackey]

My WB is set at 5500 I auto gave me a bluish cast..

Hi,

I had the same inconsistant results with my flash photos with my E-20.

However, upon playing around with various settings i found this to
work out fine for me with more consistantency.

1. For flash photography instead of using ESP, switch the meter
mode to Centre Weighted Average.

Everything else on Auto.

2. Check to make sure that your White Balance in on AUTO.

Please let me know how this works for you.

all the best

--
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/mackey135/njdigitalservices.htm
'I have discovered digital photography' Livin life at 5 megapixels!

 

[Garry Schaefer]

Although I don't have much experience with flash on my E-10, I have to question some of the recommendations made in the two posts just prior to mine. If the pop-up flash is the dominant lighting on the scene, the recommeded WB is 6500K. I think that will perform more consistently than AUTO WB. On the matter of 'spot', that is for metering, not for focus. I was wondering if, in fact, you might be using spot metering. If it is used and is pointed at a white object you may underexpose the non-white portions of the subject. I generally use centre-weighted exposure to average the more important parts of the subject. Just a couple of thoughts for you consideration.

All right, let's try this:









The missing step was to type ".jpg" at the end of the URL to the
image at Pbase. Might put that in the instructions below.
Navigating around Pbase is a nightmare of its own!

As I said, two images are normal, two are dark. This is happening
randomly to me with this camera.

Gary Eickmeier

--
Garry

Garry's Page: http://www3.mb.sympatico.ca/~gschaef

 

[Garry Schaefer]

I meant the advice of Russ and Raymond.

Although I don't have much experience with flash on my E-10, I have
to question some of the recommendations made in the two posts just
prior to mine. --

Garry

Garry's Page: http://www3.mb.sympatico.ca/~gschaef

 

[filmmaker]

Good points. However, upon reviewing the details of the pictures, the AUTO WB is pretty acurate. As far as CWA is concern, i was having trouble just like you with ESP with my flash photos, but found using CWA gave me more consistantent results.

You could try and shoot the same subject with both metering modes with the same distance and see how that works for you.

All right, let's try this:









The missing step was to type ".jpg" at the end of the URL to the
image at Pbase. Might put that in the instructions below.
Navigating around Pbase is a nightmare of its own!

As I said, two images are normal, two are dark. This is happening
randomly to me with this camera.

Gary Eickmeier

--
Garry

Garry's Page: http://www3.mb.sympatico.ca/~gschaef

 

[Gary Eickmeier]

I seem to be getting various exposure results with my new E20,
using the built-in flash. Some are fine, many are dark. I am
shooting ISO 80, Program mode, flash in Auto, subjects well within
15 feet. I can't find anything in the manual to give me a clue. Has
anyone experienced this?

I just took a few more outdoors shots, and I confirmed something I suspected after my first day's outing - this camera's metering system is all over the place. One pic will be fine, then the next one is washed out - no apparent reason. I had some that were dark on the first day. I'm talking ISO 80, bright sunny day, Program mode, ESP metering. Might call Oly tech support tonight, but I don't see what's the point.

Gary Eickmeier

 

[Pix Doc]

Hi Gary,

Most all of my flash pictures are taken in shutter priority mode set to 160th of a second, Man WB 6500k center weighted metering... works for me.
Geno ;^)

--
You Can Create Great Art With an Oatmeal Box with a Pinhole in it.

 

[Brian Mackey]

If you took 2 identical pics with different results, then I wouldnt waste anymore time or effort, call 17th st. and get it swapped..

I seem to be getting various exposure results with my new E20,
using the built-in flash. Some are fine, many are dark. I am
shooting ISO 80, Program mode, flash in Auto, subjects well within
15 feet. I can't find anything in the manual to give me a clue. Has
anyone experienced this?

I just took a few more outdoors shots, and I confirmed something I
suspected after my first day's outing - this camera's metering
system is all over the place. One pic will be fine, then the next
one is washed out - no apparent reason. I had some that were dark
on the first day. I'm talking ISO 80, bright sunny day, Program
mode, ESP metering. Might call Oly tech support tonight, but I
don't see what's the point.

Gary Eickmeier

--
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/mackey135/njdigitalservices.htm
'I have discovered digital photography' Livin life at 5 megapixels!

 

[Clark]

Hi Gary,

A theory on the two dark photographs. The shot of the 2 girls sitting on the piano has a very hard reflection that looks like it blew right back at the camera. Could it have fooled the exposure system? The other dark shot has a lot of white... girls shirt and the teddy bear. Again, is this possibly an auto metering error based on too much white being metered. That doesn't explain why the other shot of the one girl is, if anything, over exposed.

In any event it sounds like you may have an exposure problem that is more involved than just flash exposures. I'd agree with the suggestion that you might have a case for returning it and getting another.

I don't shoot an awful lot with the built in flash, but on those few occasions I have I've been generally happy with the exposure (ESP) and white balance (set to Auto).

Clark

I seem to be getting various exposure results with my new E20,
using the built-in flash. Some are fine, many are dark. I am
shooting ISO 80, Program mode, flash in Auto, subjects well within
15 feet. I can't find anything in the manual to give me a clue. Has
anyone experienced this?

I just took a few more outdoors shots, and I confirmed something I
suspected after my first day's outing - this camera's metering
system is all over the place. One pic will be fine, then the next
one is washed out - no apparent reason. I had some that were dark
on the first day. I'm talking ISO 80, bright sunny day, Program
mode, ESP metering. Might call Oly tech support tonight, but I
don't see what's the point.

Gary Eickmeier