Pentax flash modes update

[Anastigmat]

Sorry - have had really limited time to complete this. Hopefully its
a bit more correct than last time.



Note

The best way to use the 540 or 360 for fill flash is as follows:

In bright light, if you are shooting a subject against a strong
backlight, you will need to use one of the HS modes to stop the
background blowing out.

Often it is not necessary. Just set the ISO to 100 or 200 and the aperture to f/11 or smaller. Don't use HS mode so you can set the ISO to 1600 and the f stop to f/2.8 in sunlight!

 

[WildSammy]

So what's the best setting for creative flash use?

Tv and Trailing Curtain set on flash and body?

I want shots to be less flashy with more natural lighting preserved on shot.

Is this possible somehow with other modes then Tv and trailing curtain sync?

I'm using Lumiquest UltraSoft softbox with AF360FGZ flash.

Thanks everybody for answering me

--
S.

 

[*isteve]

Sorry but creative means what exactly? The techniques you use depend entirely on which scenario you want to be creative with. To control lighting properly, you need to use manual exposure on camera AND flash, preferably with a light meter.

Check this site....

http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/

If you simply want to balance flash and ambient light, you need a non-flash exposure to get the background exposed correctly and then simply manually adjust the flash, or use PTTL and use the EV dial. Careful with the whitebalance though.

But be experimental and see what happens!!

So what's the best setting for creative flash use?

Tv and Trailing Curtain set on flash and body?

I want shots to be less flashy with more natural lighting preserved
on shot.

Is this possible somehow with other modes then Tv and trailing
curtain sync?

I'm using Lumiquest UltraSoft softbox with AF360FGZ flash.

Thanks everybody for answering me

--
S.

--
Steve
Pixel peepers miss the big picture.
http://www.pbase.com/steve_jacob

 

[*isteve]

Sorry - have had really limited time to complete this. Hopefully its
a bit more correct than last time.



Note

The best way to use the 540 or 360 for fill flash is as follows:

In bright light, if you are shooting a subject against a strong
backlight, you will need to use one of the HS modes to stop the
background blowing out.

Often it is not necessary. Just set the ISO to 100 or 200 and the
aperture to f/11 or smaller. Don't use HS mode so you can set the
ISO to 1600 and the f stop to f/2.8 in sunlight!

At ISO 100 in bright sunlight the shutter is often well above 1/500 at F8. If the sutter drops below 1/180 the camera automatically switches to L synch so there is nothing to lose by using HS in bright conditions.
--
Steve
Pixel peepers miss the big picture.
http://www.pbase.com/steve_jacob

 

[mmckeller]

Steve - please forgive the newby question, but what are the settings for getting the flash to fire at the end of the exposure? Thanks.

Mike

 

[WildSammy]

I think it's the trailng curtain / slow speed sync

--
S.

 

[Craig Jewell]

--
Craig
http://flickr.com/photos/craigjewell/

 

[WildSammy]

Thanks for very useful page for me

--
S.

 

[K10Dennis]

Hi Steve. I have just pointed someone to this thread, based on my experience of your excellent input on "flash how-to". This chart (and the previous version) has really been a tremendous help.

After using your chart and learning in the process, I did not previously notice something in the key to Sync types:

• L = ..... Flash fires at start of exposure.

• T = ..... Flash fires at start of exposure.

Should it not be T = flash fires at the end (trailing curtain) of the exposure? I have intuitively taken this as the meaning, with my mind "seeing" what I thought should be there.

Thanks again for your effort in compiling and publishing this guide.

Dennis

 

[Gareth_R]

Thanks Steve, it seems useful.

Does anyone have a good reference to this flash mumbo jumbo?

My knowledge of flash work is the size of a gnat and it's about time I found my way around the subject rather than fumbling my way through it.

Thanks in advance.

--

 

[Jonson PL]

Great work, Steve. Thanks a lot.
You’re good at writing it, in a way that is comprehensive.

Leya : quite a dramatic signature photo !

To Gareth_R : I made a thread compilation on flash use here
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1036&thread=23749539

--
Kind regards
Sune



“The K10D not only proves that Pentax belongs in the big league, it’s an all-star player.” Popular Photography & Imaging and American Photo. Jan 07

 

[Paul van den Akker]

--
http://picasaweb.google.com/polvda
http://www.flickr.com/photos/polvda/

 

[MarkEL]

--
Mark

http://www.xs4all.nl/~lukens
http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/marklukens

 

[6x9]

Thanks for the great job!

Just checked my user manual for K10D and it says that HS sync is only available in Tv and M modes.

Does HS sync really work in modes other than Tv & M?
--

• 6x9 -

 

[*isteve]

When I checked it could use a shutter speed > 1/180 in P and A mode - I will have to check further.

Thanks for the great job!

Just checked my user manual for K10D and it says that HS sync is only
available in Tv and M modes.

Does HS sync really work in modes other than Tv & M?
--

• 6x9 -

--
Steve
Pixel peepers miss the big picture.
http://www.pbase.com/steve_jacob

 

[nbela]

--
Bela from Hungary
http://www.speopixel.hu
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nbela/

 

[Rosember]

nothing to read here

 

[lirritma]

--
Gerrit.

http://www.pbase.com/lirritma

 

[Wagga]

--
Wagga [Jean]

http://mephis.smugmug.com/

 

[_vlad]

It works both in Av and HyP mode. However in HyP you have to manually set the shutter speed to higher value than 1/180s.

Vlad