Ahpingko, you are totally confused. My advise is, forget everything you know about or don't know about all these flash photography, and then go back to P mode(including auto Iso as well).

Try to shoot one event, entirely on P mode, but try to differentiate the wAy you Bend your flash gun(direct/bounce). Take note how you adjust your flash gun, is it 90/45/60/75 degrees? When you come back, take note of the settings. Remember which setting works and which doesn't or post here for comments.

Move on from there.

you are right..i m so damn blurred...

my full auto mode also cant work...how i gonna go and shoot event like that?..

why are u changing multiple settings at any time?

do this, make sure your subject and background has sufficient distance to see a clearer effect.:

28mm, 1/25s, f4.5, ISO 800
28mm, 1/80s, f4.5, ISO 800
28mm, 1/125s, f4.5, ISO 800
28mm, 1/160s, f4.5, ISO 800
all these with flash set to AUTO and bounced straight up

then try this
28mm, 1/60s, f4.5, ISO 800
28mm, 1/60s, f7.1, ISO 800
28mm, 1/60s, f11, ISO 800
28mm, 1/60s, f16, ISO 800
also with same flash orientation

yuhi, kopitiam : well, as long as u are not over the 'sync speed' and above aperture 'F11' and subject farther then '5 meter' from u. else, the problem is that flash cant lit that far under those settings.

zstan: he is confuse with flash eV, not exactly setting.

ahpingko: why not, try from F4, iso400 first? that is basic, although u might have a little darker/white background. the issue here is not eV, its more of the AWB messed up.

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Added on February 15, 2011, 10:23 pmhahaha william, his problem is at high iso + large aperture allows more light in to overwrite the 5500k WB~ causing the picture very tungsten-ish. what u show is with F4.5 apeture, surely he wont see the ambiance light as much, but i hope he see the point

actually, ahpingko, u went over too far already, basic flash start from auto iso, F4.

anything below F4 with flash, the the white flash light with get overwrite by the ambiance light (turning ur picture NOT white)

This post has been edited by ieR: Feb 15 2011, 10:24 PM

in that case, can replicate the same settings, but use ISO400 instead

just now my test is all using flash pointing to the subject without diffuser..sit on the hotshoe..

is it?..but my kitlens at 28mm cant go lower than F4..what i feel from my F42 is it seemed like not strong enough when it is in auto mode..anyway, thanks for advices..i get a better idea too..i need to sleep 1st..2moro working..wait weekend i play again...will start spamming my noob flashing photos..

and i forgotten that iso can be set to auto as well...LOL

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Added on February 15, 2011, 10:48 pm28mm, 1/25s, f4.5, ISO 400 - Semi lit
28mm, 1/80s, f4.5, ISO 400 - Pitch Black
28mm, 1/125s, f4.5, ISO 400 - Pitch Black
28mm, 1/160s, f4.5, ISO 400 - Pitch Black
all these with flash set to AUTO and bounced straight up

then try this
28mm, 1/60s, f4.5, ISO 400 - Pitch Black
28mm, 1/60s, f7.1, ISO 400 - Pitch Black
28mm, 1/60s, f11, ISO 400 - Pitch Black
28mm, 1/60s, f16, ISO 400 - Pitch Black
also with same flash orientation

28mm, 1/25s, f4.5, ISO 800 - Semi lit
28mm, 1/80s, f4.5, ISO 800 - Darker
28mm, 1/125s, f4.5, ISO 800 - Pitch Black
28mm, 1/160s, f4.5, ISO 800 - Pitch Black
all these with flash set to AUTO and point directly

then try this
28mm, 1/60s, f4.5, ISO 800 - Dark
28mm, 1/60s, f7.1, ISO 800 - Pitch Black
28mm, 1/60s, f11, ISO 800 - Pitch Black
28mm, 1/60s, f16, ISO 800 - Pitch Black
also with same flash orientation

This post has been edited by ahpingko: Feb 15 2011, 10:48 PM

i'm confused just by reading all these post
i have a feeling i'll be facing similar problem using external flash in the near future
hopefully ieR's guide will shed some light

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Added on February 15, 2011, 10:53 pmanyway, i'm not sure if this is helpful but do have a look


This post has been edited by evilhomura89: Feb 15 2011, 10:53 PM

nah ahpingko, some shots i took just now. fresh from oven. hope can enlighten you a bit. all no PP just resize.



DSC08675 by zstan, on Flickr

Sony a300, 1/60, f3.5, iso 800, 22mm, external flash (90 degrees with bounce card), +0.7EV


DSC08677 by zstan, on Flickr
sony a300, 1/60, f3.5, iso 400, 40mm, external flash (90 degrees with bounce card), +0.7EV(this pic macam over exposed liao haha)

i don't understand what does ier means if below f4 then no white light from flash.

both pic almost same setting but first pic still got retain ambient light.

This post has been edited by zstan: Feb 15 2011, 11:22 PM

this video very technical..

this is what i wanna achieve for now..ur flash unit on auto mode??..or 1/32 power??..what lens is that?..i rmb my kitlens 18-55 picture at night on F3.5 iso 800 not so nice..lol..anyway..good night...

the whole WB and flash might take a long while,. because it is not short. maybe i will put it in some blogspot later so easier reading later so in future can use as references.

sztan: thank you! u gave me a simplier idea what to write and, no, ur method is far from a 'right method', its a "can do/use method" aka, survival method.

This post has been edited by ieR: Feb 15 2011, 11:25 PM

lol, means i am shooting on survival mode for the past 3 years? wow.

the effect's subtle... but i think it should be visible. and i have no idea how in the world u get pitch dark..

william, nice one! later i show one with WB kacau one~

aiseh..didn't mention what lens u used ka william..?

if u see the settings used, it doesnt really matter which lens is used one ma..

eh william... i dunno f2.8 at 70mm is how one leh..can show?

since discussing flash, wan ask a few question, pls correct if my statement wrong:
#
i know flash distance is control by ISO, Aperture and Power, we need use a balance to make it get proper exposure to lit the subject, and then shutter speed (combine with Aperture and ISO that set in the flash exposure) only give the available light to blend in the picture.
#
question here is
1) flash EV, how really i need to use/appreciate the FEV compensation?
2) as zstan picture show above, why EV + 0.7?
3) bounce flash always better than direct in most occasion, is the F58 bounce card enough? or do i need a bigger one??
4) zoom length, i always put auto, it that any matter or follow focal length?

This post has been edited by hiansitt: Feb 16 2011, 12:31 AM

my noob answer:

3) because my a300 has a tendency to underexpose due to metering limitations.

4) tell me what do you use a bounce card for? for me i point my flash 90 degrees, but the flash confirm cannot hit my subject nicely as they are about 2 meters away, so with a bounce card some of the flash can be directed to their face(technically its still direct flash but a not so harsh one).

why not 45 degrees or 60 or 75? because i still want ambient light.

5) if you put your flash in bounce position, it will always be at maximum zoom

correct me if i'm wrong tq.

This post has been edited by zstan: Feb 16 2011, 12:34 AM

i mean the bounce card in f58 is that big enough to cover?? or i need a bigger bounce card, bounce give softer light, this i know.. XD
but the bounce angle, this i still dono how to use it..

and yes, thanks, i learn another things, since our sensor is same aged.. XD

This post has been edited by hiansitt: Feb 16 2011, 12:37 AM

bounce card's main purpose is to introduce catchlight to subject's eyes. it will make the subject's eyes look more 'alive'. and to throw in a bit of light to the subject as fill-in for the shadows beneath the eyes and nose (since the main source of light - the flash, is now directed elsewhere)

This post has been edited by lwliam: Feb 16 2011, 12:39 AM