Daylight Fill Flash

whereshaldo · 02-08-2006

Can someone recommend a good tutorial on flash photography and specificall daylight fill flash. I've got a GSN that I know I can use a flash on but beyond that I'm at a loss.

Hal

kaiyen · 02-08-2006

For a pretty comprehensive tutorial, check out: http://www.planetneil.com/faq/flash-techniques.html

The simple approach is that you want to add just enough flash to fill in the foreground, but not so much that it looks like it's been flashed. So the common method would be to set the flash in Auto mode such that it says you should be shooting with, say, f5.6 You then set your camera to f8 or even f11 (using the appropriate shutter speed). That will let in 1-2 stops less light from the _flash_ then from the background. Voila.

Remember that aperture controls how much flash gets in.

allan

ray_g · 02-08-2006

Here's one I found useful, Hal.

http://www.dantestella.com/technical/fill.html

ray_g · 02-08-2006

I find it especially useful as it also deals with using manual flash with older rangefinders.

VinceC · 02-08-2006

Nearly all rangefinders have a top sync speed of 1/60 or less. So a 2-stop neutral-density filter can really come in handy when using film faster than 100. Attached is an example with a 2-stop ND filter and automatic flash adjusted for about one-and-one-half stop less than the overall exposure.

kaiyen · 02-08-2006

Yes, but the GSN is a leaf shuter, which means it syncs at all speeds.

allan

VinceC · 02-08-2006

Then just set the flash at 1.5 to 2 stops below ambient light and shoot away.

kaiyen · 02-08-2006

Actually that is especially easy to do with the GSN. Set the flash for auto at a certain aperture. Then put the camera at 1 to 2 stops smaller than that. As I mentioned, if you set the flash at 5.6, then set the camera at 8 or 11. With the GSN, this is great because the camera then picks the correct shutter speed for 8 or 11. So your ambiant will come out fine, and the flash will fill in the foreground.

It's not as easy with, say, the Canonet because you control the shutter speed, not the aperture.

allan

ray_g · 02-08-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaiyen

It's not as easy with, say, the Canonet because you control the shutter speed, not the aperture.

allan

You can always use it in manual (the GIII at least), or with the canolite D.

kaiyen · 02-08-2006

Yeah, but if you put it in manual, won't the flash output based on the aperture selected? So it'll always fire at the correct full exposure, not a filled one. Won't it?

I used the canolite in full manual mode at a wedding in July. I was able to drag the shutter - setting it at 1/30 - but the flash seemed to output at the correct power for the aperture.

allan

ray_g · 02-08-2006

Hmmm... I never used the canolite with the camera in manual, always in the "plug and play" mode.

I have used the GIII in manual with an ordinary manual flash. Then it would just be a matter of making the settings as with any manual camera and manual flash.