Tractor Posted October 2, 2011 Report Share Posted October 2, 2011 Flash will help you get properly exposed shots and they will look cleaner even at higher ISO's due to being exposed properly. The biggest cause of noise is a dark photo being pushed brighter by post software or longer exposures. Your better off with a correctly lit subject. You should be able to shoot ISO 800 F/4 @ say 1/160th sec and get fine photos. If your noticing your flash working to hard simply increase ISO or open up the aperture some more. Shoot wide open with flash, the next thing you'll notice is you'll start missing focus. I prefer to get the shot then go for wide open unless I need shallow depth of field in the shot. Also if your needing to light up a whole room and just not getting the far wall, just max your ISO and you'll get it. I can light an entire ballroom with a 430ex at ISO 4000. Sometimes doing this causes close bright objects to get blown out. I fix it by putting my hand in front of the flash. Works very well for evening out the light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted October 2, 2011 Report Share Posted October 2, 2011 It makes my low lit shots look better- especially with the stofen diffuser but I don't know if it expanded my iso range? Is that possible? I'm not sure what you mean by expanding your ISO range? Using a flash will certianly enable you to get better shots in low light and allow you to get better exposure in large venues so if by meaning you're ISO's will be more usable across the board, yes. I think Evan aka Tractor eluded to that. I don't think I know how to use it yet... I want to be able to shoot in a dim room at iso 400 max not 800 or 1600.Yes. I'm at home today with my daughter who is sick but here's a crude example. Top image is with -2 1/2 FEV using ISO 100. The bottom is no flash, just ambient light from our windows. I had to go to ISO 800 to get the same exposure. Notice the key with using a flash is to never let anyone be able to see you're using one. http://www.pbase.com/timothylauro/image/138526239/original.jpg If using f/1.8 but ideally would like 2.0 or 2.2 as the lens is ideal one or two stops from max. If I need to return it for the 430 I will but I really hope there is something else I can do as I know I will use this one with its size- it seems like I can get a shot now at the low end of 1600 or almost 800 where I was stuck deep in 1600 before - Play with the settings. Just remember that shutter speed will control the exposure of your background. Dragging the shutter a bit will help there. FEV dialed in properly will control exposure of your subject. Does the 270ex have a high speed sync mode? Read up on that and fill-flash; especially if you have IS on your lenses. shots were coming off overexposed until I turned down the flash compensation but I wonder if there is another way to adjust the light meter and shoot without flash compensation at smaller aperatures and or iso... Post some examples if you would. I would dial down FEV and lower your shutter speed to what is acceptable or do-able. If you stop down to say f/2.2 or f/2.5 you should be good in terms of sharpness. Now DOF will depend on your distance to the subject in the realm. What type of shots are you taking ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hpfiend Posted October 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2011 Thanks for the tips! I don't know what I was intending to say by extending my iso range... unfortunately my Rebel XS can only do ISO 1600. I meant that at an f-stop of 1.8 I need to go all the way out to 1600 to get a proper exposure (according to the gauge) using flash compensation of -1 2/3 with 1/60 shutter speed at the slowest so I wouldn't get shake. I will upload some here soon and check out the websites! All portrtaits so a shallow DOF is fine running wide open. I haven't printed many shots but always heard that 8x10s at 1600 are tough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractor Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Oh one thing about the exposure gauge in the camera and using flash. Basically ignore it and everything you learned about getting a proper exposure without flash when using a flash, especially when using a flash in TTL mode. The gauge is only looking at the scene before the flash fires. the flash in ttl mode will fire a preflash 1/1000th sec before the main flash and photo gets taken. Also read the book, "understanding exposure" its very good for non flash and flash photography if you haven't already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 (edited) Thanks for the tips! I don't know what I was intending to say by extending my iso range... unfortunately my Rebel XS can only do ISO 1600. Technically it can go much farther. Underexpose -2 EV and then push back as necessary in RAW and you'll hit ISO 6400. You can go farther in manual mode too. Here's an ISO 6400 shot: http://www.pbase.com/timothylauro/image/118911557/original.jpg 100% Crop from that same image: http://www.pbase.com/timothylauro/image/118911533/original.jpg All portrtaits so a shallow DOF is fine running wide open. I haven't printed many shots but always heard that 8x10s at 1600 are tough. the DOF on a portrait...just make sure it's set to get both eyes in focus. It's tough if the head is turned. Just use the DOF Charts/links out there. You can always save or blur a background with the right plugins too. Edited October 3, 2011 by TTQ B4U Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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