Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/06/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I like Godfrey's concept. But what speed film does this work best with with the Leica M? On Tue, 25 Jun 1996, Godfrey DiGiorgi wrote: > Date: Tue, 25 Jun 96 09:37:43 -0700 > From: Godfrey DiGiorgi <ramarren@apple.com> > To: Leica Users Group <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> > Cc: Ohtonen Pasi <ohtonen.2@swsgen01es.ntc.nokia.com> > Subject: Re: Fill-in flash ... > > My favorite and most accurate reference for fill flash calculation > with a manual camera is the Kodak Pocket Photoguide, Kodak > Publication No. AR-21, ISBN 0-87985-609-2. It's one of those handy > little heavy paper thing with massive piles of good information in > it. Their fill-flash calculator is based upon bright sun and > flash fill so doesn't cover the precise situation you are looking > for, which is low light exposure. > > The technique that I've used for this kind of shooting is to > consider the flash exposure the primary exposure and the ambient > light the fill. I set aperture and working distance based upon > flash output (auto-flash doesn't work well for this), and I adjust > shutter speed for varying degrees of ambient fill. That gives you > a nicely frozen main exposure, with a certain halo effect from the > motion of people and camera in the ambient fill. It makes for > a fairly pleasing effect, although it takes a bit of experimentation > to find combinations that work for your needs. > > The only minor difficulty using this technique with the Leica M > is that the limited maximum shutter speed for X flash synch reduces > the number of options in the ambient fill. I've usually found my > best results for the kind of circumstances you're looking at (wedding > or party, indoors, etc) have the shutter speed around 1/8-1/15 > second though so it's not too big a limitation. The options > when using a leaf shutter camera (my Rollei 35 or once upon a > time the Rolleiflex) just allow more flexibility with reducing > the amount of ambient fill. > > Godfrey > Michael Volow, M.D. (mvolo@acpub.duke.edu) Department of Psychiatry, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC 919 286 0411 Ext 6933