Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/05/13
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Again, thanks for a lengthy, thorough explanation. This is the beauty of the LUG. I think I need a more controllable flash to begin with. I guess I will look at an SB-26, SB-28, or a Metz 40. Now what about the problem of always getting f/8 or f/11 at 1/50? Am I forced to use slower film if I want larger apertures like 4 or 5.6? At 12:38 PM 5/13/98 -0700, Bryan Willman wrote: >hmmm. > >I *think* what you are asking is: > > How do I get flash underexpsure, to get a nice > fill, with ambient light. > >What you care about is the RATIO between the >ambient light and the flash. You must control this >with the flash unit, NOT the camera. > >Notice that this will only work if the ambient and flash >lighting levels are relatively close (2 or 3 stops) If flash >is 9 stops more powerful than ambient, you'll just >get flash exposure. > >To change the power of the flash relative to other light: >a. Move the flash off the camera and back it up >b. Bounce it off something >c. If it has good power controls, use those. Notice > that on a low-end auto-flash, there are typically only > one or two power ranges. The "settings" are just > a distance/f-stop lookup for one of the ranges. > A flash like an SB26 lets you actually change the *power* > (as will any studio head.) > >You will typically end up making multiple measurements >of ambient and flash light falling on various parts of the subject, >and then computing the exposure so that the highlights and >lowlights fall in the recording range of the film. > >There are books about this, I've yammered long enough here. > >I hope I've answered what you were trying to ask! > >bmw > >-----Original Message----- >From: Five Senses Productions <fls@5senses.com> >To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> >Date: Wednesday, May 13, 1998 9:49 AM >Subject: [Leica] no one can help on this one? > > >>I have an M6, a 35/2 ASPH, a 50/2, and a 90/2.8. >>I use the meter in the M6 only when I am forced, and >>the rest of the time I use a Minolta IVF meter which does >>normal incident metering as well as flash metering. >>I have been using the flash meter for the first time this week >>and have a few questions. I use a $45 lightweight Nissin >>pocket flash on the M6 since it is very simple and the M6 does >>not do anything with more advanced flashes anyway, so why >>put a $400 flash on the M6..... >>When I use the flash meter in front of a model, I set the meter >>to the appropriate film speed and I set the shutter speed on the >>meter to 1/45, since there is no 1/50. I then pop the flash, and >>let's say the meter recommends f/8. From my understanding, >>this means that I need to set the M6 to 1/50 (approx) and f/8 >>to get a prefect exposure of the subject at the measured distance. >>Is this right? Am I on track here? >>OK, now if I want to get fancy and simulate a minus 1-2/3 for standard >>fill flash, how would I work that in? I tried placing a mini-softbox on the >>flash head, and remetering the flash, and I fould the softbox cuts the >>light by 1 to 1.5 stops. Is this a good method? It sounds good to me >>because not only would I be getting as close to the desired level of fill >>as possible, but I would also be diffusing the light with the softbox. >>Is stopping down the lens a stop going to do the same thing as cutting >>the flash by a stop (with softbox)? >>For outdoor situations, with ASA 100 film (like Astia, my favorite), on a >>sunny >>day, when I need that light touch of flash to fill in shadows under >>eyebrows and >>on shaded sides of faces, is my M6/Minolta/Nissin combo going to work well? >>If a model is in partial shade, where do I place the flash meter to get the >>correct reading? I have found that with 100 film, and at 1/50, the meter >>says a very small aperture, like f/11. Am I getting into "poor lens >>performance" >>territory by going down to f/11 and f/16? >>I know some of you will say "use your R8 for fill flash" but I really >>prefer using the >>M6 for my outdoor portrait/glamour work now. The only own side is the 1/50 >>shutter speed, since I have to use a tripod now for almost every shot, and >the >>models have to stay fairly still. >>Thanks for whatever tips and advice anyone can offer........ >>Francesco >> >> >> >>Francesco Sanfilippo, >>Five Senses Productions >>webmaster@5senses.com >> >>http://www.5senses.com/ >> >> >> >> >>Francesco Sanfilippo, >>Five Senses Productions >>webmaster@5senses.com >> >>http://www.5senses.com/ >> > Francesco Sanfilippo, Five Senses Productions webmaster@5senses.com http://www.5senses.com/