Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/10/30

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Fillin Flash: Was: Using Vivitar 2800 flash with M6 TTL
From: Krechtz@aol.com
Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2000 10:07:08 EST

In a message dated 10/29/00 10:19:17 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
jgong@cisco.com writes:

<< Indoor fillin flash is set at -1 or -2 f-stops below the ambient light. So,
 if your meter tells you that the room requires 1/30 sec. at f4, you would
 set the flash as if you were shooting at f2. You're fooling the flash into
 dropping the light output. >>

I have found this to be an effective technique, with one reservation.  
Because of the angle of acceptance of the sensor on most, if not all, 
auto-exposure non-TTL flash units, backlighting is quite likely to result in 
underexposure of the area sought to be filled by the flash.  
    Manual control of the flash is the best solution.  If the unit does not 
have variable power, some standardized form of diffusion or bounce generally 
needs to be 
used to reduce light output to the desired extent, in a predictable manner.  
    The resulting degree of reduction in light output can be determined 
through use of a flash meter or by trial and error, before using this 
technique on an actual shoot.  However,  variable power is by far the more 
practical and usable alternative.  
Among compact units having variable power, the Minolta 200x works very well, 
and it also provides a "flash ready" signal in the M6TTL finder.  It can be 
had for $30-50 in mint condition.
Good luck!

Joe Sobel