Help With Sony A300

klickingkatklickingkat Registered Users Posts: 24 Big grins
edited March 4, 2011 in Cameras
When using flash I am getting way under exposed pictures. I've tried many diifferent combinations of settings. Great pics in outside natural light. Any suggestions? It seems the same with built in flash and the external flash.
Sony A300 28-200 Tameron
Sony A300 70-200 f/2.8 Sony
Sony A100 75-300 4.5-5.6
Sony A100 18-70 3.5-5.6

Comments

  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,156 moderator
    edited February 28, 2011
    If you could supply an image with full EXIF attached, that would be helpful.

    At very least we would need to know the conditions, subjects and background of the shoot, as well as shooting modes and settings for your camera and flash.

    The causes for underexposure, whether using flash or ambient, are many and varied.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • klickingkatklickingkat Registered Users Posts: 24 Big grins
    edited February 28, 2011
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    If you could supply an image with full EXIF attached, that would be helpful.

    At very least we would need to know the conditions, subjects and background of the shoot, as well as shooting modes and settings for your camera and flash.

    The causes for underexposure, whether using flash or ambient, are many and varied.
    Will do tomorrow when access to fast internet.
    Sony A300 28-200 Tameron
    Sony A300 70-200 f/2.8 Sony
    Sony A100 75-300 4.5-5.6
    Sony A100 18-70 3.5-5.6
  • klickingkatklickingkat Registered Users Posts: 24 Big grins
    edited March 1, 2011
    Sample Pic
    http://kathysphotosbythesea.smugmug.com/Category/Files-for-help/16029311_prKea#1202791693_cttef

    http://kathysphotosbythesea.smugmug.com/Category/Files-for-help/16029311_prKea#1202791693_cttef
    Sony A300 28-200 Tameron
    Sony A300 70-200 f/2.8 Sony
    Sony A100 75-300 4.5-5.6
    Sony A100 18-70 3.5-5.6
  • klickingkatklickingkat Registered Users Posts: 24 Big grins
    edited March 1, 2011
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    If you could supply an image with full EXIF attached, that would be helpful.

    At very least we would need to know the conditions, subjects and background of the shoot, as well as shooting modes and settings for your camera and flash.

    The causes for underexposure, whether using flash or ambient, are many and varied.

    Maybe you can just delete this thread until I figure how to post the picture.
    Sony A300 28-200 Tameron
    Sony A300 70-200 f/2.8 Sony
    Sony A100 75-300 4.5-5.6
    Sony A100 18-70 3.5-5.6
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,156 moderator
    edited March 1, 2011
    Your best bet is to create a new gallery without any of the privacy restrictions of your current gallery and upload/copy the image(s) to the new gallery. Pay special attention to the "External Links" and make sure that is set to "Yes". Your linking into DGrin looks good.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • PupatorPupator Registered Users Posts: 2,322 Major grins
    edited March 3, 2011
    Hmmm. Is the flash's power turned way down?

    The natural light photo is 1/40 shutter speed and f/4 (ISO 400)
    The flash photo is 1/60 shutter speed and f/16 (ISO 400)

    Since the camera is in full auto mode, it's making those choices for you. It would only make them if it thought they were right and the only thing I could think of where you'd be overriding them is on the flash power.
  • MarkRMarkR Registered Users Posts: 2,099 Major grins
    edited March 4, 2011
    I think f/16 is the key here-- that's a tiny little hole, giving a guide number of a few feet, maybe more if you are using an external flash.
  • klickingkatklickingkat Registered Users Posts: 24 Big grins
    edited March 4, 2011
    MarkR wrote: »
    I think f/16 is the key here-- that's a tiny little hole, giving a guide number of a few feet, maybe more if you are using an external flash.
    It was an external flash but used the auto setting because I thought it was the best way to show the difference I was seeing.
    Sony A300 28-200 Tameron
    Sony A300 70-200 f/2.8 Sony
    Sony A100 75-300 4.5-5.6
    Sony A100 18-70 3.5-5.6
  • MarkRMarkR Registered Users Posts: 2,099 Major grins
    edited March 4, 2011
    Ok, well, assuming a guide # of 32 meters (@ISO 100) for ease of calculation,

    32/(f16) = 2 meters * 2.07 (ISO 400) = 13 feet, assumming direct flash. I'm sure Ziggy will tell me if my math's wrong. :D

    Do you have negative flash exposure set, or exposure either in the camera or flash set to spot metering? (EDIT: I see the camera was set to pattern metering, which I assume is another name for matrix metering.)

    Another thing that fools most flashes that use pre-flashes is bright, reflective objects like mirrors, but I don't see anything like that here. ne_nau.gif
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