Flash on 5d2 problem
oakfieldphotography.com
Registered Users Posts: 376 Major grins
Hi everyone,
It has been a while since i last posted here and as usual i am looking for some help on an issue that is starting to bug me. Basically i set my camera to Bracket exposure and press the set button on my 5D MK2. (Normally one third each way) After pressing the set button i start to press the shutter and the bracketed sign on the top of my camera dissapears. If i turn off my 580 ex 2, speedlite when it is attached to my camera all is fine. My confusion reigns from the fact that i dont have the user manual for the camera or flash unit anymore. Looking on youtube i seen a short video on the menu setup on the flash and seen that it can be bracketed. So i tried that and it worked without setting my camera up for the same mode.
All i would like to do is set my camera and flash up so that at the end of the day i will have 3 exposures of all of the shots with flash taken during the days shoot.
Can anyone help me please.
Kind Regards
Patrick.:dunno
It has been a while since i last posted here and as usual i am looking for some help on an issue that is starting to bug me. Basically i set my camera to Bracket exposure and press the set button on my 5D MK2. (Normally one third each way) After pressing the set button i start to press the shutter and the bracketed sign on the top of my camera dissapears. If i turn off my 580 ex 2, speedlite when it is attached to my camera all is fine. My confusion reigns from the fact that i dont have the user manual for the camera or flash unit anymore. Looking on youtube i seen a short video on the menu setup on the flash and seen that it can be bracketed. So i tried that and it worked without setting my camera up for the same mode.
All i would like to do is set my camera and flash up so that at the end of the day i will have 3 exposures of all of the shots with flash taken during the days shoot.
Can anyone help me please.
Kind Regards
Patrick.:dunno
0
Comments
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Owner's Manual
Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash Owner's Manual
I've never done bracketed flash automation, so I'm researching that now.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/education/technical/eos_5d_custom_functions_explained.do
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
FEB is not compatible with AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing). You may use FEB with FEC (Flash Exposure Compensation.)
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
Thanks Ziggy. I will try and sort this out this coming week as i have a meeting with the bride and groom in just over an hour.
Kind Regards
Patrick.:D
Now for the longer answer.
If your trying set your camera up to take 3 images in burst mode, quick succession, depending on the flashes power output setting this may not be possible. The flash needs time to recharge. Also even though the images will be taken very quickly they will not be exactly the same. Also, at least to my knowledge, Burst only has a chance if your in manual mode with the power at 1/4 or less, and then only for 3 or 4 frames. ETTL seems to eat up too much power so all you get is one shot and the flash is out of juice.
Although I understand the concept of you trying to take three shots at different exposures in an attempt to ensure at least one is properly exposed, I have not personally heard of any wedding photographers using this method. Even though you can set the flash to ETTL and bracket your flash exposure you would need to delay each shoot for the flash to recharge, and reset the bracketing after each 3 shots.
My thought would be to learn the flash and chimp. Set the flash to ETTL and use a shutter speed between say 1/60 and your sync speed. Set your ISO to somewhere between 800 and 1600. The slow shutter and the higher ISO will allow more ambient into the image and reduce the "shot in a cave" look.
OH and if you can bounce...BOUNCE! When bouncing it's a good idea to remove any flash modifiers. Also if your shooting with ambient incandescent lighting you might want to think about using a 1/4 CTO gel.
Also remember your shutter speed has no impact on your flash, only the ambient. If your shooting something moving faster you may choose to sacrifice a dark background in favor of avoiding blurred movement.
Weddings are some of the most challenging shooting conditions.
Good luck and let us know how it went.
Sam
I differ with Sam in that I greatly prefer using a flash modifier (generally a DIY scoop), even in situations where bounce is possible.
From a wedding reception last fall, where I was just a guest:
Another previous wedding reception:
Just before the ceremony:
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
I don't think there is a right or wrong with regard to using flash modifiers when bouncing. My reasoning behind the statement was that you chew up more power with a modifier than without, and if your trying to bounce off a high ceiling or distant wall to light a large area you may need all the power you can get, and the ceiling or wall now becomes your diffuser.
Plus with many modifiers, Stofen comes to mind, it will throw light off the side as well as the front so less directional.
That's just me ideas.
Sam
You are both correct. I guess i was trying to imput some safety into my work. The bride does not require me at her home before the wedding so i guess its the church to start with and then off to a location weather permittimg
and then onto the reception until late to catch speeches, cutting of the cake, first dance and what ever comes my way after that.. I guess i dont want to take a bad shot and look a fool at the altar in front of a few hundred guests taking 3 or more pictures of the main group shot. I am travelling to the church for the rehersal with the bride and groom plus their families. Unfortunatly it looks like it wont take place at the same time of day as the wedding. So i am going to do a personal reccie myself and see what the light is like in the church the day before.
I have tried to take group shots with the nifty fifty but its not wide enough and if you put distance between you and your subjects, colour goes out the window especially on a dull day. Roll on my new lens. Canon EF 24-70 F2.8.
Nervous........ me, not for the moment, but i bought a book called Digital Wedding Photographers Wedding Planner by Kenny Kim. A very informative read and i got some good tips for the couples special day.
I dont know what to add here but i will let you know how i am getting onn in a special tread if thats ok.
It should make for some interesting reading and give those of us trying something new for the first time an insight into putting yourself on the line.
Thanks Sam and Ziggy you are a great mind of information and mabey someday i will be able to return the favour.
Kind Regards
Patrick.
You posted: I guess i dont want to take a bad shot and look a fool at the altar in front of a few hundred guests taking 3 or more pictures of the main group shot
I don't worry about taking a bad shot. I do it all the time.
Always take more that one shot of each formal pose. You do want to have insurance shots. Watch out for people blinking, kids with their finger up their nose, etc. You don't do this in burst mode. Thake a few second between shots. One technique I and many other use is to have them all relax and close their eyes. On the count of three have them open their eyes. Then take the shot! This gives you the best chance to get everyone's eyes open.
Sam
I do take more than one shot and yes i have seen the close your eyes and open them being used by a pro. Nice idea. I am hoping the 24-70 f2.8 will cover me all through the wedding ceremony and beyond that i dont have the money for a cheap zoom lens. I had a canon EF 75-300 mark 3 usm lens but the picture quality was not great in low light.
All i can do is my best. Just one question before i leave out of this tread.
On average how many pictures do you show the client before he or she decided which ones they want in a 15 page wedding album ie 30 pictures of 10 inch by 10inch ?
Kind Regards
Patrick.:D
I think everybody has their own ideas here. I only show good clean images. If I have say 20 shots of them at the alter and 3 or 4 are really nice with different angles I will only show those 3 or 4. Same with formals I only show the best shot of each pose. My object is quality. I don't care about quantity.
That said you do want a nice variety of images that tell the story of the day.
I can almost guarantee if you show them an image that's slightly out of focus and maybe OK at 4" X 6", that's the one will want printed out at 40" X 60". They will not believe you when you tell them it won't look good at the larger size.
Sam
I came across this before and when the person got their image printed they were very dissapointed. I was with the bride and groom a couple of night ago and they decided 10 inch by 10 inch prints would suit their album. I dragged an image of a group from a different shoot into phohotshop and cropped it. Seems like this size dosent suit large posed group shots. What do you think?
Patrick