flash in dim light

Bountyphotographer

I dont use my flash much but when I do I have some issue while shooting in dim light.

Can you see from the info of my pictures whats going on?

Not sure if its the AF point or batteries or just me???


The kids outside have the same exposure .
The sign and the adults have almost the same but the sign is much closer what else......
Hopefully the pics will show up

http://bph.smugmug.com/Clients/Dgrin-test/27595340_HJZwRc/#!i=2323443396&k=jSnBPjr&lb=1&s=A


http://bph.smugmug.com/Clients/Dgrin-test/27595340_HJZwRc/#!i=2323447643&k=Dbqc7SK&lb=1&s=A


http://bph.smugmug.com/Clients/Dgrin-test/27595340_HJZwRc/#!i=2323452308&k=ZzfwXc8&lb=1&s=A

http://bph.smugmug.com/Clients/Dgrin-test/27595340_HJZwRc/#!i=2323443484&k=2N5db3h&lb=1&s=A

Bountyphotographer

oooops forgot how to properly upload the pictures

ian408

Right click on the image in your gallery. Select "Copy Image Location" then past that link between image tags.

Like so:
[noparse] [/noparse]

Which should give you this:

Hackbone

The human eye and mind are wonderful things. They know what is supposed to be in and image and if the light is not correct they compensate for what is missing and give us the correct image. Photography does not have that ability, it simply shows us what was actually there.

With that being said the photo of the adults is under exposed.....was your flash up to the proper charge. They will fire before the charge is at 100%. The decorative lights and light reflecting off the chrome pole could have been hitting the sensor in the right way to tell the camera there was too much light possibly and stopping down.
Could have been operator error, been there and done that many times.

With point and shoot cameras I've seen many folks have their finger over the flash as they hold the camera and block the flash.

Just some ideas at what could have gone wrong. Don't forget to look at the screen and correct after the first shot.

uncool

Bounty

With flash, the shutter speed controls ambient exposure while aperture controls flash exposure. Your best bet is to experiment at home. Find a subject and shoot it while keeping the shutter locked in and change the aperture. Now lock in the aperture and change the shutter speed.
Here's an example of what you will find:
http://goo.gl/IZuMS

So for your shots it simply looks like the flash didn't have enough power.

Bountyphotographer

I never have any problem inside the house with more light its only when its really dim.
The two first link on my previous thread have the same flash parameter yet the one inside the ouse is almost too bright.
I didnt put my finger over the sensor for sure.
Ill do more test in my garage

Thanks

Hackbone

Have you ever adjusted your flash compensation and forgot to put it back?

Bountyphotographer

No I didnt I and usually go all out trying to compensate + 1,+2,+3 I even go manual 1/128 to 1/1 but it doesnt always work.
Insisde with decent light no problem at all but outside ?????It almost look to me that the camera
doesnt meter properly . BTW on my Canon 580 I dont see a preflash before shooting??

johng

what metering mode do you have the FLASH set to? Evaluative?
When having issues like this - Flash exposure lock button (FEL) can be your friend.

Bountyphotographer

Evaluative. FEL , never used it. Maybe I should but come on I was shooting 1/60 2.8 which should have been super bright. Just like the picture of the HAPPY NEW YEAR sign inside the house (see below))



These two links below have the same set up except that the underexposed one is 2.8 instead of 4.5?????


http://bph.smugmug.com/Clients/Dgrin-test/27595340_HJZwRc/#!i=2323443396&k=jSnBPjr&lb=1&s=A


http://bph.smugmug.com/Clients/Dgrin-test/27595340_HJZwRc/#!i=2323447643&k=Dbqc7SK&lb=1&s=A

anonymouscuban

I think it's a metering issue. Especially if shooting in evaluative. As Chuck pointed out, the twinkly lights and the reflection from the pole probably set the exposure for the overall scene. I'd shoot this in spot metering myself and meter off a face.

Bountyphotographer

Ok Ill have some homework to do in my garage tonight

OK I TESTED THE FLASH.
Here it is canon 580 flash/canon 30 D 24-70 2.8 Sigma
No people mixed up with lamps, tables, chairs,light .
The shots are SOOC and didnt care about sharpness or perfect lighting just wanted to see the difference between P & AV mode. shooting fast without thinking too much. I shot P mode ( I rarely use this mode) and AV mode
P mode was so easy I never missed a pic, AV was pretty tough I had to compensate a lot and hold still otherwise the pictures would have been blurry. I played a bit with the iso from 400 to 800, 100 was a disater in AV mode

Garage was kind of dark


P MODE ( OOOPS CANT COPY FIRST PICTURE i DONT HAVE COPY IMAGE LOCATION ANYMORE????)
http://bph.smugmug.com/Clients/Dgrin-test/27595340_HJZwRc#!i=2324819340&k=Bt9kQd7

AV MODE


P MODE


AV MODE


Overall P mode was a clear winner since I had to struggle to take a decent pic with the AV mode . The deal is that during my party it was probably darker than in my garage explaining why I had underexposed pictures while shooting AV mode.

Hackbone

Why not shoot in manual mode and let the flash do the adjusting. Pick your f stop and shutter speed and go. When you use the other two modes you can get in trouble with ghosting when it drops you shutter speed too low.

Bountyphotographer

more testing yesssssssss