Lightsphere II work arounds

thegridrunner

Recently, I started getting back into photography after a long hiatus. I purchased a nikon D80 with the 18-135 AF lens f3.5~5.6, the sB-800 flash and the Lightsphere II clear. I noticed though that unless I was relatively close to my subject (less than 10 ft) my picture were on the dark side when I used the lightsphere.

I slipped a piece of alum foil into the lightsphere to reflect more light at the subject and it helped to brighten up the picture a bit but also darken the shadow a little. I was wondering if any of you ran into this problem? I'm thinking maybe I should get a brighter lense, say a f2.8 lense. I am also thinking that maybe I need a more powerful flash.

Anyway, have any of you found work arounds and have any of you played around with the lightsphere for custom effects?

mr peas

Try turning the output on the flash higher. When you use TTL, through the lightsphere, it doesnt take account that you're using something on top of it. It thinks its the flash is simply pointed up. When using diffusers, you will lose a certain amount of light so simply turn up the output to compensate or shoot under a higher ISO.

thegridrunner

You are absolutely right, I thought that TTL metering would automatically increase the output (It doesn't take into account the lightsphere attachment like you mentioned). I had to manually enter in a higher exposure to compensate. Now my pictures look great (I had to increase the exposure about +2 EV)
thanks for the tip

pathfinder

Raise your ISO...

thegridrunner

i tried raising the iso but the flash automatically detects the new iso and adjust the output accordingly (while not adjusting for the lightsphere). The pictures were still a bit too dark. The flash exposure adjustment was the right call. (I still learning how to use this flash)

The last real flash that I used was a soligor mk-32a for film cameras (canon AE-1 program). We are talking over 15 years ago when I was in high school working for the school yearbook photo staff. I heard that you can't use these flashes for digital cameras because the voltage is different. Oh well...

evoryware

My Canon has a button that fires a preflash (the FEC * button) so the camera can pick up the proper exposure with flash fired. If I fire this preflash, it usually figures out how bright the flash needs to be to light the subject. If I don't fire this preflash, I tend to end up with pictures too dark. I assume this is because the camera is dumb and doesn't really know how the light from the flash is going to affect the subject until the preflash is fired. Just a thought. I especially use it when I have the lightsphere on.

mr peas

thegridrunner wrote:

You are absolutely right, I thought that TTL metering would automatically increase the output (It doesn't take into account the lightsphere attachment like you mentioned). I had to manually enter in a higher exposure to compensate. Now my pictures look great (I had to increase the exposure about +2 EV)
thanks for the tip

Good to hear

dangin

pathfinder wrote:

Raise your ISO...

on most cameras, doesn't TTL factor in for this?
when shooting with my lightspheres, i shoot almost all manual flash. typically, at a wedding reception, i'm shooting around f/5.6, about 8-10' from my subjects, 200 ISO, and 1/4 - 1/2 flash. YMMV, of course.

thegridrunner

That's what I thought TTL metering did, but apparently the lightsphere throws the metering off. Since I take a test shot, I set the exposure compensation from the results I see in the histogram and the subject.
I think I may want to experment with some manual settings as well.

dangin

thegridrunner wrote:

That's what I thought TTL metering did, but apparently the lightsphere throws the metering off. Since I take a test shot, I set the exposure compensation from the results I see in the histogram and the subject.
I think I may want to experment with some manual settings as well.

TTL doesn't understand that you have a lightsphere doo-hickey atop of your flash. depending on the flash, it may register a flash-specific diffuser. for instance, the nikon sb-800 flash comes with a diffuser. when it's snapped on to the head of the sb-800, the flash unit will automatically change it's setting to the widest pattern; even if you're zoomed in.

like i said, i suggest learning to shoot in manual mode on your flash and camera when using the lightsphere. once you find the right settings at certain key apertures and focal lengths, you'll nail each shot **AND** you'll be a better photographer.

HiSPL

I think the confusion here comes from the fact that TTL metering is a misnomer. The TTL system does not meter the flashes power the same way that an autoflash works. It meters the scene and TELLS the flash how much to put out. Therefore the scene will be under exposed unless you tell the flash (with +FEC) that you put a modifier on it.