Flash & camera settings

scottphotography

Using a 17-55, 2.8 in apature mode w/flash set at ttlbl, i couldn't set my appature wider than 6 w/o the HIGH exposure reading. Suggestions?

jfriend

scottphotography wrote:

Using a 17-55, 2.8 in apature mode w/flash set at ttlbl, i couldn't set my appature wider than 6 w/o the HIGH exposure reading. Suggestions?

You don't say what camera you are using, but most cameras can only do normal flash sync up to around 1/250th, so they limit the shutter speed to that speed when the flash is enabled.

If there is a lot of light in your scene and you are using flash (probably for fill), then it is common to need a faster shutter speed than 1/250th at large apertures like f/2.8. If you can't have the faster shutter speed because of flash sync, then you see the HIGH indicator.

There are several possible solutions:

1. Lower your ISO as much as possible.
2. Just shoot at the smaller apertures to get your shutter speed down
3. Use an ND filter to reduce the overall amount of light so you can shoot at 1/250 and larger apertures without overexposing.
4. See if your flash/camera has a high speed sync mode which allows you to use faster shutter speeds and it pulses the flash at partial power in order to expose the whole frame properly.

scottphotography

Thank you. I'm using a D200 Nikon. I also changes the program to Program Mode and it seemed to work much better. What do most people use for a Mode Setting in camera & what setting on the flash while shooting indoors & outdoors?

jfriend

scottphotography wrote:

Thank you. I'm using a D200 Nikon. I also changes the program to Program Mode and it seemed to work much better. What do most people use for a Mode Setting in camera & what setting on the flash while shooting indoors & outdoors?

Program mode knows about the flash and will automatically pick an appropriate balance of shutter speed and aperture that works for the flash. When I am shooting a busy outdoor event with lots of people/action in all kinds of lighting and using fill flash (which I often do), I also use Program mode because it's foolproof. Further, when you have time to compose a shot, a quick flick of either dial gives you full control over aperture or shutter speed if you want to do something special for a shot. But, if you don't have time to think about all that, program mode will get the shot for you, even with fill flash in very bright light.

There are many experienced shooters who turn their nose up at program mode because it's one of the "auto" modes that chooses both shutter and aperture for you. But, I find it very useful in these kinds of busy environments with widely varying lighting. Further, program mode is only an auto mode if you don't tweak it. When you tweak it for a particular shot by turning one of the two dials, it gives you exactly as much control as S or A modes.

The D200 does have Auto FP Sync and you could also use that. I believe it's custom setting e1: on the D200. Here's an article that discusses it: http://www.rpphoto.com/howto/view.asp?articleID=1026.