Flash Photography - How to get the best out of it?

I have a Canon digital rebel, Sunpak 5000af Zoom Flash, Tamron SP
AF28-75, 2.8 Lens.

How do I go about taking good indoor flash pictures this Christmas? In
the past I've always been disappointed with how they come out. I've
tried a variety of settings, but I guess not the correct one.

What settings on the camera will give the best? AV, TV, Automatic White
Balance?

Ken wrote:
I have a Canon digital rebel, Sunpak 5000af Zoom Flash, Tamron SP
AF28-75, 2.8 Lens.

How do I go about taking good indoor flash pictures this Christmas? In
the past I've always been disappointed with how they come out. I've
tried a variety of settings, but I guess not the correct one.

What settings on the camera will give the best? AV, TV, Automatic White
Balance?

Manual exposure. Set your aperture (f/5.6 to f/8 for the family
snapshot thing) and shuter speed to 1/125 (or 1/200 or whatever highest
flash sync you have). Set white balance to 5500K (or equivalent
"daylight" mode on your camera). Flash in TTL mode (or E-TTL or
whatever it's called on your camera).

Take a test shot or two and adjust flash comp according to the monitor
display / histogram.

Bounce the light off of ceilings or walls make it less harsh and to
subdue BG shaddows.

If these are "family snapshots" then f/5.6 to f/8 and ISO 400 will give
pretty good and consistent results while not using the flash power too
quickly.

G'luck.


--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.

Alan Browne wrote:
Ken wrote:

I have a Canon digital rebel, Sunpak 5000af Zoom Flash, Tamron SP
AF28-75, 2.8 Lens.

How do I go about taking good indoor flash pictures this Christmas? In
the past I've always been disappointed with how they come out. I've
tried a variety of settings, but I guess not the correct one.

What settings on the camera will give the best? AV, TV, Automatic
White Balance?


Manual exposure. Set your aperture (f/5.6 to f/8 for the family
snapshot thing) and shuter speed to 1/125 (or 1/200 or whatever highest
flash sync you have). Set white balance to 5500K (or equivalent
"daylight" mode on your camera). Flash in TTL mode (or E-TTL or
whatever it's called on your camera).

Take a test shot or two and adjust flash comp according to the monitor
display / histogram.

Bounce the light off of ceilings or walls make it less harsh and to
subdue BG shaddows.

If these are "family snapshots" then f/5.6 to f/8 and ISO 400 will give
pretty good and consistent results while not using the flash power too
quickly.

G'luck.


Thanks... I tried, got so-so pics. I asked question too late and had not
enough time to practice. Guess it's like how to get to Carnegie Hall -
practice, practice, practice.

In article C1csf.15044$Ou3.14474@dukeread09, says...
Alan Browne wrote:
Ken wrote:

I have a Canon digital rebel, Sunpak 5000af Zoom Flash, Tamron SP
AF28-75, 2.8 Lens.

How do I go about taking good indoor flash pictures this Christmas? In
the past I've always been disappointed with how they come out. I've
tried a variety of settings, but I guess not the correct one.

What settings on the camera will give the best? AV, TV, Automatic
White Balance?


Manual exposure. Set your aperture (f/5.6 to f/8 for the family
snapshot thing) and shuter speed to 1/125 (or 1/200 or whatever highest
flash sync you have). Set white balance to 5500K (or equivalent
"daylight" mode on your camera). Flash in TTL mode (or E-TTL or
whatever it's called on your camera).

Take a test shot or two and adjust flash comp according to the monitor
display / histogram.

Bounce the light off of ceilings or walls make it less harsh and to
subdue BG shaddows.

If these are "family snapshots" then f/5.6 to f/8 and ISO 400 will give
pretty good and consistent results while not using the flash power too
quickly.

G'luck.


Thanks... I tried, got so-so pics. I asked question too late and had not
enough time to practice. Guess it's like how to get to Carnegie Hall -
practice, practice, practice.

For Carnegie hall it is practice, practice, and have connections.
For pop music it is practice and have connections and connections and
connections.
But for using a flash it is theory and practice, practice, practice.

Ken wrote:


Thanks... I tried, got so-so pics. I asked question too late and had not
enough time to practice. Guess it's like how to get to Carnegie Hall -
practice, practice, practice.

Depends on what you want to do at Carnegie Hall. Easiest way is call the
box office for tickets, then take a taxi.

On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 16:37:15 GMT, no_name
wrote:

Ken wrote:


Thanks... I tried, got so-so pics. I asked question too late and had not
enough time to practice. Guess it's like how to get to Carnegie Hall -
practice, practice, practice.

Depends on what you want to do at Carnegie Hall. Easiest way is call the
box office for tickets, then take a taxi.

Well, instead of a taxi, you could even take the subway. Q, N, R, and
W trains, on what used to be called the BMT, all stop at 57th Street
and 7th Avenue, right outside the main entrance to Carnegie Hall.
Lots of other lines nearby, with a few blocks walk.

I'll defer to someone else about bus service except to note that the
M104 stops nearby.

Father Kodak

"Father Kodak" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 16:37:15 GMT, no_name
wrote:

Ken wrote:


Thanks... I tried, got so-so pics. I asked question too late and had
not
enough time to practice. Guess it's like how to get to Carnegie Hall -
practice, practice, practice.

Depends on what you want to do at Carnegie Hall. Easiest way is call the
box office for tickets, then take a taxi.

Well, instead of a taxi, you could even take the subway. Q, N, R, and
W trains, on what used to be called the BMT, all stop at 57th Street
and 7th Avenue, right outside the main entrance to Carnegie Hall.
Lots of other lines nearby, with a few blocks walk.

I'll defer to someone else about bus service except to note that the
M104 stops nearby.

Father Kodak
I'd avoid
practicing on the subway, due to the fact that these mutts all have ticket
quotas, and you are sure to get one, right or wrong. Outside you can stand a
measured 10 ft. from a busy bus and bracket a half a roll on a truly filthy
bus and know the answer. Just stand up-wind from the exhaust. Bob Hickey

Father Kodak wrote:

On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 16:37:15 GMT, no_name
wrote:


Ken wrote:



Thanks... I tried, got so-so pics. I asked question too late and had not
enough time to practice. Guess it's like how to get to Carnegie Hall -
practice, practice, practice.

Depends on what you want to do at Carnegie Hall. Easiest way is call the
box office for tickets, then take a taxi.


Well, instead of a taxi, you could even take the subway. Q, N, R, and
W trains, on what used to be called the BMT, all stop at 57th Street
and 7th Avenue, right outside the main entrance to Carnegie Hall.
Lots of other lines nearby, with a few blocks walk.

I'll defer to someone else about bus service except to note that the
M104 stops nearby.

Father Kodak


I don't live in NYC. Don't know the ins & outs of the subway system ...