Canon 350D Flash

If you are serious about photography, get the heck out of the PIC modes and
use one of the Creative modes. Then the flash won't come on unless you turn
it on. That would be why the manual doesn't say anything about it, you're
reading the part about PIC modes, aren't you?

--
Skip Middleton
www.shadowcatcherimagery.com

"Todd H." wrote in message ...
writes:

Thanks for all your quick replies.

I will get the P mode instructions out and have a play.

I figured there must have been something I missed !

Basically in P mode, you can futz with these:
- flash on/off
- exposure compensation ( e.g. -1.0 to shoot black dog, +1.0
or more for that lovely snowy scene)
- ISO setting (100 up to 1600 trading noise off against being
able to shoot at faster shutterspeeds at a given light
level)


Don't forget Program Shift, changing either the aperture or the shutter
speed, but maintaining the same exposure value.

--
Skip Middleton
www.shadowcatcherimagery.com

Hi there.

I have recently bought a Canon 350D. I am yet to work out how to
manually turn the flash on or off in any of the modes.

I know that there is the "Flash Off" mode, but it would be nice if you
are using, for example, the "Macro" or "Portrait" mode to be be able to
turn the flash off or on as it suits you.

I can't find anything in the manual on this point. I am sure I am
missing something as even my Sony P100 point and shoot enables you to
manually control the flash.

I appreciate any assistance on this issue.

Cheers.

R

writes:

Hi there.

I have recently bought a Canon 350D. I am yet to work out how to
manually turn the flash on or off in any of the modes.

I know that there is the "Flash Off" mode, but it would be nice if you
are using, for example, the "Macro" or "Portrait" mode to be be able to
turn the flash off or on as it suits you.

Your desire to have control over your flash is good. Embrace the P
mode.

The Fisher Price modes don't allow most of the overrides you want.

I can't find anything in the manual on this point. I am sure I am
missing something as even my Sony P100 point and shoot enables you
to manually control the flash.

P Program is the mode you want. In default settings it's a point
and shoot mode, but all overrides are available to you in it.

Best Regards,
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

Thanks for all your quick replies.

I will get the P mode instructions out and have a play.

I figured there must have been something I missed !

writes:

Thanks for all your quick replies.

I will get the P mode instructions out and have a play.

I figured there must have been something I missed !

Basically in P mode, you can futz with these:
- flash on/off
- exposure compensation ( e.g. -1.0 to shoot black dog, +1.0
or more for that lovely snowy scene)
- ISO setting (100 up to 1600 trading noise off against being
able to shoot at faster shutterspeeds at a given light
level)

Tv is like P mode except you're forcing it to a given shutter speed

Av is like P mode except you're forcing it to a given aperture to
achieve a given depth of field .


Get the Hove Fountain cbook on the 350D, or th eMagic Lantern
book--they'll teach you far better than the manual.

Enjoy your camera.

Best Regards,
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

One thing that is not clear in the manual is the flash behaviour differences
in P mode verses Tv, Av, and M. Have a look at:
http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/

Basically P mode will always try to keep at least 1/60s minimum shutter
speed even if it means that the nonflash part of the exposure will be
underexposed and the flash exposure may become the dominant source of light.
This leads to the typical picture with bright forground subject and dark
background.

Av and Tv modes will meter for the non-flash case just like you didn't use
flash so the background will be fully exposed. The flash will fire and the
flash exposure will brighten up the foreground subject additionally giving
the effect commonly known as fill-flash. This can lead to very low shutter
speeds in low light or large apertures, be careful to get what you want. Of
course you can use exposure compensation and flash exposure compensation in
the camera to change the ratio of flash to ambient lighting.

Manual mode lets you select how much ambient exposure you want with the
meter and the flash exposure portion is automatic to light the foreground
and adjustable with the flash exposure compensation.

DEP mode with flash seems to be the same as P mode if the flash is enabled.


wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks for all your quick replies.

I will get the P mode instructions out and have a play.

I figured there must have been something I missed !

default skrev:

Av and Tv modes will meter for the non-flash case just like you didn't use
flash so the background will be fully exposed. The flash will fire and the
flash exposure will brighten up the foreground subject additionally giving
the effect commonly known as fill-flash.

Yes, people keep telling me this. But in practice, I have found the
effects of flash use very erratic together with Av on my 30D. Often,
but by no means all the time, the result is a hideous overexposure -
like more than two stops away, such that it is well nigh impossible to
get it right just by flash exposure compensation, I've almost stopped
using Av with flash now, although it is normally my default shooting
mode.

Anybody having any clue of what I and the camera do that don't sit well
together?

Jan Böhme

Jan Böhme wrote:
default skrev:
Av and Tv modes will meter for the non-flash case just like you didn't use
flash so the background will be fully exposed. The flash will fire and the
flash exposure will brighten up the foreground subject additionally giving
the effect commonly known as fill-flash.

Yes, people keep telling me this. But in practice, I have found the
effects of flash use very erratic together with Av on my 30D. Often,
but by no means all the time, the result is a hideous overexposure -
like more than two stops away, such that it is well nigh impossible to
get it right just by flash exposure compensation, I've almost stopped
using Av with flash now, although it is normally my default shooting
mode.

Anybody having any clue of what I and the camera do that don't sit well
together?

It is probably E-TTL. It tries to get fancy and links the autofocus
points to the exposure. If you focus lock and then recompose, it can be
a problem.

Try change flash from evaluative to average.

http://digitcamera.tripod.com/#slr

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi there.

I have recently bought a Canon 350D. I am yet to work out how to
manually turn the flash on or off in any of the modes.

I know that there is the "Flash Off" mode, but it would be nice if you
are using, for example, the "Macro" or "Portrait" mode to be be able to
turn the flash off or on as it suits you.

I can't find anything in the manual on this point. I am sure I am
missing something as even my Sony P100 point and shoot enables you to
manually control the flash.

I appreciate any assistance on this issue.

Cheers.

R


The 350D manual has a chart, on page 152, which gives some info on the
difference between the modes.

You could also peruse:

"Canon EOS DIgital Rebel XT / EOS 350D" by Michael Guncheon (Magic Lantern
Guides 1-57990-761-X)
"Complete User's Guide - Canon Speedlites" by Philip Raby (Hove Foto Books
1-874031-18-5).

Regards, Ian.