Test to show what I mean. The "scenery" shows a difficult mixed light situation:
The first one is the Tv Test Shot (using the exposure choise of the camera in Tv mode) at 1/100 it chose F13: http://gallery37564.fotopic.net/p8921186.html The next shot is shot in "M"-setting using the same shutter speed (1/100 sec.) but now the aperture is set to F16 and a AF500FTZ flash is used in TTL-setting: http://gallery37564.fotopic.net/p8921434.html I hope this helps you understand my concept of "Fill-flash" all the best Jens Bladt mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://hjem.get2net.dk/bladt -----Oprindelig meddelelse----- Fra: Jens Bladt [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sendt: 7. november 2004 09:41 Til: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Emne: RE: fill flash problems on the *istD New technologies, new photographing techniques. I have used this procedure successfully for mixed and difficult light: Set camera to Tv and 1/100 sec. Make a test shot using this setting and the flash turned OFF. Press the PLAY back button. The picture may show need for fill flash (beeing a little dark in important parts of the frame). Then press the INFO button TWICE. You can now read the used settings: 1/100 sec. and - let's say F 8. Now set the camera to "M" and 1/100 sec and f 8-11. You will now have "space" for the fill flash. (Please remember that TTL works, even in "M" setting). Turn ON the flash using TTL setting - or the old fashioned "A" (computer flash) setting on the flash (no TTL) and choose aperture related setting for F8-11, if you are not comfortable with TTL (Thoug, I have not experienced any problems with this on my * istD). Shoot! Now your shots will be perfect. Jens Bladt mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://hjem.get2net.dk/bladt -----Oprindelig meddelelse----- Fra: Jens Bladt [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sendt: 7. november 2004 09:04 Til: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Emne: RE: fill flash problems on the *istD Hello Amita You have been shooting in very difficult light. The very low sun is giving you trouble. Believe me, we Scandiavians know this from experience. That' what gives the camera eeposure automatics problems. You uses Av setting, letting the camera chose shutterspeed, but with the flash turned on, the camera will use a minimum shutterspeed, leaving no or just a little "space" for the flash to work in. Problem: The two first pictures are kind of backlit, causing underexpsure, The two others are partly lit by the low sun, thus better exposure/overexposure. Solution: Use "M" setting and a flash. Make sure the setting will not - even without the flash - overexpose your shots, but slightly underexpose. Let the flash provide the rest of the light needed. If F8, 1/100 gives you slightly underexposed frames, use this setting AND the flash set to TTL. Alternatively, don't use TTL. Use "A" setting on the flash to provide enough light for a sertain Aperture. The flash will then cut off the light beam when it has reached the sufficient ammount. Set the camera accordingly or one aperture darkier to use the flash as fill in, not main light. And - BTW - don't use F3.5 for portraits. Use F5.6 or better. All the best Jens mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://hjem.get2net.dk/bladt -----Oprindelig meddelelse----- Fra: Amita Guha [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sendt: 7. november 2004 02:42 Til: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Emne: fill flash problems on the *istD Last weekend, we shot a bunch of photos of my friend Sue, a musician and singer, for her website. This was the first time I really got to use my new Sigma EF-500 flash. A lot of the photos came out fine, but some came out really dark. Here are some samples. The first two are dark, the third is too bright and the fourth looks good. http://www.sunny16.net/sue-flash.htm I shot everything at aperture priority, and the flash fired every single time. What went wrong? Thanks, Amita

