Re: Flash outside in Digital Imaging http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r20448857 en Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:00:11 EDT Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:00:11 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20459171 mark470 : the white balance does look more natural with the flash.
and yeah pog is on the money :)
--
my heart belongs to a canadian, she is the best.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20459171 Fri, 09 May 2008 21:00:48 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20453382 Jodokast96 : Yeah, you're right, lol. You'd think I'd have noticed that since I had to actually go back and find the thread in the first place.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20453382 Thu, 08 May 2008 18:53:12 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20451996 No_Strings :
said by SueS See Profile :

... maybe I am just making mountains out of molehills.
You're trying to understand the mechanisms in play so you can use them to your advantage. I'd call that time well spent. :)]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20451996 Thu, 08 May 2008 14:28:13 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20451935 SueS : Pog, your first paragraph is completely correct. I did not have my external flash with me so had to use the pop up.

I was set on auto white balance.

The first photo was shot on a cloudy day, and the second on a bright day three days apart. Probably not the same toad, but most certainly the same kind. Trust me, I would not have used the flash, unless I needed (or thought I needed it) for proper exposure. Looking back maybe I could have raised the ISO. I was not prepared for the shot, and I did not have all my equipment with me, so used what I had at the time. We have all done this, I am sure.

I find color differences like this in all my outside flashed shots. (unless just using high speed on the external) Seems most here like the flash shot best, maybe I am just making mountains out of molehills.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20451935 Thu, 08 May 2008 14:16:32 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449809 pog : I appears to me that you used the flash pointed directly at the subject, head on without any kind of diffusing apparatus... at high power. This is a recipe (IMO) for harshness. However, I don't see much difference in this sense between your shots... maybe because the natural light was somewhat direct anyway?

The other factor is white balance. I could easily be wrong but when flash is used, most cameras set the auto WB to the temp/hue that flash typically emits... somewhat cold compared to a lot of the ambient light we experience. Without the flash, auto WB is based on the scene's ambient light. IOW, this would probably explain the difference you see in color.

There are a lot of things to try with flash... many of them depend on whether or not you are using onboard flash or shoe mounted or off-camera or even multiple flash. The main thing is that you need to have a specific reason for using the flash. :) Why, in this case, do you need the flash? Not saying you do or don't... just wondering what you think.

As for settings to experiment with... can you dial flash compensation into your camera/flash? Try shooting with -1, or -2 or even -3... according to the stats you posted, 1/100 with flash vs 1/800 without flash, the flash sure put out a fair bit of light! Might be nicer with a different balance?

As for the coloring, a shot of a neutral target would be helpful... this would allow you to adjust the real shot's WB during post processing very easily. ... or you could set the camera's WB on the scene with such a target as well.
--
My Site]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449809 Thu, 08 May 2008 02:46:00 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449713 Wyattx17 :
said by Jodokast96 See Profile :

Flash is one thing I really know little about. Exit See Profile post this »Vital viewing for Flash users. recently, and it may give you some ideas. My guess in this case is that by using flash, you eliminated the much too harsh natural light. The flash on the other hand gave you a much more controlled light source that wasn't overpowering.
That was posted by Edit This See Profile. :)

I like the flash one better though. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449713 Thu, 08 May 2008 01:54:39 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449636 SueS : Flash shot; cloudy day 11:46 AM
Shutter 1/100
F/8
ISO 200
300mm about 5 foot away
Manual

No flash; bright day 2:18 PM
Shutter 1/800
F/8
ISO 200
-1 step exposure
300mm about 5 foot away
AV mode

Both center focused with pattern metering]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449636 Thu, 08 May 2008 01:27:56 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449596 SandShark : If you don't mind, can you post the shutter speed, aperture, ISO and what mode (Av, Tv, M, etc.) you were shooting. That will say a lot about how each image was exposed. ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449596 Thu, 08 May 2008 01:10:29 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449560 rog : The second one is a bit over exposed but when the image is tweaked with Levels it looks better. At least IMHO.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449560 Thu, 08 May 2008 00:56:02 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449341 SueS : My shutter in this case with flash was 1/100. I have no problem using flash with high speed shutter for fill light.

I metered on the toad both times with center focus.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449341 Wed, 07 May 2008 23:55:14 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449317 Pretorious : I think the one with flash is the better image. I've been using flashes a lot outside and in extreme sun light and have found that the colors are actually truer when a flash is used, especially when I use fill flash, the images are much better exposed overall as well.
It may however be what you metered on, exposure settings and several other options that could have caused the color in your case to be off with the flash.
--
My other Gallery
And yet another

]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449317 Wed, 07 May 2008 23:51:22 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449282 Jodokast96 : Flash is one thing I really know little about. Exit See Profile post this »Vital viewing for Flash users. recently, and it may give you some ideas. My guess in this case is that by using flash, you eliminated the much too harsh natural light. The flash on the other hand gave you a much more controlled light source that wasn't overpowering.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449282 Wed, 07 May 2008 23:44:17 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449175 SueS : The first photo is the flash photo for sure. The toad was not a brown color; it was greyer in real life like the second photo. Is it possible the flash brings out colors we do not see with out eyes? ]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449175 Wed, 07 May 2008 23:23:00 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449014 jaykaykay : The one without flash seems to be a bit dull or flat to my eyes. The one with flash seems to jump out out me (no pun intended).]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20449014 Wed, 07 May 2008 22:57:26 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20448863 anon : Flash looks much better.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20448863 Wed, 07 May 2008 22:35:22 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20448860 Exit : First one is flash for sure]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20448860 Wed, 07 May 2008 22:35:04 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20448857 thearendts : Flash shot seems to have much better colors than the natural one, imo.

I would almost hazard to say that the they are actually swapped.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20448857 Wed, 07 May 2008 22:34:28 EDT Re: Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20448747 Exit : The flash shot looks better to me]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20448747 Wed, 07 May 2008 22:11:41 EDT Flash outside http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20448568 SueS : I get this kind of color differences when using flash outside. I think the one without flash is natural, and the colors are off on the one using flash. I would like thoughts and opinions about what I might do differently, or do you think it is ok for a flash shot?]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20448568 Wed, 07 May 2008 21:38:51 EDT