Thread: ***DSLR Thread***

I have the first gen version of that flash (the not II) and I LOVE it. Powerful, recharges quickly, lots and lots of features.

The Canon flash system seems to be a little different from everyone else's, which if you are coming from another system (namely Nikon, as everyone who has used the Nikon flash system loves it and loathes the Canon system) it tends to frustrate people, but since I have never known anything else, I find it very easy. Basically, there is a flash exposure compensation that you set with the wheel on the back of the flash. This sets the exposure for what the camera thinks the subject of the picture is (what it has focus lock on). Then on the camera itself, you have the exposure compensation, which in Av and Tv modes is changed by the wheel on the back of the camera. This controls the ambient exposure.

So, if you are trying to take a picture of someone in front of a sunset say, where you want the sunset to be a bit underexposed to get more color out of it, and you want the face of the person to be properly exposed, you dial the flash exposure to +/-0, and you set the camera's exposure compensation to -1, and presto chango you have a nice dark but not too dark sunset and a properly exposed person. If you are taking pictures in bright noon sun and you want a little fill flash, you set the camera's exposure to +/-0, and you set the flash to something like -1, and you get some nice fill on faces.

What I think a lot of people find annoying or confusing (and perhaps the Nikonians can better fill me in with this) is that with a lot of systems there isn't that disconnect between the flash and the camera exposure, which can lead to things if you are taking pictures in very dark environments, and you have the camera exposure not dialed all the way down, you hit the shutter, the flash goes off, and the shutter stays open for 15" trying to get enough light to meet the exposure requirement you set with the camera exposure compensation. So you might have situations where you want to go Tv or full manual on the camera (E-TTL will still work with the flash even with the camera in manual) to force the shutter speeds you want.

Originally Posted by rinkrat

Looks like the 580EX is the ticket. I think it's on sale at Amazon too.

Nice! Way to throw down Two resources I would suggets, the first is a great blog about off camera flash use is The Strobist, specifically his lighting 101 and 102.


The other handy flash trick is using a bounce card when photographing events (very boring videos, but relatively informative)

Originally Posted by rinkrat

Looks like the 580EX is the ticket. I think it's on sale at Amazon too.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B000NP3DJW

That's a really good price.

Another of the accessories I need is a second SB800 speedlight. That's down low on the list of **** I need, though.

Up top right now is a new tripod and ball head, a focusing rail, and a set of macro tubes.

Originally Posted by FlyBoeingJets

Another of the accessories I need is a second SB800 speedlight. That's down low on the list of **** I need, though.

Up top right now is a new tripod and ball head, a focusing rail, and a set of macro tubes.

For some reason choosing a tripod was really hard for me, but I ended up getting the Velbon Sherpa 600R with a Manfrotto 808RC4 (a three axis head, not a ball) which I have been really happy with. I got the three axis head over the ball only because I have to use it at work to support a 3D scanner, and isolating the three axis can be really handy, and it just feels super sturdy when you crank down on it (although I have never used a ball, so I can't really compare).

As for the second flash, I went with the more studio strobe Alien Bee 800, which I very much enjoy. If I have the option, I will use that instead of the 580EX, even though it is full manual. The power is awesome, and you can do really cool things like over power the sun from a distance or really light up a huge umbrella (and you don't have to worry about batteries, only having an outlet.)

Here's a few from San Fernando Mission this afternoon. I wanted to get out and practice working with one lens a little. These are all shot with the 50mm.

D3 Unboxing

Finally got the pics from Thanksgiving up (full gallery):

Originally Posted by FlyBoeingJets

Here's a few from San Fernando Mission this afternoon. I wanted to get out and practice working with one lens a little. These are all shot with the 50mm.

Love the fountain shot. Are you going to keep the 50?