Bit of panic...using canon 430EX and 400D

[herc182]

Dear all,

My lastminute girlfriend has left it until a few days before a wedding she is shooting as a favour, to learn how to use her flash properly. Dont ask, I am not happy. Anyway, I am gonna try my hardest to sort it out for her as I am a nice person :D

Can someone please help me with the following (I am a Nikon User and have no idea). Correct as applicable

1 - Fill flash
Meter for background in manual mode, turn on flash, then take the photo. Is this correct? Does the metering mode have to be in Evaluative for the flash to correctly expose the person who I am "filling"?

2 - Using flash in aperture priority.
When I use my D80 and SB600, you can set the lowest shutter speed (say 1/30s) so that regardless of aperture the shutter speed with always be 1/30 and the flash will alter power output to ensure that. However, with the canon 400D the shutter speed seems to change all the time (which is no good for handholding). Any ideas?

3 - Any other useful tips for using the flash (or settings to use?)?

I will be checking this link as I await your excellent advice :D
http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/

Thanks

[Rhys]

Put the camera in manual mode, stop the lens down about a stop to ensure best optical quality. Put a stofen type diffuser over the flash head - you can use a tupperware box - anything like that from the local shop. You can even tape it to the flash head. Aim the flash at 45 degrees. Then spray and pray. It works for me.

[Rooz]

lol funny post rhys

[achuang]

I'm glad you see the joke in it rooz:p. Herc, you know from experience not to stop the lens down to its sharpest aperture because it won't let enough light in. I'd say as a suggestion to put it in manual mode (at a shutter speed that allows a reasonable amount of ambient in but still handholdable) and a fairly fast aperture if she's bouncing off a high ceiling. And don't forget to gel the flash to the ambient lighting.

[herc182]

Put the camera in manual mode, stop the lens down about a stop to ensure best optical quality. Put a stofen type diffuser over the flash head - you can use a tupperware box - anything like that from the local shop. You can even tape it to the flash head. Aim the flash at 45 degrees. Then spray and pray. It works for me.

Would i get decent photos if I shoved the 430EX up your ass?:rolleyes:

[droopy1592]

Would i get decent photos if I shoved the 430EX up your ass?:rolleyes:

If his ass will diffuse the flash, sure!

[Rhys]

lol funny post rhys
Hey, stopping down from f2.8 to f3.5/4 and using manual mode works for me!

[GaryS]

This is probably too late, but...

If the flash is in ETTL mode, and you shoot in Av or Tv, then the camera assumes that the flash is being used for fill, so it meters for the background and uses the flash to fill in the subject.

If the flash is your main source of light, then use M. Set your aperture and shutter as required for the situation, and the flash will set its power level automatically.

For indoor shooting (which I'm going to assume is the case), I would go with M, 1/60, f5.6 (for DOF), then bounce flash with a stofen attached. I would use FEC from there to tune the results.

[herc182]

This is probably too late, but...

If the flash is in ETTL mode, and you shoot in Av or Tv, then the camera assumes that the flash is being used for fill, so it meters for the background and uses the flash to fill in the subject.

If the flash is your main source of light, then use M. Set your aperture and shutter as required for the situation, and the flash will set its power level automatically.

For indoor shooting (which I'm going to assume is the case), I would go with M, 1/60, f5.6 (for DOF), then bounce flash with a stofen attached. I would use FEC from there to tune the results.

Thanks GaryS that is very useful info. Not too late as the wedding is on Friday!

Thanks again