The answer to "Why is that?" is right in my next line: "Better results
come from an inexpensive manual/auto mode flash unit supplemented with a
flash meter" I certainly use the flash meter indoors but my recommended
flash meter (the Sekonic L-358) really comes into its own outdoors for
fill flash where it reports the percentage of flash light vs. ambient.
When the meter tells you 20-30% is coming from the flash you've got a
perfect fill flash ratio. The meter is also very useful, of course, for
balancing studio lights, especially if you don't have strong modeling
lights.
For some interesting comments on digital TTL flash (featuring your
proposed purchase) see the following. You may have to sign-up with
smartshooter to see this stuff but I would recommend it. If you sign up
they'll use your email address to send you a monthly news letter trying
to sell you various products and service (mostly classes and training
videos) but it will also include some handy tips which are well worth
it. <http://www.shootsmarter.com/content/view/175/>
Note especially the following from the article above:
"If your flash is brighter than the ambient roomlight, then that is
referred to as a "flash dominant" shot and this is where TTL works best.
If the flash power is set so the ambient light brighter than your flash
- that is referred to as "fill-flash" and TTL stinks at fill flash.
If you want to use TTL for fill flash - don't. : ) If you do, you will
be forced to shoot color neg film (with GREAT results!) or will be
forced to shoot in RAW mode and patch exposures later. Life is too short
for that nonsense on most shots. So if you are looking for fill flash
techniques, turn off the TTL and turn on AUTO or MANUAL flash exposure
modes? Test it yourself and see."
But my own opinion of all this is; after going through all the trouble
of measuring the ambient light to *set up* for the TTL shot why not
carry it the rest of the way and do the flash portion manually... and
save the money on the expensive TTL flash.
Anyhow, if you want to learn more about flash I don't know of anything
better than this:
<http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/02/welcome-to-strobist.html>
and be sure to click on and read everything under "Lighting 101".
Dr. Flash
Leandro DUTRA wrote:
> 2008/3/2, Chuck Norcutt <chucknorcutt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
>> Nice flash but an unnecessary expense in my book, especially for TTL on
>> a digital camera.
>
> Why is that?
>
>
>> Better results come from an inexpensive manual/auto
>> mode flash unit supplemented with a flash meter.
>
> Sounds like I can save a buckload with a little learning. But since I
> already have my wife's clearance on this, it would be nice to have
> something just as well built and powerful, even more a bit perhaps.
> Also because it is not always simple or cheap to have this kind of
> stuff serviced down here, so it is important to get it right.
>
> What would you suggest for my reading and learning? I have no idea of
> reliable brands and models of flashes (besides your Vivitar and Sunpak
> tips), even less meters.
>
>
>> In any case, it that's what you're going to get, use it with the OM-1 as
>> well.
>
> Sure enough.
>
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