Using flash outside. Both built in and hot shoe.

[ericmark]

When I went down to the woods today it was not the Teddy bears that gave me a big surprise but lack of light.

Since in most cases I walk to the location weight is a problem and I have to decide if tripod is really likely to be required if I take it it's not required if I don't I'll find I need it. Sure there's a law about that some sod I am sure wrote one.

So next option is Flash however the range is limited and one tends to get for example red berries on a black back ground. As one moves away from the built in flash except for the specials one tends to move the flash further away from the lens.

Also they have more power and in some cases one can adjust the power and the angle and zoom to match lens.

I see loads of sites showing how to light the brides dress and yes also seen the size of their gadget bag and sorry no way am I lugging that lot around on a 5 mile walk.

So what I am looking for is ideas on how to combine flash to highlight main subject and daylight to show it's actually growing wild and not part of a still life in a studio.

I have no wandering lead connection on my camera but do have a remote trigger unit which will trigger a second flash. And half a dozen flash guns of varying power some with angle heads some with zoom and one with sensor to monitor light and shut it off once enough has returned but no TTL connection.

So all ideas welcome for portable system to light when walking in shaded areas. Midday yesterday which was very bright in the wood at ISO 400 and lens at f3.5 I was shooting at 1/20 of a second and still a little on dark side. Out of wood it was ISO 100 at f8 with shutter speed of between 1/125 and 1/250 so a very bright day. Although camera will shoot at ISO 1600 really ISO 800 is more realistic as a limit. In auto mode ISO 400 is limit and to get any better than f3.5 I have to use manual fixed lenses so flash seems way forward.

 

[westie101]

no way am I lugging that lot around on a 5 mile walk.

Get one of the ruksac types, much easier to carry.

I must admit I'm still experimenting, but as I see it you are not taking a flash photo, but merely using the flash to fill in and put some additional light on the subject from the side you are viewing

 

[ericmark]

I am getting some odd effects even if I can explain them. This picture with flash and daylight is really a failure where the flash has frozen the motion but the daylight with 1/60th second has given tails to each droplet.

I have tried to re-take using a fixed lens at f2 and a ISO of 1600 and did get it up to 1/500 second so think I can unload the flash from bag.

Can lift to 1/180 of a second with flash but tails are still there even if smaller.

Using cameras built in flash I find back-ground becomes black so had thought I could use a second flash triggered by first to light back ground but although it fires I get a really under exposed result worse than using no second flash.

However use a hot shoe flash and it works as intended but the flash is then too far from lens and I get a shadow cast by the lens with close up work.

Not totally given up but nearly have the results were very disappointing.

 

[ericmark]

This is the same water fall using the highest speed I can with my camera with the light available fixed 28mm lens wide open at f2 with an ISO of 1600 and a shutter speed of 1/500 of a second.

Although the flash is 4 times quicker at 1/2000 of a second and it will allow a lower ISO can't see the faster speed is going to alter the view that much.
The slow shutter speed for example here at 1/8 of a second gives the milky look.

But personally I prefer the capturing of the drops of water.

 

[Sam Gangee]

I see your point. The waterfall picture can be improved slightly (in my opinion) by a little "unsharp mask" processing. However, your real limitation appears to be lens size that is forcing you to use too slow a shutter speed.

Having said that, I know zilch about photography. I just point and press!

 

[ericmark]

I have wondered about using a cheap compact with large flash gun as it is the focal plane shutter and the max speed of 1/180 second that is a problem with the flash.