| Author | Thread |
|
|
06/17/2006 10:22:27 PM · #1 |
| I am new to using studio lights. I have a SV FL150 1 Light Kit. It's a 100W monolight. I'm bouncing it into a white umbrella. This is the only light i'm using. If I look at my camera's meter and set it to the correct aperture/shutter speed I get a totally washed out picture. I basically have to keep adjusting the f-stop and shutter until I get the capture I want and I have to ignore what the internal meter is reading. Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong? Shouldn't I be able to get a correct reading from the camera? I will say that I turned on the continuous light AND sync'd it to my camera. Is that the problem? |
|
|
|
06/17/2006 10:38:30 PM · #2 |
try this, shutter 60 F 5.4 un the light 2 meter from the subject
|
|
|
|
06/17/2006 10:38:43 PM · #3 |
| Not sure but it sounds like you are trying to meter off the modeling light. If this is the case then you will have to change the way you are doing things. The best way would be to use a flash meter, and measure the output from the flash. Second would be trial and error. Set the flash in front of your subject, record the distance between them, take several shot at all f-stops. Thank god for digital. Check all of your test shot find the correct f-stop. If I am incorrect and you are not metering off the modeling light then a little more info would help solve the problem. |
|
|
|
06/17/2006 10:40:32 PM · #4 |
| Ok, I'm heading back out to shoot a little more and will repost when I have tested all of this. Thanks all. |
|
|
|
06/17/2006 10:40:35 PM · #5 |
|
|
|
06/17/2006 10:43:22 PM · #6 |
Depending on the distance of your lights from the subject, and then the output of the lights determines your f/
The level of ambient light that you want captured determines the shutter speed. 1/60th is about the lowest, and up to maybe 1/250th to only capture what the strobes put out.
Best to get a light meter that will measure strobe output, your camera will meter when you press the shutter to half, not when the strobe fires.
Message edited by author 2006-06-17 22:43:44.
|
|
|
|
06/17/2006 11:00:21 PM · #7 |
Get a grey card.
Put it near the subject or where the subject ought to be.
You should be able to use the cameras internal meter for that. Make sure you are using a spot (3%) or centered (9%) or whatever you have on your camera... Fill the metering area with the grey card...
This should work. |
|
|
|
06/17/2006 11:03:57 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by eschelar:
Get a grey card.
Put it near the subject or where the subject ought to be.
You should be able to use the cameras internal meter for that. Make sure you are using a spot (3%) or centered (9%) or whatever you have on your camera... Fill the metering area with the grey card...
This should work. |
How do you meter just the flash of the strobes?
|
|
|
|
06/17/2006 11:50:53 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by pix-are:
This is the only light i'm using. |
If he's only using one light, it shouldn't be too hard to get a reasonable approximation of things by using a grey card to meter at a set distance...
I was only trying to give him a tool to diagnose what is going weird in his system, not change his whole lighting philosophy.
Seems to me that the purpose of the post is to try to figure out why he is having a problem with his lighting.
If he wants to get into metering the output of the strobes, that works fine, but would require him to go to the store, choose something and buy it (and not usually all that cheap)...
My suggestion should work with what he currently has.... EXCEPT...
Having said that, I was unaware that his strobes would not fire during metering. It seems like a strange setup that they would not... oops
Re-reading his problem, it looks like you are dead on that the strobes are not being factored in to metering.
So I guess that's all I've got to say... :) |
|
|
|
06/18/2006 12:06:20 AM · #10 |
Without a flash meter the only way to do it is to take a photo and adjust your camera settings based on what you see (in teh pic or the histogram).
Put the camera in Manual mode, shutter at 1/125. You adjust the aperture to adjust the exposure - the shutter speed will have no effect.
Try a shot at f5.6, f8, f11 and f16 and see what looks best, and adjust accordingly.
Then save up and get a sekonic L358.
|
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2026 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 01/02/2026 07:23:33 AM EST.
