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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> anyone own a 580ex? need advice.
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 10/06/2005 04:04:17 AM · #1
I am renting the 580ex speedlight with extra battery for a football game.

I know that it can reach a max distance of 190 feet. side to side on a football field is around 40 yards, or 120 feet. I figure I need around 50- 60 feet of throw from the speedlight.

If I am using my 100-400mm lens, under stadium lights, my body I figure an iso of 800 (less hopefully), 250 shutter, wide open at 5.0f.

My question is this...

how would I limit the throw of the speedlight to get the details I am after, and yet not make the flash distracting at the same time?

I never have shot a sporting event with a flash for alot of reasons, mainly I don't have one, and coachs have asked that I don't.

Now I have an opportunity to shoot a football game, using flash, and I am kind of lost.

Any help is welcome.

Thanks in advance.
 10/06/2005 07:38:37 AM · #2
?

The guide number is 190 at ISO100, in feet, that dosn't mean it can get an OK exposure at 190 ft!

That means at F/1 you'd get correct exposure on something 18% gray at 190ft with the flash at full power... or at 40ft you're looking at F/4.75 or there abouts at full power (ISO100).

Some reading:
//www.naturephotographers.net/articles0703/jm0703-1.html

But anyway, to answer your real question, ie: what settings do I use.

Set manual mode on your camera, and ETTL mode for the flash.

Set your shutter speed to the X-Sync for your 1D (1/250th) and apeture to F/5.6 (max you can get constant apeture on that lens?)

Half press the shutter and you'll get a meter reading on the left bar graph on the right hand side of the view finder. Set the ISO so you're underexposing at least a couple of stops, otherwise you're going to get weird shadowing/bluring of motion.

Fire some test shots and see what you get...

With the 1D I find that I have to set +1/3rd or +2/3rds of a stop compenstation to get OK results, dunno about the 1DII, I've never used one with flash.

If the floods are good enough you might find you can get away with F/5.6 and ISO1600 in Av mode.

And if you've stumped up for the 1DII, why not get the 580ex instead of renting one?

As always, just my 2c worth...
 10/06/2005 09:58:48 AM · #3
You have to adjust the guide number by aperature and ISO. The 580 has a guide number of 190 feet at f/1 and ISO 100. So you'd use:

actual max distance = 190ft * (1 over your chosen aperature) * (the ISO you set / 100)

So if you set f/5.6 and ISO 800, you get 190ft * 1/5.6 * 800/100, or 271 feet. Note that if you set ISO 800 and f/8, you get 190 feet :-)

You ask "how would I limit the throw of the speedlight to get the details I am after, and yet not make the flash distracting at the same time?"

The players have a lot more distractions than a flash in the distance. But if you use let the camera calculate the flash as fill-flash (on my camera, I'd use Av, but yours may be different) you will at least be close. If you use FEC you can fine-tune it.

Note: you mentioned stadium lighting. If the game will be televised, the stadium lights may be so bright you may not even need a flash.
 10/06/2005 10:06:57 AM · #4
Kiwichris, good site for reading. Watching this thread for future referance.

The guide number is 58. So I quess if I want to get an exposure at 60 feet, than 58 devided by 60 = 1.0f, so yeah I quess that iso is going to be pretty high.

the lens is a 5.6 on the long end, so I am hoping that those stadium lights are pretty bright.

I am purchasing the 580ex, but am reviewing it for the game for $20 rental, before I shovel $469 plus tax into that camera buying black hole.
 10/06/2005 10:08:50 AM · #5
Originally posted by swinging_johnson_v1:
Kiwichris, good site for reading. Watching this thread for future referance.

The guide number is 58. So I quess if I want to get an exposure at 60 feet, than 58 devided by 60 = 1.0f, so yeah I quess that iso is going to be pretty high.

the lens is a 5.6 on the long end, so I am hoping that those stadium lights are pretty bright.

I am purchasing the 580ex, but am reviewing it for the game for $20 rental, before I shovel $469 plus tax into that camera buying black hole.


Isn't the guide number of 58 actually in metres?
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