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12/20/2007 01:45:48 AM · #1 |
| after a bit of researching online, I got a clunky but powerful vivitar 285 hv flash for my rebel xti and some wireless triggers. However, I think it's "automatic" exposure system is waaay too complicated for me to comprehend. I tried reading the manual, and I think I figured out how to use it at 1/4, 1/2, full power, etc. but I'm still confused about the colored wheel and it's corresponding auto exposure mode. I know it's supposed to tell you what aperture you should set your camera at what distance, etc. but which numbers are which on the dial, and whats the deal with the color trails? Could anyone with this flash explain please the system to me? or am I out of luck and have to randomly experiment? |
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12/20/2007 02:01:38 AM · #2 |
| man my brain will probably explode when i see this thing tomorrow....i had a flash for one of my film cameras and i NEVER figured out how to use it |
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12/20/2007 07:11:37 AM · #3 |
I've never worked with the Vivitar, but I have a pair of old Nikon Speedlights that I use, and I'm sure they all work on the same principle. You said you had wireless triggers, so I'm guessing that you'll be using the flash off-camera?
For off camera work, I'd suggest not worrying about anything but the power level of the flash. That sounds kind of nutty at first, but after you use it for a while, you learn a "sense" for how much power a scene will take. When using my flashes, I never bother with aperture or ISO settings on them - I just set the power and go. 1/8 is usually my starting point for portraits; if I'm trying to light a room, or bounce-light something, I crank it up to 1/2 or full power.
Since the flash is usually staying in place off-camera, once the lighting is correct, there's not much need to adjust it, so the whole correct-exposure-at-a-given-distance thing takes care of itself.
If you're using it on camera, however, there's probably a benefit to understanding the distance-exposure thing, and since I've never read the manual, I'm afraid I can't help with that. But I would only worry about it if the flash were camera-mounted, and you were moving around a room, or subjects were milling around you. If everything is relativly stationary, I'd just find the right power setting and go.
Hopefully this is helpful. Someone may come along and tell me that I'm doing it wrong, but it's always worked well for me.
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12/20/2007 09:25:24 AM · #4 |
| I don't have the 285HV, but have several 283s that are very simular. So here is what you do. Set the ISO on the dial to correspond with the ISO that you are using on your camera. The color ranges show what f-stop can be used "automatically". Say if you want to use f8 at your ISO setting and the orange color covers that f-stop then set the dial on the front of the camera to orange, and the flash will cut off when enough light for proper exposure has hit the sensor on the front of the flash. Just remember to make sure the sensor is pointed at the subject and the flash to subject (not camera to subject) distance is within the range listed on the dial. There are cords you can get so the sensor is still pointed at the subject while the flash can be pointed elsewhere. Its really simple once you get your brain around the concept. |
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12/21/2007 02:21:53 AM · #5 |
ohhh, okay. Thanks guys. Yah I do use the flash off-camera, and don't plan to put it on my camera anytime soon since the head doesn't swivel and I could only bounce it off a ceiling or somehting. Although, I'm wondering what kind of sync speeds you get when you use it with a pc sync cord or on camera, because right now I can't use it above 1/200 with my poverty wizards.
here's a picture I took today with this flash: any critique or comments are welcome
Edit: another question, are colored gels necessary? I think I could correct the white balance with photoshop, but then I'm concerned about when I have to use and balance the flash with ambience light. what do you think?
Message edited by author 2007-12-21 02:44:06. |
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12/21/2007 06:29:05 AM · #6 |
the sync speed is nothing to do with the triggering mechanism, it's to do with the camera itself. 1/200 is the fastest sync speed the 400d will allow. You can get away with 1/250 and you might see a slight black line but nothign major. The wireless system you have is fine for the most part.
I have 2 285s and one Nikon Sb-20, 3 receivers and one trigger and it works great. I've had 1 misfire from about 800 shots so far, and the only misfire was from the vivitar on the right side.
I use 1/200 all the time pretty much, unless I need some ambient or background light, in which case i slow it down to whatever is required, and i use the aperture to control the strength/exposure of just the flash.
As for gels: they're very handy for colouring backgrounds and I use mine for providing certain effects with light on portraits to make things look colder, warmer or just strange. For example, if you're shooting interior of houses it's a good idea to use a warming gel (like a dusky orange colour) to make it look a bit warmer and more inviting. Likewise, if you're going for a grungy look, I find the colder blue works better. Of course if you get more than one light you can cross light things with a different colour on each flash, so one blue and one red for example for some strange effects... but when shooting direct flash for portraits i almost always use a warming gel, it makes ppl look a bit healthier and more friendly i suppose.
Lastly, for your pic: I like it, i like the light dropoff at the top but i don't like the texture youi have there of wall. If you weer further away from the wall it would have blurred it to be a smooth gradient of tone. Or, you could just blur it in Photoshop...
Hope this helped. |
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12/21/2007 07:04:36 AM · #7 |
Originally posted by wanjun:
ohhh, okay. Thanks guys. Yah I do use the flash off-camera, and don't plan to put it on my camera anytime soon since the head doesn't swivel and I could only bounce it off a ceiling or somehting. Although, I'm wondering what kind of sync speeds you get when you use it with a pc sync cord or on camera, because right now I can't use it above 1/200 with my poverty wizards..........Edit: another question, are colored gels necessary? I think I could correct the white balance with photoshop, but then I'm concerned about when I have to use and balance the flash with ambience light. what do you think? |
When using flash, lens aperture controls the amount of light from the flash, and shutter speed controls the ambient light. If you want to overpower the ambient completely, you use a fast shutter speed. Want to catch twinkling Christmas lights in a show where you're lighting the subject with a flash? Slow the shutter speed down to get both.
Color gels are necessary. It's that simple. Get it right in camera, not in Photoshop. The good news is, they're really cheap (about $5/pack). Get the Roscoe sample packs - they're the exact right size to fit flash units. You'll have a much easier time balancing lighting types, and the extra colors you'll get are just fun to play with and create neat effects.
Anything you want to know about flash can be found here: Strobist. The guy who writes it is an expert. And it looks like today's post might be addressing your original question (from the quick glance I had at it).
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