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03/22/2010 07:26:56 AM · #1 |
Question,
1)Do Canon speedlite (or Sigma/Metz/etc) flashes help the camera focus? Or do they just sort out the shutter to flash brightness required.
2) Can someone explain how the E-TTL works and what it all means?
The reason I ask is that It really annoys me how my cameras focus 'hunts' in low light. I was hoping that the little red (IR?) bit on the flashes works out the distance to the subject and my camera could use that to focus?
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03/22/2010 08:04:38 AM · #2 |
1) I cannot speak about the other brands, but my new Canon 430EX II definitely helps with low light focusing. In fact, I took it into the basement at night (all lights off), to play around. It was focusing on some objects in the complete darkness because of that handy little red light. That was something I hadn't expected at all (I just wanted to see the light output in a dark room).
2) I'm sure someone else can explain E-TTL better than I can. The way I understand it, E-TTL combines information on the subject illumination plus the distance from the camera to the subject (as reported to your camera by the lens) to come up with a proper exposure. |
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03/22/2010 10:04:31 AM · #3 |
1) The Canon ones do yeah (unless you disable it in the options)... I don't know about the off brand variations but if they are compatible they should. There are a few other options for better focus..... Get a small led torch and keep it on the subject (unlikely to even be in the exposure but you could turn it off if you like), get one of the ste2 things or what I used to do with my old 20D (low light focus was annoying) - an old 430 EZ (not th EX the old film ones)... stuff it in Attl (yeah it's not meant to work)... that way the focus assist works great but because a digital camera does not understand Attl... it does not fire the flash (I just had one of these from film days but they are cheaper then the ste2 or another flash if your JUST after focus assist).
2) Chucks pages are the best for this that I have seen.... linkie |
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03/22/2010 11:27:11 AM · #4 |
I'm going to say no. The light on the flash only meters the distance from the lens to the subject and adjusts the power so it can expose it properly.
I guess if it was dark outside and your camera can't see your subject the meter light on your flash might be enough light for the sensor to see the subject and allow it to focus but I don't think that is the answer you are after.
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03/22/2010 11:40:28 AM · #5 |
| The IR light really helps out in low light shooting. If you focus on a close subject in the dark, you will notice the Ir beam is laid out in vertical lines with separations. This lets the horizontal, focus sensors, pick up the subject to help focus. If I shoot at night, in a very dark environment, the flash really helps to focus. If you just want focus help, but no flash, just focus with the flash Ir on, then turn off the speedlight. |
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