Got TTL?

[Hammerhead]

Very nice post Pak. Thanks for the concrete information.

Actually, my feeling is that it might have been a concrete crab.

Edit: - am I alone in thinking that F3 comes across as a patronising :knob:?

 

[Diver Dennis]

Uh.... no Larry. I believe your analysis of the OP to be quite accurate. It is great to offer another way to do things but I have seen no positive reinforcement here.











I also believe that is a PLASTIC crab.

 

[RonFrank]

The bottom line...why should I produce UNDERWATER DIGITAL images when every Digital TTL test shot pictures FAILED on LAND! Or has the water have something to do about making TTL work as you think it should? Maybe it works in saltwater and not in freshwater? Should I also test only on a full moon during a leap year? If the so called "serious photographers" are all in that narrow minded forum, then what are you doing here?

I'm not clear what or why you are so biased against flash TTL (iTTL, eTTL). This becomes more confusing based on the complete lack of examples of your work, and the fact you don't own a DSLR that uses any of the current flash technology.

I've been shooting for 25 years, so am no stranger to current, and past technology the difference being I have owned several DSLR's including the D1x, the D200, and the Oly E10 (my first DSLR).

Does the current technology work? I think the answer is obvious. Look at the photo's done by Dennis and others using the Ikelike system. It works, and works well, and that implementation is not as good as it could be with less control and exposure compensation if one uses multiple strobes vs. on land.

Does it work topside? Duhhh.

If this image is not getting imbedded, HERE is a link to the site.

This image was shot in a building that was so dark, I could not see to focus. Not only did the autofocus work well, the flash exposure was amazing under very difficult lighting and using just one off camera flash in dTTL mode. So this image was not using the much improved iTTL which is far better than dTTL.

All current Nikon DSLR's support I-TTL and CLS flash (internal, SB-600, and SB-800), which provides the ability to use wireless and multiple flash TTL. The flash exposure setting is controlled by a 1005-pixel CCD, not a five-segment sensor that lives in the bottom of the mirror box (dTTL).

You seem to consistantly miss this above point even if it's been stated by myself several times during these tired discussions .

CLS is amazing. I can now mount my flash on a bracket, or on a tripod, and control it from the camera. I used it this past weekend for an add I shot. The subject was a champion Aussie, and I had the owner standing five feet away hold the flash positioned on the dog while I was 30 feet away shooting and controlling the iTTL exposure from the camera. What a great feature, and I could light the subject from a close distance with a more distant camera to subject position which was desirable for the effect I wanted.

Flash TTL is just a tool, but it works great. Seems that every time technology changes there are those that just can't wrap their mind around it. I had the same discussions with dye in the wool cranksters when AF was released. It was evil, un-necessay, and just wrong!

 

[pakman]

Ron, your TTL did a good job exposing that red crossed box... :joke:

 

[RonFrank]

Hi Mike! We have been doing stuff here every day and I haven't had much time on the computer but here are 3 TTL shots I took in Tulamben...

Good stuff Dennis. Looking foward to more, than the impending 5000 post thread when you get back!

But I think you are lying about your lighting techniques! Tell the truth, you don't use the Evil iTTL! No, I think you are burning candles under there! :shakehead

 

[bandit_TX]

http://wetpixel.com/i.php/full/ikelite-olympus-ttl-beta-test/
http://www.wetpixel.com/i.php/full/inon-d-2000-s-ttl-strobe/
http://www.splashdowndivers.com/photo_gallery/underwater_photography/up_ikelite_olympus_ttl.htm
http://www.pbase.com/elif/strobe_test_2
You might also do some reading on Cathy Church's website. She sells and uses the HW TTL controller. She also uses it in her photo courses with the Olympus SP350.

 

[RonFrank]

Ron, your TTL did a good job exposing that red crossed box... :joke:

RU unable to see the image?

I seem to run into problems embedding images from pbase, and it's rather random. HERE is a link to the site.

 

[rjsimp]

Does it really matter what methods we choose to use if our shots are the way we like them? If we are not pros selling our stuff, why do we have to please anyone but ourselves? As rjsimp pointed out, why not let beginners use TTL until they feel the need to go manual? You can always teach them better lighting methods after they have been shooting for a while.

Sure glad there aren't any TTL police that come and nail you if you use TTL and are NOT a beginner or if it doesn't live up to the "standards" :mooner:

I bet I could post a series of pictures and people would be hard pressed to say which were which (Manual / TTL).. but of course.. according to F3, it would be just because I lucked out and had the other settings right..

Anyhow.. the point is, it works, its here, and its a great tool to have in your arsenal..

 

[RonFrank]

Does it really matter what methods we choose to use if our shots are the way we like them? If we are not pros selling our stuff, why do we have to please anyone but ourselves? As rjsimp pointed out, why not let beginners use TTL until they feel the need to go manual? You can always teach them better lighting methods after they have been shooting for a while.

Pro's use iTTL and eTTL all the time. Your likely not going to find many photojournalists shooting in M mode on their flash. Why? Because why would they? iTTL or eTTL is going to nail the exposure 90% of the time. Want more flash? Adjust the exposure compensation on the flash to +X. Want to fill, back down the exposure compensation -X.

There are not a lot of people running around with manual light meters these days who are shooting with a camera with TTL metering. Yet that meter is very similar to iTTL, so why are folks so hung up on Flash TTL?

The reality is that manufactures of diving products are a bit behind the times, but they are catching up quickly. In a decade no one will even question if using flash ttl is a good idea, they will likely just do it.

There are some situations where manual flash mode is more appropriate. Those will basically be when one wants to have different flash ratios between two strobes. Other than that I can not think of any reason to shoot manual assuming one has flash TTL capabilities. Once dive manufactures catch up to the capabilities already built into the camera's and top side strobes today, one should be able to do lighting ratio's between two flashes, and at that point M flash is going to be pointless for most applications underwater.

I would encourage any photographer to learn how to light with strobes. IOW's studio lighting, scrim lights, hair lights, flash ratio's, umbrella's, softboxes, and all that entails. But for most photojournalistic applications (Scuba falls into a subcatagory of that) if you are using one or two flashes in situations where the subject don't take direction well, flash TTL is a VERY valuable tool, and one that is accepted and used by the majority of working photojournalism professionals.

 

[Mike Veitch]

one of my two YS 120 strobes is about dead, just can't output a proper amount of light on 1/2 power anymore...

(i will be replacing it with TTL capable DS125...cuz i love the light Dennis gets on his images even when he uses TTL...)