GwFresh
New
I've been doing some above-water testing with a new DC800 just to get used to how it functions, and I'm having trouble understanding the logic behind how it exposes in External Flash Auto mode. My experiments were directed specifically at using the flash to balance foreground/background lighting in a given scene (typically referred to as balanced or fill flash), but I'm having trouble getting the camera to correctly read and expose for the background light conditions when in this mode.
My test scene was a window with plants on the ledge, sunlight steaming in (bright & hot outside). First I wanted to establish the proper exposure for this hot background, then would add the flash to fill in the (outlined and underexposed) foreground plants.
With the camera set to Program AE, (the flash turned off) the LCD and histogram respond to changes in light, as well as changes to Exposure compensation (EV ± 2 stops), and the affects of any changes can be seen in the final picture. So a series of images can be taken while bracketing, allowing you to get the desired exposure. Everything behaves the way you would expect, similar to many other digital cameras.
If however, I switch to Ext.Fl.Auto, (also with the flash turned off) the LCD and histogram show changes in the lighting within the scene, or changes to exposure compensation (as in Program AE), BUT, when the picture is taken, those changes don't translate to the final image. It is drastically underexposed (2.5 to 3 stops), and no amount of adjustment is possible to bring it within range.
So basically, I'm asking, is there any way to get the camera to expose for the background automatically, (given a little nudging one way or the other with exposure comp.)? Or am I forced to go to External Flash Manual to get the system to do want I want?
My test scene was a window with plants on the ledge, sunlight steaming in (bright & hot outside). First I wanted to establish the proper exposure for this hot background, then would add the flash to fill in the (outlined and underexposed) foreground plants.
With the camera set to Program AE, (the flash turned off) the LCD and histogram respond to changes in light, as well as changes to Exposure compensation (EV ± 2 stops), and the affects of any changes can be seen in the final picture. So a series of images can be taken while bracketing, allowing you to get the desired exposure. Everything behaves the way you would expect, similar to many other digital cameras.
If however, I switch to Ext.Fl.Auto, (also with the flash turned off) the LCD and histogram show changes in the lighting within the scene, or changes to exposure compensation (as in Program AE), BUT, when the picture is taken, those changes don't translate to the final image. It is drastically underexposed (2.5 to 3 stops), and no amount of adjustment is possible to bring it within range.
So basically, I'm asking, is there any way to get the camera to expose for the background automatically, (given a little nudging one way or the other with exposure comp.)? Or am I forced to go to External Flash Manual to get the system to do want I want?