Sony NEX 5N and TTL strobe overexposed pictures

[McSmarte]

I am diving in the Philippines now with my newly acquired NEX-5N with 2 strobes, YS-01 and YS-02.
I have been diving now for a few days, having a few problems with the camera. The TTL flash totally overexposes the pictures, so I started using the manual setting instead, looks a lot better. I bought that strobe because I did not have too much experience with the manual settings, but now it is messing up my pictures instead.
Anything obvious I am missing? Any suggestions to what settings I should run with? Going to be diving in some good places the next few months, so I would really appreciate any ideas
Danny

 

[conundrum]

1) YS-02 no TTL capability.
2) What the camera setting you used, A, S, P or M, including ISO setting ?

 

[alien]

Try just using the YS-O1 see if that makes a difference

 

[McSmarte]

Flooded the battery compartment on the YS-02 today, too many drinks yesterday before changing batteries I guess. So today I got a chance to play with the YS-01 only, and still the TTL setting over exposes everything.
The strobe was set to minimum in TTL mode (not sure if it matters), but had to put it to 3rd or 4th setting to get ok macro pictures, still not pointing directly at the target... Maybe that is wrong too, and I should point it directly at what I take a picture of, but with less power? Diffusers in use too...
The camera setting is P mode, with a slightly higher setting of aperture/F value to get some depth in the pictures. I am not using the built-in light before taking pictures.
My friend brought along a GoPro with a red filter, and I am sorry to say, but his video's are so much more colorful to look at than mine, I had the camera set to manual AWB with as much red as I could get. Do I need to get hold of a red filter too? I thought the AWB setting should do the same in software?

 

[alien]

Leave white balance on auto.
Try some of Scott's suggested settings they have helped me a lot.

Underwater Camera Settings for Macro and Wide-Angle|Underwater Photography Guide

---------- Post Merged at 08:09 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 08:08 AM ----------

Wont you need to use the built in flash set to minimum mode to make the TTL work?

---------- Post Merged at 08:19 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 08:08 AM ----------

Is this of any help?

http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/ys-d1-strobe-review

 

[McSmarte]

Thanks for the advice. I guess I have no choice and will have to start playing around with the manual settings. The first couple of attempts actually did give better pictures. Still I am not using the TTL setting on the strobe
Maybe I was too optimistic thinking the camera can help me? haha

 

[conundrum]

1) Used "Auto White Balance"
2) Used "Aperture Priority" instead of P mode, and set F stop to "8 or 11"

Your should try.

 

[Interceptor121]

Have ISO at the minimum and aperture closed shutter speed 1/250 or 1/500 in manual
The camera should still provide ttl
If the ISO is set high it will always over expose

 

[simonknee]

You sound like you are having total white-out so I do not think that the ISO or Aperture suggestions are going to help you. It is the duration (and power) of the flash that governs exposure and you are getting way too much. The YS-01 should be quenching (turning off) the strobe at the point that the NEX has a properly exposed image (i.e. when it quenches it's strobe). To test, point the strobe straight down the lens of the camera and take a shot (above water makes this easier . If TTL is working properly then this will quench the flash so quickly that you get a properly exposed shot of the strobe itself. Try some different ISO and Aperture and White Balance settings to satisfy yourself as to whether they are relevant to this white-out effect (I doubt it).

If this test produces a blown out image then optical TTL is not working properly. Possible Cause 1 is the way the NEX flash works, e.g. lots of pre-flashes to get an exposure or red-eye reduction confuse the YS-01 TTL circuitry (I don't have a NEX but I do have a YS-01). You need to dig through the menus of your NEX and find all the modes to do with flash and turn off as much as possible. With a bit of luck you will find that a particular combination of settings for flash allows the YS-01 to work properly. Possible Cause 2. You have a faulty YS-01. If another owner of the same camera can get it to work and if you set yours up the same with no joy then I'd be returning the YS-01.

Simon

 

[Interceptor121]

You sound like you are having total white-out so I do not think that the ISO or Aperture suggestions are going to help you.
Simon

If the camera is in AUTO when you shoot macro it will think there is little little and increase the ISO to high values and end up exactly in a wash out. We should look at the pictures to see what is going on