Strobe *too* powerful?

[Puffer Fish]

I don't know much about digital cameras and from what I've been hearing, I have to ask: Why is a digital shutter so different from a film shutter? With film, you have to sync the shutter speed with the strobe, but in digital you don't have to? And is the flash duration so long with a digital strobe that you can use a higher shutter speed to cut out some of the flash? By the way, for a diffuser, I've used white plastic grocery bags held on with a rubber band. They do make the light a bit warmer, but I've realised it's hard to find a "homemade" diffuser that doesn't shift the colour abit. It's usually too small of a difference to notice though.

Either do a white balance adjustment or correct in photo shop - with photo shop being easier.

 

[Puffer Fish]

You have to remember that your camera and strobe don't "know" about each other. So, when you use Aperture priority, you set the fstop and the camera decides how to set the shutter by seeing how much light there is. But since it doesn't know that the strobe light is gonna be there, it guesses wrong. So you have to set the the aperture AND the shutter. That's why you have to shoot manual with a non TTL strobe. HTH

Thank you Tortuga -

You can "see" the shutter speed used in the image data - might want to check that.

Anyway, one cannot use aperture priority and that strobe, without having an overexposure, unless some other adjustment is made.

 

[Puffer Fish]

I don't know much about digital cameras and from what I've been hearing, I have to ask: Why is a digital shutter so different from a film shutter? With film, you have to sync the shutter speed with the strobe, but in digital you don't have to? And is the flash duration so long with a digital strobe that you can use a higher shutter speed to cut out some of the flash? By the way, for a diffuser, I've used white plastic grocery bags held on with a rubber band. They do make the light a bit warmer, but I've realised it's hard to find a "homemade" diffuser that doesn't shift the colour abit. It's usually too small of a difference to notice though.

I use a 10,000 of a second with flash a fair amount of the time - and it is shorter than the flash is.

Note: Love the wolf eel in your avatar.

 

[SeaYoda]

You have to remember that your camera and strobe don't "know" about each other. So, when you use Aperture priority, you set the fstop and the camera decides how to set the shutter by seeing how much light there is. But since it doesn't know that the strobe light is gonna be there, it guesses wrong. So you have to set the the aperture AND the shutter. That's why you have to shoot manual with a non TTL strobe. HTH

This is exactly what I believe the problem truly is. Manual mode is the only mode to shoot in. My Sunpak strobe is very bright and I have no problem with blow out on my 5050,unless of course I get the settings wrong . Your strobe should not be much more powerful than mine. You might also aim the strobe a little behind or to the side of the subject to lower the intensity of the beam if you are still having trouble. Be sure to post some pictures for us to see.

 

[AndyT]

Untill recently I shot my 5060 and YS 90 Auto with a fibre optic cable - our two setups are not all that different .For macro I used 1/125 to 1/320 @f/8 in manual mode . You should be able to get decent exposure with the power settings on your strobe . If you shoot in RAW format you can fine tune later in a RAW converter.I also prefer to underexpose slightly and correct later .

If you don't want to go the DIY route with the diffuser you might want to check if the one for the Auto version fits - spares should be available .

 

[Code Monkey]

Thanks! We'll try those settings and mess with the power on the strobe. This'll give me an excuse to get her out into our cold local waters!

I believe that she's got one of the standard diffusers but, if I remember correctly, the strobe arm interferes with the diffuser. That's why she's going with the DIY variety.

Based on what I'm hearing, it sounds like the YS-15 will be just fine for macro work. I'll have to mess with it to see how unhappy I am with wide angle stuff but there's this issue with dollars...

 

[AndyT]

I'm sure the YS 15 will be fine for macro work , don't know about WA stuff though ..............

 

[oly5050user]

You have to remember that your camera and strobe don't "know" about each other. So, when you use Aperture priority, you set the fstop and the camera decides how to set the shutter by seeing how much light there is. But since it doesn't know that the strobe light is gonna be there, it guesses wrong. So you have to set the the aperture AND the shutter. That's why you have to shoot manual with a non TTL strobe. HTH

Tortuga is right on this..for this reason I suggest for uw photo students who start out
with an olyumpus camera to use a ikelite housing with ike strobes..all ttl features work using this system..set camera on manual and f8(your smallest aperature,also gives you greatest depth of field) try shutter speed of 200 hold strobe 1 1/2' to 2' from subject and adjust shutter speed for desired effect and distance of strobe to subject for exposure control..alot easier with ttl system..

 

[Larry C]

57 degrees is not cold. Try 45 degrees in Carmel this week, courtesy of upwellings from the Monterey trench. Good luck with getting your strobe settings right.

 

[havnmonkey]

I'm sure Sea & Sea has a diffuser for that strobe model, can't be too expensive? Also go into Manual Mode to control both aperature and shutter, your camera doesn't know that the strobe is gonna fire... You have to set your camera to handle the added flash of light.