Comments on: my take on Nikon’s flash settings – TTL vs TTL BL http://neilvn.com/tangents/2010/02/22/nikon-flash-ttl-vs-ttl-bl/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nikon-flash-ttl-vs-ttl-bl photography by Neil van Niekerk Wed, 23 May 2012 18:55:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Christian http://neilvn.com/tangents/2010/02/22/nikon-flash-ttl-vs-ttl-bl/#comment-5377 Christian Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:29:28 +0000 http://neilvn.com/tangents/?p=2431#comment-5377 Yep, It definitely flew over my head. Thanks for clarifying. Yep,

It definitely flew over my head. Thanks for clarifying.

]]> By: Neil vN http://neilvn.com/tangents/2010/02/22/nikon-flash-ttl-vs-ttl-bl/#comment-5376 Neil vN Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:13:36 +0000 http://neilvn.com/tangents/?p=2431#comment-5376 <blockquote>Christian .. I think you misunderstood my comment there. TTL does usually give off more light for the same FEC, than TTL BL does. What I was trying to explain is that you will end up using the same amount of power / juice to get correct exposure. So while you might be at -1EV for TTL, you might be at say +0.3 EV for TTL BL. Different amounts of FEC .. giving you the same flash exposure. Which comes right back to the gist of this post .. that instead of see-sawing over the choice of TTL vs TTL BL ... it might be easier just to use the one mode and get accustomed to how it responds, and adjust your FEC accordingly. Neil vN</blockquote>

Christian .. I think you misunderstood my comment there.

TTL does usually give off more light for the same FEC, than TTL BL does. What I was trying to explain is that you will end up using the same amount of power / juice to get correct exposure. So while you might be at -1EV for TTL, you might be at say +0.3 EV for TTL BL. Different amounts of FEC .. giving you the same flash exposure.

Which comes right back to the gist of this post .. that instead of see-sawing over the choice of TTL vs TTL BL … it might be easier just to use the one mode and get accustomed to how it responds, and adjust your FEC accordingly.

Neil vN

]]> By: Christian http://neilvn.com/tangents/2010/02/22/nikon-flash-ttl-vs-ttl-bl/#comment-5375 Christian Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:42:24 +0000 http://neilvn.com/tangents/?p=2431#comment-5375 Neil, From my own experience and also from various e-mails to Nikon tech support, straight TTL does push out more power then BL, when I am bouncing flash I always have it set to TTL, not BL. Actually, something that is peculiar to the SB600 (I don't think this happens with the 800) is that if you even just put the flash head directly upwards the BL on the screen disappears and it will only let you use straight TTL. Neil,

From my own experience and also from various e-mails to Nikon tech support, straight TTL does push out more power then BL, when I am bouncing flash I always have it set to TTL, not BL. Actually, something that is peculiar to the SB600 (I don’t think this happens with the 800) is that if you even just put the flash head directly upwards the BL on the screen disappears and it will only let you use straight TTL.

]]> By: Neil vN http://neilvn.com/tangents/2010/02/22/nikon-flash-ttl-vs-ttl-bl/#comment-5338 Neil vN Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:07:44 +0000 http://neilvn.com/tangents/?p=2431#comment-5338 <blockquote>Ed, I wouldn't be surprised. With TTL, the metering is dependent strictly on what can be seen is in the viewfinder. As such, your composition will heavily influence the TTL flash metering. With an Auto mode, the flash measures the amount of light reflected from a larger area, and is much less affected by specific composition. Neil vN</blockquote>

Ed, I wouldn’t be surprised.

With TTL, the metering is dependent strictly on what can be seen is in the viewfinder. As such, your composition will heavily influence the TTL flash metering.

With an Auto mode, the flash measures the amount of light reflected from a larger area, and is much less affected by specific composition.

Neil vN

]]> By: ed eckels http://neilvn.com/tangents/2010/02/22/nikon-flash-ttl-vs-ttl-bl/#comment-5337 ed eckels Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:58:08 +0000 http://neilvn.com/tangents/?p=2431#comment-5337 I did a little experimenting at a recent wedding with the AA setting on my SB-800. I discovered that it's less likely to blow out the face of the people wearing black and also less likely to under expose the bride in white. I did a little experimenting at a recent wedding with the AA setting on my SB-800. I discovered that it’s less likely to blow out the face of the people wearing black and also less likely to under expose the bride in white.

]]> By: David Holmes http://neilvn.com/tangents/2010/02/22/nikon-flash-ttl-vs-ttl-bl/#comment-5329 David Holmes Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:48:26 +0000 http://neilvn.com/tangents/?p=2431#comment-5329 Hi Neil, thanks for the great work in your book! I have an extra copy to share :-) Very timely article for me. I've been following the meticulous analysis covered at http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/816501/0. I like to have some idea of the science behind it, but you are spot on regarding knowing how your equipment will respond from experience. I've been getting best results indoors in BL. David Hi Neil, thanks for the great work in your book! I have an extra copy to share :-)

Very timely article for me. I’ve been following the meticulous analysis covered at http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/816501/0. I like to have some idea of the science behind it, but you are spot on regarding knowing how your equipment will respond from experience. I’ve been getting best results indoors in BL.

David

]]> By: Neil vN http://neilvn.com/tangents/2010/02/22/nikon-flash-ttl-vs-ttl-bl/#comment-5327 Neil vN Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:55:06 +0000 http://neilvn.com/tangents/?p=2431#comment-5327 <blockquote>Gene .. it does sound to me like you're going shopping for a 50mm f1.4 soon. ;) These lenses are quite affordable, and will open a new world to you with the wider apertures. Neil vN</blockquote>

Gene .. it does sound to me like you’re going shopping for a 50mm f1.4 soon. ;)

These lenses are quite affordable, and will open a new world to you with the wider apertures.

Neil vN

]]> By: Gene http://neilvn.com/tangents/2010/02/22/nikon-flash-ttl-vs-ttl-bl/#comment-5324 Gene Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:27:55 +0000 http://neilvn.com/tangents/?p=2431#comment-5324 I suppose that Nikon has had to modify the flash system since the new cameras shoot at such a high ISO. My D80 however, still requires a bright background and flash pointed straight ahead and matrix metering to work properly. As soon as ambient light drops too low, the pictures are underexposed. To bounce the flash, I find spot metering and straight TTL work the best. Off camera, it is manual flash and TTL that seem to work best for me. I don't know why but off camera flash seems to always under expose by a stop or so requiring me to start at +1 compensation. Because of ISO requirements and low tolerance for noise on my camera coupled with slow lenses, I have never been successful using your techniques for bouncing light. Despite following your blog and your book, as soon as I hit ISO400 I'm a goner. Still love your photography though, and remain a loyal fan. Thanks for blogging all the inspiration. I'm still working on it. I suppose that Nikon has had to modify the flash system since the new cameras shoot at such a high ISO. My D80 however, still requires a bright background and flash pointed straight ahead and matrix metering to work properly. As soon as ambient light drops too low, the pictures are underexposed.
To bounce the flash, I find spot metering and straight TTL work the best. Off camera, it is manual flash and TTL that seem to work best for me. I don’t know why but off camera flash seems to always under expose by a stop or so requiring me to start at +1 compensation.
Because of ISO requirements and low tolerance for noise on my camera coupled with slow lenses, I have never been successful using your techniques for bouncing light. Despite following your blog and your book, as soon as I hit ISO400 I’m a goner. Still love your photography though, and remain a loyal fan. Thanks for blogging all the inspiration. I’m still working on it.

]]> By: Neil vN http://neilvn.com/tangents/2010/02/22/nikon-flash-ttl-vs-ttl-bl/#comment-5326 Neil vN Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:05:45 +0000 http://neilvn.com/tangents/?p=2431#comment-5326 <blockquote>Bogdan ... neither mode should use more power than the other, for correct exposure. After all, we need to convert a specific amount of electrons to photons ... and how the camera and flash calculates that, has no bearing on that we need *this* amount of light for correct exposure. Neil vN</blockquote>

Bogdan … neither mode should use more power than the other, for correct exposure. After all, we need to convert a specific amount of electrons to photons … and how the camera and flash calculates that, has no bearing on that we need *this* amount of light for correct exposure.

Neil vN

]]> By: Bogdan http://neilvn.com/tangents/2010/02/22/nikon-flash-ttl-vs-ttl-bl/#comment-5323 Bogdan Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:57:46 +0000 http://neilvn.com/tangents/?p=2431#comment-5323 I'm mostly TTL bound as I'm under the impression my batteries tend to last a little longer and the recycle times are a little faster then BL. Mind you I haven't done any serious testing to substantiate that so take it with a grain of salt. In terms of speed of adapting your settings, Auto Flash mode works quite well too. I usually set the flash on auto and f5.6 then simply play with the aperture to dial +/- compensation on the run. It works well for me when there's little time to figure exposure as it gives me a base I could set quickly and work from there. Cheers! Bogdan I’m mostly TTL bound as I’m under the impression my batteries tend to last a little longer and the recycle times are a little faster then BL. Mind you I haven’t done any serious testing to substantiate that so take it with a grain of salt.
In terms of speed of adapting your settings, Auto Flash mode works quite well too. I usually set the flash on auto and f5.6 then simply play with the aperture to dial +/- compensation on the run. It works well for me when there’s little time to figure exposure as it gives me a base I could set quickly and work from there.
Cheers!
Bogdan

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