Sony DSC F-828 problem

[Bourgoignie]

Hi,

I am new here and I hope to find out how to make good flash pictures.
I bought the Metz 45 CL-4 digital flash and have troubles to set up things wright. The pictures are too bright. I have to tell that last year I used the intern flash of the Sony and I had also this problem: not able to make a well balanced picture. Notice that the place where I took the flash picture is lighted with halogen lamps.
Anyway I am troubled and I will contact my Sony reseller here in town.
Is there someone who can give me somme guidance in handling the Metz and the Sony ? Notice that I can use the Metz only in manual modus, due to the fact that the Sony is a case apart and not so new.

Regards. José.

[Anbesol]

Are you setting the camera to manual mode as well? Can you post up some samples? What f-stop are you using?

[Bourgoignie]

Hi,

I could meanwhile make a shot that is acceptable... I added an extra diffuser. Have to experiment further and search for the best way to expose the subject.
Took the image by 1/125, f 8.0 and ISO value on 100.
I find the result a little bit too dark... or not ?

Thanks. José.

http://users.skynet.be/maximil/FlitsPoes.jpg

[Anbesol]

f/8 at ISO 100 is not letting a lot of light in, I'm not surprised its dark. This is not the original problem you were having though. Calibrating manual lights to match exposure is hard work. Are you using a gray card or something to get your light power right? Are you connected to the hotshoe, sync cable, optical/radio trigger? When you were having the problem of too bright, was it also set to 125/f8/100?

You could only use the metz in manual period, doesn't even have any TTL mode or automation.

[Bourgoignie]

Hi,

Yes, I red several topics saying they used a larger aperture and other ISO value. Perhaps I should set the ISO to automatic ? I liked to have very sharp pictures... this is now only nearly a close-up of my cat... what then when the scene is larger with many people or a large space such as in a church ?
The Metz 45 CL-4 digital is connected with the Sony with the SCA 3045 and the SCA 3602, who is connected to the Sony with the ACC input. So no hot shoe.
I remember hardly what settings I used when the pictures were too bright... sorry. I was certainly very nerveous having bought such beautyfull flash...

Thanks. José.

[Anbesol]

Does the F828 use 1/3rd stop ISO's, or just the full stops? I often like to make subtle differences in exposure by 1/3rd stop ISO changes, say from 200 to 250 or 160. Anyway, thats always a lot easier to fine tune a lighting calibration than full stop ISO's. I am pretty sure your metz is more powerful than mine, so you should have higher overhead for f-stop leverage.

For large groups in a large scene, you will need at LEAST 2 lights, preferably 3 or 4. If you do brave such a shot with one light, I'd try it at a wider f-stop (4.5 or so) and maybe even ISO 400.

[Bourgoignie]

Hi,

Got now more information and guidance from my reseller in Sony Center.
Mea culpa... I didn't see the ISO settings on the Metz flash... these values are quiet small and colored and I have a bad view...
I think that's the reason of getting dark images.
Thanks anyway for your replies. :thumbsup:

Greetz. José.

[Anbesol]

I meant the ISO settings on your F828.

[Bourgoignie]

Hi,

I meant the ISO settings on your F828.

That was not difficult for me.
Have now to take a range of images with a different setting of M and see how things come out. Even guessing the distance to the object is very important.
Have already some good results... this Metz is fantastic.

Thanks. José (Ostend, Belgium)