Outdoor flash question

[wiley]

When using fill flash outdoors....I tend to cheat, and use spot metering/TTL auto flash.
How would I decide what flash power level to choose, when shooting manually, or using a lens where TTL is not an option?

[kiwi]

Dunno what camera system you use, but TTL does not work on a Nikon in spot metering mode

I always use Matrix and TTL-BL in this scenario

[pollen]

Flash exposure metering is not tied to the lens electronics, it's tied to what is seen through the lens. It will only fail to work when you have the lens cap on

For manual flash, you have to use Trial and error (using LCD) and/or use a Light meter

Canon Flash exposure metering does not use spot metering, it only uses Evaluative or Average (different from the evaluative in exposure metering). Spot metering is for ambient light measures

[wiley]

thank you for the input, the Camera being used is a Nikon and l had suspected a light meter might be of use here.

[kiwi]

I dont understand the correlation between what lens you are using and not being able to use TTL/Auto metering in the first place ?

In essence, why are you using flash on manual

[Brodie]

Honestly, dont waste your money on a light meter.

Check your LCD, check your histogram, and bump the light up or down based on what you need.

Ive been doing this for years and these days I can usually get it within one stop each time.

Trial and error. Its real simple and much cheaper.

[MarkChap]

How would I decide what flash power level to choose, when shooting manually,

Aperture = Guide Number divided by Distance
Distance = Guide Number divided by Aperture

So essentially if you meter the scene with the camera and then want to pop a small amount of fill flash in on manual, you would need to adjust your flash power and distance to suit the aperture you have chosen for the exposure of the scene.

[bigdazzler]

Like Brodie said, with digital, just chimp. With practice, youll find you get pretty close off the bat.

[bigbikes]

Like Brodie said, with digital, just chimp. With practice, youll find you get pretty close off the bat.

Daz.....just chimp........No.......nobody chimps in here .........do they ????????

[pollen]

The problem with using trial and error
to chimp the exposure is that it takes time, time which may not be available for professional type jobs. You also annoy the models too, making for worse expressions

[bigdazzler]

chimping shouldnt take any longer than a couple of test shots when youre pretty close with your estimations already.