when You bounce 380ex flash off the ceiling with elan7eqd. the metering for the flash is through the len, therefore the flash intensity is loss when the light is bounce off the ceiling and coming down to hit the subject. Does anyone know if you have to set flash compensation to +2 full stop all the time to help compensate the light loss?. anytime you tilt the flash, the flash setting automatically set to 50mm coverage on the back of 380ex. Does it still meter through the lens for exposure?

Thanks

Peter li

-- peter li (pli@hatch.ca), October 23, 2001

Answers

I use a 550EX, but this should pretty much work the same.

The camera will still meter through the lens. Actually it will still be E-TTL. Bounce flash tends to give a softer light. You might like this, you might not. I do not dial in any compensation whatsoever. I trust the flash to perform, and it does. The only thing you might want to be careful about is the output of the 380EX. Bouncing the flash takes alot more power. Try using FEL to test the ability of the flash to perform properly in bounce flash situations.

I hate to say this, but the best way i have found to learn flash is to experiment. Try shooting the same scene with direct and then bounce flash. See what you like. Do some flash bracketing when bouncing and see what looks best to you.

-- Roger (rashrader@hotmail.com), October 23, 2001.

It is normal for the flash to set itself to the 50mm setting for bounce flash. Mine did it, and it was mentioned in the manual. I think my 550EX does the same. I don't ever use bounce flash though, so I'm not sure. I have never liked the effect it gives, despite just about everyone saying you should always try to use bounce flash.

-- Brad Hutcheson (bhutcheson@iname.com), October 26, 2001.

what about when you put a diffuser on the flash. does the ettl take care of things or do you have to dial in compensation? these new "electronic," and "automatic" flashes confuse me...

-- jeff nakayama (moonduck22@hotmail.com), October 28, 2001.

Yes, in theory at least E-TTL or even plain old TTL would take care of all of the compensation for you. You do have to experiment though. When I was using the 380EX I dialed in +1/2 stop most of the time because I preferred a little overexposure with most Kodak print films at the time. I don't seem to need to dial in anything with the 550EX and Supra 400 though. It all depends on the look you want, and how much light you expect from the flash.

-- Brad Hutcheson (bhutcheson@iname.com), October 28, 2001.