Try each, settle on whichever produces the better results for you (I'd forgotten the N80 was 1/2 stops only). The flash system in the N80 is essentially identical to the F100 (as is the metering) apart from the F100's selectable exposure stop increments.
-Adam Glen Tortorella wrote: > Thank you, Adam, for your detailed commentary. Also, I thank > everyone else who has responded--even the fellow who said I should > have bought a Pentax (Dave, I think) :-) > > Adam: I tried dialing-in the -0.7 FEC value you suggest. It seems > the N80 will take only 1/2 increments (-0.5, -1.0, etc.). I do not > see any other way to set it. Is there something I am missing? Also, > if I am correct about this, would -0.5 be sufficient, or would I be > wasting my time?...or is this just another reason to look into an > F100 (as you have suggested)? > > Glen > > On Oct 3, 2007, at 9:47 AM, Adam Maas wrote: > >> Glen Tortorella wrote: >>> Hi all, >>> >>> Since I have a new, more "advanced" body, the N80, I tried taking >>> some shots I would have avoided in the past. The results were >>> awful-- >>> not one good shot on the entire role, a miserable 0-for-24 (Kodak >>> Gold 200). >>> >>> In the past, I would avoid two types of shots: 1) indoor shots and 2) >>> outdoor "high sun" shots in the fair weather months (i.e. during the >>> hours of about 10:00-4:00). In doing so, I have assured myself >>> decent, but not necessarily perfect, results. Since the N80 has a >>> better metering system (10-segment) and a pop-up flash that is >>> supposed to be pretty good, I figured: "let me see what it can do." >>> As I have said, the results were dreadful. Here are the main issues. >>> >>> 1) Every indoor flash shot showed at least moderate spotlight/wash- >>> out effect of the subject (people). >> Dial in -0.7 stops of Flash exposure compensation when shooting >> people with Nikon flashes (including the popup). Leave this >> permanently dialed in. >> >>> 2) On the outdoor "high sun" shots, the camera turned a seemingly >>> minor shadows (through the viewfinder) on the subject's face into a >>> black blobs that covered almost all of the subject's face. >> Add flash, leave the -0.7 stops of FEC dialed in. >> >>> 3) When taking indoor shots with the flash, I would meter (10- >>> segment) something like 1/30 or 1/45 or perhaps 1/60 at, say, f2. >>> With the flash powered up, I do not think it ever metered >>> differently. For example, 1/30 at f/2 was still 1/30 at f/2 with the >>> flash enabled. Is this correct, or is there something wrong with my >>> camera? >> That is correct, the N80 will attempt to balance the exposure if it >> can get the shutter between 1/125 and 1/30 or so, with a slight >> bias towards the flash illumination (hence the FEC I recommend). If >> you want a pure flash exposure, shoot in manual. >> >> >>> 4) The one decent shot in the whole role--an indoor shot using only >>> available light...go figure?--was spoiled by some sort of small speck >>> on the subject's face. I usually keep my filter free of dust, etc. >>> Could this speck have appeared as a result of the cheap processing I >>> used (Wal-Mart C-41)? >> Probably. Check your negs. >> >>> I know that using a fill flash may have alleviated the problem >>> expressed in issue number 2, but, since I have had my subjects turn a >>> bit ghastly by using the flash, I am hesitant to use it indoors or >>> outdoors. I would appreciate any advice or commentary (or even pep >>> talk), as I am pretty down about this. What good is a more >>> "advanced" camera if I cannot even come remotely close to >>> satisfactory results on the more difficult shots (i.e. indoor, "high >>> sun," etc.)? >>> >>> Thanks, >>> Glen >>> >>> >> Fill flash is your friend, but remember direct flash always looks a >> bit ghastly. A (cheap) SB-24 and an SC-17 or SC-28 cord will get >> the flash off-camera with full TTL, and is a much better option. >> >> -Adam >> >> >> -- >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >> [email protected] >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above >> and follow the directions. > > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
