Your flash and your lens’s aperture are directly correlated. First off, know that your shutter speed generally controls the ambient light in an exposure while your aperture controls your flash’s exposure. ISO controls overall sensitivity in an image. But then your flash’s power varies. Many people use TTL. But if you’re using manual flash output, then consider this: if your flash is fixed at 1/4 output, and you vary your aperture, the flash will either illuminate more or less of the image that your camera captures.
So how does this relate to TTL users? At a given ISO, your flash can only be so effective because it judges not only the distance that your subject is away from the lens but also your aperture. That’s why sometimes your image might be too dark despite using exposure compensation. The reason for this is because your flash only has so much power output–in fact it’s probably less than 1/10th of what a monolight (studio light) may have. The counter is to raise your ISO settings, but the veterans may tell you to never go above ISO 400 when using a flash. And in general they’re correct because that’s how you can capture the most specular highlights in an image. But sometimes you have to.
After the jump, we used the Phottix Mitros flash with the Odin TTL triggers in conjunction with the Canon 5D Mk II and Tamron 90mm f2.8 VC (which we’re currently reviewing.) The flash was in the same position fixed at 1/32 output while the camera was fixed at 1/200th at ISO 100. The only thing variable was the aperture. The results are just how much your aperture can affect an exposure.
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After my Fujifilm X Pro 1 review, people asked me about how I edited and recovered an impossibly colored image (which I think just sounds cooler than severely discolored.) In all honestly, it is color theory. But here is a video I made about how to do it if you don’t have that knowledge.
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Back in April, I explained in detail how I go about backing up my data, and why it’s incredibly important to develop your own backup strategy and workflow to prevent data loss.
Since you’ve likely captured a bunch of unforgettable moments over the holiday season, and are also probably travelling a lot, I think it’s a good time to revisit your backup strategy and make sure you’re completely covered in all situations.
Maybe make it a New Years Resolution to define a backup workflow. After all, you wouldn’t want to lose all of your adorable puppy photos, right?
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A lot of photographers think about their flash all wrong, especially when it comes to macro photography. I had to include myself in this. I eventually learned that using a flash in your macro photography makes things a whole lot easier. Flashes provide more control. While natural light is very nice, a flash can augment it or even replace it. You do not need a lot of gear and it is easy to start experimenting with this. Once you do though, you may be hooked.
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As our cameras get older, so too do our lenses. Every time we take a lens off the camera, little environmental nasties tend to get into the contacts of both the camera and the lens. The effect of this cause: slower autofocus confirmation or your focusing not working anywhere as well as it used to. The solution is extremely affordable and readily available at your local drug store or Amazon. Isopropyl Alcohol is designed for cleaning electronics as well as for other uses. For the best results, you should always dab one end of a Q-Tip ever so slightly and then scrub the contacts with a tiny of of pressure. I put a big emphasis on the word dab because you don’t want that stuff spilling onto the sensor by accident. Just to be extra sure, also try cleaning the contact area of your lens and body caps. If you’re feeling a bit braver, you can also try to dry the moistened contacts with the dry end of the Q-Tip.
So how effective is this? It’s kept my 5D Mk II clicking for all these years and helped to improve my Fujifilm X Pro 1′s AF speed a tad bit more. Proceed with caution and common sense and you’ll be all set to keep your device fine-tuned.
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Sometimes, it is better to be late than early. When it comes to cameras, being an early adopter can have its disadvantages. Early adopters run the risk of glitches, recalls, or a lack of software compatibility. New cameras are always attractive. Nevertheless they can also lead to new problems. If it’s a part of your work life, buying a camera just as it is released can slow down your workflow. Here are some reasons why it may be wise to hold back on buying new gear.
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