why 2 flashes?

[romphotog]

This is highly annoying!

Why do Kodak cameras fire off 2 flashes instead of 1?
Whats the point of the red eye reduction then?
Is it the same? It's a drain on batteries, makes people
think the photo has been taken, and scares aunt Betty to death.

How do I shut it off?

[inneyeseakay]

The first flash makes the iris constrict causing it to be smaller when the picture is taken, thus making red eye less noticable or hopefully even non-existent.

[dan279]

Just curious what camera are you referring to ??

Mon Sep 4th,2006 09:59pm

"romphotog wrote:

My Kodak P850 review.

It has shutter and apperture priority... why? what for?

Why would you need Aperture Priority if you cant check the DOF because
there is now DOF button? Useless feature.
How would non-pros know what proper aperture to set to anyway?

Over 1/125th is fast, that's easy to remember. But, if you use flash, the action is frozen anyway, thus, no need to set to 1/500th manually. [why does this camera only go up to 1/1000 if the C330 P&S goes up to 1/1400?]

Yes, the EVF is nice, but slow. Why no tilt/rotatable LCD?

Why only 5.1mp? Why no ISO above 400?

However, ISO and exposure compensation settings only serve to confuse people even more; Most wont bother fiddling with them.

small 1/2.5" CCD sensor(same as the C330).

RAW. ok, nice to have. Again, non-pros wouldnt know what to do with it.

If all you want(as I am sure most people do who arent pros) is a long zoom, you only use Auto and scene modes, and all the buttons confuse you, get a P&S.

If you want priority this-and-that, spend a bit more and get either the Fuji S9000 or the Lumix FZ30/FZ50. However, if you really do want all those features, and low noise, then get a real SLR."

[Tom LaPrise]

My (film) Olympus Stylus Zoom would fire something like 15 times for one shot if I had redeye reduction enabled. Great fun at parties! The first flash, in your case, is the redeye reduction; the second is for the photo.

romphotog wrote:

This is highly annoying!

Why do Kodak cameras fire off 2 flashes instead of 1?
Whats the point of the red eye reduction then?
Is it the same? It's a drain on batteries, makes people
think the photo has been taken, and scares aunt Betty to death.

How do I shut it off?

[JimC]

romphotog wrote:

This is highly annoying!

Why do Kodak cameras fire off 2 flashes instead of 1?

Most Digital Cameras use a preflash. It's used for metering. Sensors used in digital cameras are too reflective to meter from during the flash exposure like you could do with modern SLRs having OTF (off the film) metering. So, instead, the camera fires a short preflash first for metering purposes.

Based on how much reflected light it sees returned from the metering preflash, it decides how long the main flash burst needs to be.

Most people don't notice a metering preflash, since the interval between the metering flash and main flash is very short. But, from time to time, you can find someone that always blinks with the preflash causing a problem, and some cameras are worse than others (the length of time between metering flash and main flash can impact results).

Most DSLR models have the main flash only about 100ms after the preflash. Some cameras have a longer space between them compared to others.

Whats the point of the red eye reduction then?

As already mentioned, it's designed to constrict the subject's pupils. It's going to be timed differently compared to a shorter metering preflash.

Is it the same?

No.

How do I shut it off?

AFAIK, you can't turn it off with your camera.

The only way around a preflash with most digital cameras is to use an external flash with a built in sensor that measures reflected light during a flash exposure (an older Auto Thyristor type flash), or use manual power settings with an external flash instead.

Even most digital camera manufacturer's external strobes use a metering preflash.

If it's not acceptable, buy a cheap auto thryistor type strobe instead.

For example, not long ago, I bought a smaller Sunpak 222 Auto with tilt and 2 Auto Aperture Ranges for only $7 from http://www.keh.com

I then got a larger Sunpak 333 Auto with tilt, swivel, 3 Auto Aperture Ranges, Manual Power Settings (full, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16), a manual zoom head, GN of around 120 Feet at ISO 100 (depending on zoom head position) for only $25 in 10 condition (as new in box) from the used department at http://www.bhphotovideo.com

Then, use manual exposure (setting the camera and strobe to match for aperture/iso speed), and let the stobe control it's output via how much reflected light it sees during a flash exposure. Auto Thyristor type strobes are dirt cheap on the used market, and have the added benefit of eliminating the need for a preflash.

But, most people don't even notice a metering preflash.

[romphotog]

dan279 wrote:

Just curious what camera are you referring to ??

Mon Sep 4th,2006 09:59pm

"romphotog wrote:

My Kodak P850 review.

Just curious as to why you reposted my post from Sept 4th and what
it has to do with my question.

[dan279]

Still curious which camera you're referring to.
As others have already stated, many digi cams use preflash.Reading the manual of any brand camera will tell you why this method is used.As in your previous post, you chose to single out Kodak and give people a false impression that kodak is the only one .

[bigdawg]

Looks like you are in search of a DSLR but then the complexity really kicks in. Of course as a NON-PRO I wouldn't know. Now would I!! LOL Your naivete is hanging out for all to see. Your questions could be answered by almost anyone here if posed in a less dramatic fashion but you pose those questions in such a way as to enrage some and put off others to the point that they don't feel like answering. Please ask them one at a time and in a manner that would encourage someone to respond with a pertinent answer. If you do so I can assure you we will try in a civil tone to answer any question you have!


Dawg

[inneyeseakay]

Dawg and Dan both have very valid points... Kodak is, by far, not the only digital cameras that fire a pre-flash. Maybe do a little research before pointing fingers at Kodak.
You obviously have a problem with their digital camera line and I am sorry you feel that way.