Steve'sDigicams

hari · Aug 30, 2004, 3:18 AM

I use Powershot A75. I want to shoot Birthday photos indoors. the room is 12feet wideX 15 feet long. It has only one flouroscent tube light ( 40 watt ).

With Inbuilt flash the photos come very dark. What type of lights I should use to get good photos with A75. Is Halogen (500 watt) is good? or Should I put more Tube lights ( 40 watt ).

Powershot A75 has no provision for external flash. Is there a solution that will serve my purpose of INDOOR shooting/ Please advise as the B'day is nearing.. a week away..

Having spent a lot on digicam, I still have to call a photographer for this occasion ? it is shameful I have to argue with other family members !!!

KCan · Aug 30, 2004, 12:32 PM

Hari, you will get best results with a slave flash, it's a flash adapted to digicam that don't have hotshoe or PC terminal. There are many manufacturers of slave flash: SRelectronics, Phoenix, Vivitar etc...

FYI:

http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/v...mp;forum_id=53

See other thread in the external flash forum as well

Klaus DK · Sep 1, 2004, 2:11 AM

You can use other lightsources with good results. You have to change the whitebalance settings in camera and not mix too many (best none) different colortemperatures. Halgoen could be a good cheap solution for at start!

KCan · Sep 1, 2004, 8:52 PM

How about some more coloured spot light , colorful lanterns ... to make your pictures colorful ? :-)

Mikefellh · Sep 1, 2004, 9:21 PM

Klaus DK wrote:

Quote:

You have to change the whitebalance settings in camera

I'd leave the white balance alone...you have enough to worry about on your special day! ;-)

Klaus DK · Sep 2, 2004, 2:41 AM

Well, Mike. Since Hari has some worries about getting good shots by the present light, why not give hima goodadvice!

It's a fact that most digicams get cheated by mixed lightsources and in that case, it's a good idea to set the whitebalance manually to prevent colorcasts. (Unless you shoot RAW).

It's at matter of measuring the WB once and then go for it. I've had good experience with that.

hari · Sep 2, 2004, 5:47 AM

Thanks a lot for the suggestions, Mike, KCanand Klaus. I definitely follow your advice. I hope by setting white balance properly I can get good shots.

Do you have any idea what is to be done with the normal external flash ( which you connect to 35 mm film cameras). Can I put that for any best use ?

Hari

Mikefellh · Sep 2, 2004, 8:16 AM

Klaus DK wrote:

Quote:

Well, Mike. Since Hari has some worries about getting good shots by the present light, why not give him a good advice!

I thought I have...I've experimented with white balance both my digital camera, and with video when I first started 20 years ago (after all, electronic white balance adjustment came from video, not film) and with the case of the consumer digicam (which the A85 is), auto does a pretty good job whereas it is very easy to mess up a fixed setting (especially if the flash is used and there is no white balance setting for the internal flash; the pictures would turn out blue).

If you're a pro-shooter with years experience it's a different story, but in this case considering the type of camera, I'd suggest using the auto white balance and fix any minor colour problems in the digital darkroom after.

While I personally use the one touch white balance, I don't always recommended (it's best to find out the poster's level of photography experience)...if they've used the one touch WB with the flash, and then turn off the flash and forget to one-touch WB again, the colour will be wrong and it would be harder to correct.

The best thing for this person to do is experiment with their camera and see what works best for them. Practice makes perfect.

KCan · Sep 2, 2004, 8:52 AM

hari wrote:

Quote:

Do you have any idea what is to be done with the normal external flash ( which you connect to 35 mm film cameras). Can I put that for any best use ?

Hari,
1) If you can disable preflash on your camera's flash (seems to me, that's possible in manual mode) then you can trigger any flash by connecting it to a slave cell (the normal, classic one)

2) If the preflash on the camera flash can not be disabled, then you need a special slave cell which ignores the preflash and then trigger your flash at the right moment.
http://www.adorama.com/WNHSD.html?sid=10941289611245545

hari · Sep 3, 2004, 2:05 AM

Thanks a lot, KCan. I do not exactly know whether I can use the normal flash with A75 but it is very interesting for me to see the photo posted by you. I was curious to know how it looks etc. It is now clear to me.

I will Post a query in the canon section to find out whether Powershot A75 has preflash or not. If yes, How to disable the preflash ?

Also I will try to go to a local store to check with this external flash and without to know how it works. Thanks a million.

BTW, I would engage a Photographer for important photos on Bday, and rest I will take using A75. I do not want to miss those important ones.

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Aug 30, 2004, 3:18 AM	#1
hari Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 52	I use Powershot A75. I want to shoot Birthday photos indoors. the room is 12feet wideX 15 feet long. It has only one flouroscent tube light ( 40 watt ). With Inbuilt flash the photos come very dark. What type of lights I should use to get good photos with A75. Is Halogen (500 watt) is good? or Should I put more Tube lights ( 40 watt ). Powershot A75 has no provision for external flash. Is there a solution that will serve my purpose of INDOOR shooting/ Please advise as the B'day is nearing.. a week away.. Having spent a lot on digicam, I still have to call a photographer for this occasion ? it is shameful I have to argue with other family members !!!

Aug 30, 2004, 12:32 PM	#2
KCan Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,625	Hari, you will get best results with a slave flash, it's a flash adapted to digicam that don't have hotshoe or PC terminal. There are many manufacturers of slave flash: SRelectronics, Phoenix, Vivitar etc... FYI: http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/v...mp;forum_id=53 See other thread in the external flash forum as well

Sep 1, 2004, 2:11 AM	#3
Klaus DK Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 2,216	You can use other lightsources with good results. You have to change the whitebalance settings in camera and not mix too many (best none) different colortemperatures. Halgoen could be a good cheap solution for at start!

Sep 1, 2004, 8:52 PM	#4
KCan Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,625	How about some more coloured spot light , colorful lanterns ... to make your pictures colorful ? :-)

Sep 2, 2004, 2:41 AM	#6
Klaus DK Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 2,216	Well, Mike. Since Hari has some worries about getting good shots by the present light, why not give hima goodadvice! It's a fact that most digicams get cheated by mixed lightsources and in that case, it's a good idea to set the whitebalance manually to prevent colorcasts. (Unless you shoot RAW). It's at matter of measuring the WB once and then go for it. I've had good experience with that.

Sep 2, 2004, 5:47 AM	#7
hari Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 52	Thanks a lot for the suggestions, Mike, KCanand Klaus. I definitely follow your advice. I hope by setting white balance properly I can get good shots. Do you have any idea what is to be done with the normal external flash ( which you connect to 35 mm film cameras). Can I put that for any best use ? Hari

Sep 3, 2004, 2:05 AM	#10
hari Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 52	Thanks a lot, KCan. I do not exactly know whether I can use the normal flash with A75 but it is very interesting for me to see the photo posted by you. I was curious to know how it looks etc. It is now clear to me. I will Post a query in the canon section to find out whether Powershot A75 has preflash or not. If yes, How to disable the preflash ? Also I will try to go to a local store to check with this external flash and without to know how it works. Thanks a million. BTW, I would engage a Photographer for important photos on Bday, and rest I will take using A75. I do not want to miss those important ones.