I need help, definitely i do something wrong!

These are my first photos with D5. As you can see, it's obvious that something is wrong.

The camera was set to program P, the TTL at + 1.0 and the YS110 at full.

I can use any help and advices form whoever know what should i do in order to shoot some decent photos.

Please notice that the photos aren't shooted at night and the lens is Canon 100mm Macro.

These are my first photos with D5. As you can see, it's obvious that something is wrong.

The camera was set to program P, the TTL at + 1.0 and the YS110 at full.

I can use any help and advices form whoever know what should i do in order to shoot some decent photos.

Please notice that the photos aren't shooted at night and the lens is Canon 100mm Macro.

Hi Nicholas,

Are you setting the mode switch on the strobe to TTL? If not, you're not firing on TTL at all. You'll be dumping the full load on the preflash, then a tiny pop in response the main flash trigger. That would explain the dark dog etc.

set the mode to TTL on the strobe

set the TTL adapter to "0" compensation

set 5D to 100 ISO - adapter can have serious trouble with high ISO close ups, due to tiny durations.

try the 5D on manual and dial in an exposure of a couple of stops under for ambient. e.g. 1/100s at f/16 indoors.

See how that goes.

Martyn

yes i have the switch on the TTL. I had made the settings you told me to and i think that the results are much better. Sure the right thing to do is to shoot in manual doing the settings by yourself, but when your previous camera is Sony P10 things are a little bit difficult. Thank you Martyn and if you have more advises for me please let me know.

My wife wants to know where you found a Chihuahua fish? This will definitely be our next dive vacation site!

I've never used the program mode for underwater work. For macro I usually shoot manual at 60 and sometimes 125 sec and an aperture of 16 to 22. Make sure you test your TTL.

Hoorah! I'm glad you got the system dialled in a a bit better. I'm still puzzled as to what was going wrong. I mean although P is not a great mode to shoot this type of shot with, it picked very similar values to your manual settings.

As mreid says, keep testing the TTL until you are happy that you understand where its limitations are and how to avoid them. Obviously TTL has a range of adjustment in which it can work. Outside of this range, which depends upon the ISO, Av, Tv, subject distance and reflectivity/shape, you may get either too little or too much lighting.

Good shooting,

Martyn

Hi Nicholas,

P mode is evil! Always shoot manual mode underwater. Here are the macro settings I use before I jump in:

1/125

f22

ISO 100

strobes on ttl

zero on ttl converter

On the 5D I like to use the * button for AF and set the shutter button to only do the shutter release, no AF. This makes manual focusing easier. This is my preference, others may like something else.

After you take a shot in ttl, the YS-110s will briefly light up green on the back as a ttl confirmation. You can also tell that the ttl system is working by noticing the preflashes coming from the strobes.

When testing the ttl system on the chihuahua fish, you can make sure the compensation is working by taking a shot at zero and increasing or decreasing the compensation dial. You should be able to see

Just remember that there may be times where the strobes are all full output and this may not be bright enough for a proper exposure. This will lead to underexposed images, although nothing is wrong with the ttl system.

Good luck with your shooting!

Jim

Hi Jim, i followed your instructions. I set the camera in manual mode but the problem is somewhere else. All the shots are underexposured. I can't understand if it's TTL or YS110. All 3 shots have the following settings:

1/125

f22

ISO 100

Strobe on TTL

Zero on TTL Converter

If you have any idea or if someone else have let's share it with me.

PS: how can i check out if TTL or YS110 is working properly?

Hi Nicholas,

How far are you from the subject? The middle picture looks a little brighter than the other pictures and looks pretty close to being correct (at least how it looks on my computer screen). Check to make sure the exposure compensation and flash compensation on the camera are both set to 0, also make sure you don't have any bracketing or auto bracketing set in the camera. I would also try to be at the same distance you would be underwater when doing your test in your house, generally about 1-2 feet.

Jim

Jim i shot the bubblebee from a distance of 20 - 25cm. You are right about the middle picture but for sure is not what it should be. I tried exposure compensation in 0 and +1 but the result is the same. Furtheemore i can' t find bracketing or auto bracketing on the menu of the camera.

From the AF-WB (AF mode selection/ White Balance selection) button, i set AWB, is this right or wrong? Should i select the flash ?

maybe the flash power at that distance is not enough too handle f22. You could do a test with a fixed distance and the strobe on FULL, and then make a pic with all the available f-stops. (in not too bright evening condition, otherwise the ambient light will be too important.

The correct exposure will give you the strobe "guide" number for that particular distance. More open it will be overexposed, more closed is underexposed. You can off course use the TTL setting as well, then opening the aperture more will not give really any reaction, but it will be the same at the smaller fstops

Gerard