I finally pulled the trigger on an Aquatica housing for my Nikon D90. For now I will be using a single DS160 and the older 60mm. Coming from using the Canon G10 in the ike housing (TTL). Having read Alex's "TTL Anonymous" thread, I decided to just try my hand at manual exposure. My question is this: Will the camera communicate with the strobe (via the electrical sync) so that the camera knows how much flash i have it set to, and will this be reflected in the light meter on the camera. So basically if i have the camera in manual mode set to say, f8 1/125, and a 3/4 dump on the strobe and the light meter says the shot will be exposed perferctly, is it taking into account the light provided by the strobe. I hope I have worded my question so that you can understand it! Thanks!
Max
Hello everybody-
I finally pulled the trigger on an Aquatica housing for my Nikon D90. For now I will be using a single DS160 and the older 60mm. Coming from using the Canon G10 in the ike housing (TTL). Having read Alex's "TTL Anonymous" thread, I decided to just try my hand at manual exposure. My question is this: Will the camera communicate with the strobe (via the electrical sync) so that the camera knows how much flash i have it set to, and will this be reflected in the light meter on the camera. So basically if i have the camera in manual mode set to say, f8 1/125, and a 3/4 dump on the strobe and the light meter says the shot will be exposed perferctly, is it taking into account the light provided by the strobe. I hope I have worded my question so that you can understand it! Thanks!
Max
As far as I understand it, in manual mode the camera will not know anything at all about the strobe power. You choose shutter and aperture and then you either dial your strobe up and down depending on the histogram of what you shoot or you dial the f-stop up or down. There is no practical way for the G10 to know what power you have the strobe set to unless you had a housed Nikon strobe and even then I have my doubts. You could get an external TTL converter but that isn't manual.
Bill
Thanks Bill. So you basically just have to get a "feel" for how the strobe adjusts exposure and shoot off of that? Is the in camera light meter of any value. Im thinking that the exposure compensation on the D90 would be of some help...
The light meter doesn't know anything about the strobes when shooting manual. It can give you some readings and after a while you will be able to look at the readings and get a good guess as what power to set the strobes. Manual is basically flying by the seat of your pants. You guess at a exposure and strobe setting, take the picture and adjust. After a while you will get a lot better at the first guess and the adjustment.
BTW I would start with say f20 1/125th and 3/4 dump for the older 60mm and shooting small stuff. Just to get you started. Shoot and review and adjust.
Any questions let me know as I shoot the same rig.
Cheers Mark
Thanks Mark,
Im aware of the TTL converter, but im trying to save the $350 right now if you know what i mean :S. Ill definitely keep you in mind if (when) I have questions. I really enjoy your stuff from Byron Bay.
