basic Fuji S2 settings

I am interested in the groups' suggestions for white balance and metering area (ceneter weighted, spot, or matrix). I will be shooting the Nikon 60mm micro and the Sigma 14mm. Also, should I use the diffuser lenses on my dual Ike ds125 strobes? Any thoughts on flash compensation using this rig would be appreciated. I ususally set the camera for TTL flash. One of the 125's is connected via cable and the second uses the wireless slave. I seem to get fairly good results until I go to macro. Then it seems that unless I manually set the flashes for 1/2, or 1/4 power, I blow out all the highlites. I'm not sure if this is due to the aim of the flash or the power setting. Help!!

Pakclu,

I am using the same system. If you are shooting RAW, the white balance can be adjusted at conversion. I just leave it on auto. JamesW

explained to me once that the metering setting didn't matter. I don't remember the details why. I just leave it at center weighted.

I get almost perfect exposures using the 60mm and TTL 95% of the time if I merely set the flash compensation at +1.

Hope all is well with you!!!

John

I just got back from Little Cayman and shot almost all macro (500+ images) using one Ikelite Substrobe100a at 80 degrees, ttl, spot metering, RAW, aperture priority and manual, asa 200, AF-C (single area), using f numbers between 16 and 32. I am really happy with the results. You can do a lot at the conversion point if you shoot RAW as stated above. With one strobe I obtained some nice highlight and shading effects (at least I like it).

Have fun!

Brian.

If you're shooting the camera in M mode, then the camera doesn't use the meter. I use the meter topside, but I now shoot all my underwater photos using M.

If you are shooting using A, then the camera only has 3 shutterspeeds to choose from 1/60th is the slowest, then 1/90th, and finally 1/125th. That's it, unless you put the camera in slow sync or rear curtain sync. mode.

For macro, there's no reason not to use f16 or f22 and 1/125th shutterspeed. Adjust flash exposure compensation to either +.5 or +1 until you get a good histogram.

I would also recommend shooting ISO100 if your strobes will put out enough light for it. You will get lower noise in the shadow areas, especially if you underexpose by accident.

Hope this is of some assistance.

Cheers

James Wiseman

For macro, it doesn't matter. It won't make any difference. Your TTL strobe output is independent of the cameras ambient light metering method. If you aren't shooting with strobes (land) then it matters.

For wide angle, it depends on how you want to use the meter. Some of us use manual, spot metering, point camera where we want the 18% gray, set aperture and/or shutter speed, shoot and fill with strobe power.

Some shoot TTL in wide angle with exposure compensation and meter using either center weighted or matrix.

Use the one that works best for you.