tscali

I'm using a Nikon D750 and I'm using Manual Mode. Typically it is poor light when I turn on the flash, unless it is just for fill flash. If I set the camera up with the correct exposure for low light, it typically will have a long shutter release, something more than 1/30 sec. I can go to Program Mode and resolve the question; but I'm missing something. How do you setup for flash in very low light that cannot be adequately corrected by high ISO? I must admit that I'm embarrassed to ask this question; but I don't know and cannot find out the answer.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Don't be embarrassed.

Are you speaking about a built in flash or a speedlight type flash?

Paul in CT Loc: Watertown, CT

A very good place to start is the Strobist:
http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/

BebuLamar

In M and S mode you can set your shutter speed at any speed of 1/250 or slower.
In A and P mode if the ambient light is low the shutter speed is automatically set to 1/60 by default (unless you enable slow sync)

tscali

I have a Nikon SB800 and use both the pop-up and speed light. I would use the speed light normally; but there are times when I do not have it with me.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

Here is how I do it. It works.

Camera to Manual. Set Aperture to something that gives you the DOF you want, but remember that every stop smaller requires twice as much flash power.

Set shutter to a duration that allows or disallows as much or as little ambient as you want. But remember for handholding you need to account for camera shake.

Take a photo and let the TTL function decide how much flash power to use. If you are just using the pop-up flash, remember that it is a small, hard, underpowered little bugger.

The pop-up is OK for fill. If the TTL exposure is too high or low, use the ± function in the flash menu to adjust.

The pop-up is unlikely in 4 million years to deliver a nicely-lit flash image. :-)

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

ts, way more embarrassing is a blown shot and having to explain THAT!
At 1/30 you are already dragging the shutter, so some decisions need to be made depending on the ambient light. Like is it backlit or is there motion apart from the subject. But both can be very nice effects.
A built-in flash can be diffused by using a translucent white film canister, cutting a hole in it, and pressing it onto the flash. It works great! Well, at least it helps a lot. Ill admit I know nothing about your Nikon so can't help with any fancy settings.
For the most part, if I'm just lighting the subject, I'm at a very low ISO to eliminate the noise.
But I can set my Canons to use a custom setting and use the on top of flash(separate flash), using normal sync speeds to fire on ettl and even reducing power and upping the ISO independently to illuminate, say the back of a church but keeping the subject properly lit. I do introduce noise as I get to 1600 or more.
Maybe a Nikon person can tell you how to set that up.
My cameras have not had a built in flash for years now and I really niss that little rascal. So convenient when a quick fill or flash was needed!!
Now I have to lug around a giant flash...., ugh ! LoL
Good luck. ;-)
SS

tscali

Lets me start over. What is the process to follow when using an SB800 attached to Nikon D750 in Manual Mode. A friend asked to take some pictures of his band during a dance. I was able to up my ISO to 12,800 and take a reasonable picture; but not good one. I decided to use my SB800 to get a sharper picture by reducing my ISO to 800. I needed to have a reasonable depth of field so I set that at f/8. I would have liked the depth of field set to 12 but the shutter speed was nearly a full second. Even at f/8 I had to adjust the shutter speed 1/30 sec. Since the band was playing and there was movement, I was concerned that 1/30 sec was too slow and the picture would be soft. Could you please suggest a methodology on setting up my camera in this environment. Thanks in advance.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

I suggest you ditch the auto modes and set the camera to manual, pick an aperture for the DOF you want, set the shutter to something between too slow to handhold and the max sync speed. Shoot. With the high ISO capabilities of today's cameras, bump that ISO up to AT LEAST 800, maybe 1200.

Moving ISO from 200 to 800 requires one-fourth the flash power, going to 1600 is 1/8 the power - faster recycle, longer battery life.

anotherview Loc: California

Took some birthday pictures in a restaurant, with my Canon T6i. Set the Shutter Speed to 125th sec. Set the ISO to Auto.

The camera set the Aperture.

I had the Canon 430EXII Speedlite mounted in the hotshoe. The Speedlite had a translucent diffuser cap on it. I put the Speedlight in ETTL mode.

When shooting, I swiveled the Speedlite to bounce the flash lighting off a nearby wall or at the juncture of the wall and the ceiling. This bouncing produced a soft, flattering light on the subjects.

Note that in ETTL mode, the camera metering system automatically detects when the main subject has received just the right amount of flash lighting.

But if you must, you can adjust the flash lighting power in a the camera menu. But I assigned the Set button on the back of the camera to Flash Exposure Compensation. So I can quickly access FEC to add or reduce flash lighting power.

Try the settings I described as a starting point.

Using flash lighting takes some getting used to.

This master photographer has a lot of instruction to offer students of flash photography:

http://neilvn.com/tangents/about/books/

David Hobby has become synonymous with flash photography:

http://strobist.blogspot

Good luck.

19104 Loc: Philadelphia

What is sounds like to me is that your in manual mode and following the meters recommendation for ambient light. If you intend to use flash tip light the scene. All y have to do is set the camera on the shutter speed that supports flash and an stop your lens down to what's recommend for the distance. Or you could just leave your setup in priority mode and let the flash handle the foot work.

Revet Loc: Fairview Park, Ohio

I set my U1 setting for Indoor flash photography. It automatically sets an f stop at 5.6, ISO 400 and the shutter at 1/160. This works great for Indoors with a speedlight. It will work for the pop-up but only if your subject is pretty close and you don't mind ugly light. If you need more ambient light you just increase the shutter speed.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

This depends on several factors. If you are using "i-ttl" or "ttl" speed-lights, the camera will communicate the needs to the speed light. If you are in manual flash with manual on the camera then you need to make adjustments but with the "ttl and i-ttl" flashes the camera should handle the needs. If all are manual then you need to use the charts in your flash manual.

chaprick

OMG....you are getting all kinds of answers. Some don't even address your question. Let's face it, if you are in a very dark room you may not be able to get enough ambient light for a decent hand held photo, especially if the subjects are moving. So your only recourse is to set a shutter speed of not less than 1/60...ok maybe 1/50. Then choose an ISO you can live with. Lets' say 3200. Now you need to address your desired DOF. Let's say you want at least f8. Now you have to either use a flash meter to adjust your flash output power to get f8 OR you have to simply shoot some test shots until you dial in the correct flash power. Hopefully you have a flash with enough output power to get f8 at the desired distance. If you can take the flash off camera you can move it a little closer to the subject if need be or raise it up higher in order to gain better front to back coverage. If you still are not getting the shot you want you will either have to open your f-stop more, raise your ISO more, or add additional flash units (or all 3)... Hope this is what you were looking for...

Bear2 Loc: Southeast,, MI

I have a pair of SB700 Speedlights, BUT when I do not have them with me but need some flash, I will use my pop up, covered with a 35mm Fuji (translucent) film container with a 3/8" slit cut in top to bottom. I slide this over the pop up flash to get a more diffused effect. You need to be close, obviously.
Hope this helps.
Duane




uote=CaptainC]Here is how I do it. It works.

Camera to Manual. Set Aperture to something that gives you the DOF you want, but remember that every stop smaller requires twice as much flash power.

Set shutter to a duration that allows or disallows as much or as little ambient as you want. But remember for handholding you need to account for camera shake.

Take a photo and let the TTL function decide how much flash power to use. If you are just using the pop-up flash, remember that it is a small, hard, underpowered little bugger.

The pop-up is OK for fill. If the TTL exposure is too high or low, use the ± function in the flash menu to adjust.

The pop-up is unlikely in 4 million years to deliver a nicely-lit flash image. :-)[/quote]