Fill-flash with EOS digital

Hello,

I have many problems with my EOS 30D and the 5D when using flash outdoor : I
always have blown out background as if the metering system tends to consider
only the darkest part of the scene.
Do you have the same issue, and can you give me some advice to get perfect
ratio fill-flash (Nikon do it very well in full automatic mode)

Thanks

Best regards

 

Get more separation between subject and background!

I generally shoot manual, at 1/200th, 5.6, and then adjust flash output
down a half stop or more if needed.

What lens?

 

More information would be helpful if you expect helpful responses. Mode,
built-in flash, external flash, lens, etc.

 

: Hello,
:
: I have many problems with my EOS 30D and the 5D when using flash outdoor : I
: always have blown out background as if the metering system tends to consider
: only the darkest part of the scene.
: Do you have the same issue, and can you give me some advice to get perfect
: ratio fill-flash (Nikon do it very well in full automatic mode)
:
: Thanks
:
: Best regards

I've had that happen myself, and I'm pretty sure I know what the problem was.
If you set the ISO number too high and/or use too wide a manual aperture
setting, you'll get potentially severe overexposure on a bright day. The
reason is that when you turn on flash, the camera refuses to use a shutter
speed so fast that the second curtain begins to close before the first one
finishes opening. (On my 400D it's 1/200 sec, and it's probably not
significantly different on the cameras you name.) This is obviously necessary,
or the flash won't illuminate the entire image. But if that speed is too slow
for the scene, given all other exposure constraints, the picture will be
overexposed. And it's easy to get confused by the fact that the problem goes
away if you turn the flash off, even though the *light* from the flash makes
no material contribution.

Since my experience is all on Canon, I can't tell you why Nikon does it
better. Maybe Nikons just have a faster shutter. But note that this is one
case where full auto mode has an advantage, since it can stop the lens down to
its minimum aperture if necessary. And on some cameras it can even adjust the
ISO speed automatically.

Bob

 

Don't focus and recompose!
Put your active AF point on the subject!

-Wolfgang

 

While I do not have the 30d (300d and 40d), have you tried using the
fill-flash feature described on page 105 in the manual? You use the *
button the back. This is the Flash Exposure (FE) lock.