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Need flash advice

ustein

Contributing Editor
I hardly ever use flash. But I want to try the GH2 built-in flash with the puffer mainly for close-up photos with the 45mm macro.

Any advice?
 

photoSmart42

New member
I put together a home-made diffuser out of a styrofoam plate that fits in between the filter threads of my polarizer to use with my built-in flash. Works great for fill light!
 

ustein

Contributing Editor
>Works great for fill light!

How do you set the camera for fill light? Use manual mode? The flash sync is limited to 1/160, right?
 

Tesselator

New member
Mmm, both about equally I guess. But if it's a shot I'm setting up or that I need to expose consistently across many exposures I use manual and also set the flash strength manually. For just quick casual shots I try Auto first and if that doesn't expose right I switch to manual. Spot metering in Auto with flash diffused or straight has a pretty high rate of error - The camera is working right but the "spot" (meter) too often lands on a hot-spot or black area, etc.
 

Tesselator

New member
I'm a bit confused about Panasonic's flash programming (control) but I don't think the GH1 or GH2 have a fill mode. You can use manual flash compensation to get it to "fill" more or less but I don't think there's a mode where it automatically solves for a fill. Or maybe it's a full-time fill ±flash comp. cuz it kinda acts/looks like a fill most of the time.

It has 2nd curtain synchro that fills after long exposures. You might be able to get that to work to your advantage. But bright fill flashes for like this kinda thing: http://www.ayton.id.au/wp02/?p=2215 is a no go even with external flashes.

This http://www.digitalcamerainfo.com/co...-GH1-Digital-Camera-Review-20751/Hardware.htm says it is and the manual implies the same thing but in actual operation both seem to be wrong! I think the review guy just read the manual with no hands on. And I think the manual means to say that the shutter will fire at 1/4000 with the flash up for those modes, but the flash will NOT ignite - again, including hot-shoe units.

In whole the GH1 and GH2's flash control seems little better than even the cheapest P&S cameras and for me is quite disappointing. I can usually get the desired result but often only after considerable pain - and even then occasionally not at all. :( For macro like you're doing the situation is a little better because there's usually much more control over the environment (set) and it's lighting.

Others may know more.
 

ustein

Contributing Editor
Thanks a lot.

>For macro like you're doing the situation is a little better because there's usually much more control over the environment (set) and it's lighting.

Maybe not, because I mainly shoot outdoors or inside buildings. Hardly ever at a sort of studio setting.
 

Tesselator

New member
Then I think the best bet is an ND filter that will let you get to 160 or whatever it is on the GH2. Either that or a torch with a diffuser on it - seems like it could be easy to rig up from a plate and some aluminum wire. :)

Stopping down the aperture will help but for the GH2 you start getting pretty bad diffraction at f/16 and f/22 on the GH1 - with most lenses. So that's kinda limited in it's application.
 
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