Flash or no flash?

[marke]

Some people use it some don't.(like lots of things) I have tried both. Flash gives me more color, but my once blu pics which were set at 9k white balance to reduce the blu end up turning out a bit yellow with the whitebal set so high. Should I be lowering the whiteb with a flash? And when is no flash better?

 

[juniormc8704]

I only use flash on fish pictures, so i can use high speed sync and get a shutter speed of 1/250 - 1/320


Coral pics, should be taken under the tanks lighting, and then white balanced in post processing.

 

[marke]

Junior great work on your web site!! Question-- you mention white bal is irrelevant if you shoot in raw. Is that just because you can post adjust raw stuff? Some say adjust to 9-10k max which the d80 allows for? Is this the same as shooting a white plastic which will probobly max it out anyways. why irrelevant? Also you mentioned lowering iso to 100 or so, but that seems low for the available light, hence out of focus. Your insight is appreciated.

 

[Alexander180]

I will take a stab at answering a couple things though i know its directed to Junior. As far as shooting in raw it doesnt make all the adjustments that your D80 will do automatically when it is set to jpg. this way you can do everything yourself in post processing making sure it really looks the way you intended not the way the camera thinks it needs to look.

Lowering your iso will definitely take noise out of the picture and if your using a flash then there should be plenty of light. and if your taking a picture of a slower moving or stationary coral you should set it on your tripod (assuming you have one) so that way you can set a longer shutter speed to compensate for the low iso. I usually shoot my tank pics at 200.

I hope some of this helps.

 

[Reef Bass]

Shoot in RAW. Adjust the WB in post processing.

+1 for shooting stationary subjects using a tripod and a low ISO. I like 100.

 

[marke]

Great info! Will try with tpod, raw,100-200 iso, no wb or minor wb adjustment on camera, and get better at using photoshop. Next will be how to post pics question so we can see results and keep improving quality. thanks!

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

I think the flash or not to flash question would depend heavily on one's flash equipment and knowledge of using it. If you have 2 speed lights, a couple pocket wizards, a homemade diffuser (or an entire tank that is a lightbox!), the reef tank possibilities are really endless with flash. The problem is that it may take an extra $1000 or so.

 

[Tremont]

I'd recommend LED video arrays. They don't flicker like Halides and are dirt cheap compared to flash units.

-Tre

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

Or a use a high powered shop light diffused with a white sheet. The problem is you loose the exposure elements. You can't tell the light to only be on for a specific amount of time. I suppose you could set up a simi-conductor to act as a dimmer.

 

[IPT]

Personally I also only use my flash for fish shots. It does add a yellow cast. That should be able to be toned down if not removed if you're shooting RAW though.

 

[maroun.c]

Sometimes I get good results with flash on coral shots. Depends on types of corals and the followings:
-decreasing flash output.
-limiting light from flash also by a smaller aperture (shutter speed will not affect flash contribution as the flash is much faster)
-using accurate meetering without flash to have enough light from the shot parameter before addding the flash then flash contribution is very minimal and just enough to freez your shot and not wash out the colours.