Overexposing with strobe lighting - need help

[jocelynaz]

I've recently been learning how to use my SB-600 remotely with my D200 and took some decent shots my first try at it. But I did notice that my D200 was overexposing on the exposure comp., even though I didn't even touch the thing. Then the other day I tried to take more pictures with the strobe and all of my shots were overexposed. I adjusted the exposure comp. back to 0, but it still was overexposing. grrrrrr.....

What am I doing wrong?? I read in the SB-600 manual about using a formula to calculate the correct aperture to use, but it's totally confusing. I mean, will I need a calculator each time I use my strobe? LOL.

Btw, the first time I used the strobe remotely, I was using a prime lens (my nifty fifty), and although some shots were overexposed, I still managed to get some decent shots. But this second time I was testing the strobe, I was using my 55mm-200mm. Does constant vs. changing focal lengths make a difference??

Someone please help me to understand! I also went to Don Giannatti's lighting website (www.lighting-essentials.com) and found an article that seemed to explain how to do it, but I was still confused. LOL.

I appreciate any help with this! Thank you!

[zona5101]

You are shooting in manual on both the flash and the camera?

[inkista]

And what's overexposing--the ambient or the flash? And which exposure compensation are you using? The camera's? or the flash's?

Nikons, iirc, the FEC on the flash controls only the flash illumination, but the EC on the camera controls both the flash and the ambient together.

Remember, every flash photograph is actually the combination of two different exposures: the ambient (controlled by the iso/aperture/shutter speed), and the flash illumination (controlled by the flash distance to subject, flash power, iso, and aperture). You need to determine whether it's the flash or the ambient level (or both) that's out of whack, before you can figure out how to control balance the two exposure together. Most typically, the background of your photo will be the ambient level, and your subject will show the flash level. But essentially, the flash illumination is whatever's lit by the flash.

[sk66]

Set everything to default and auto. If the resulting image is overexposed but the "flash" isn't a significant part of the exposure, use camera EC (minus). If it is overexposed and the flash is hot use flash EC (minus). Also check your metering mode....it affects both.

[sk66]

Originally Posted by inkista

Nikons, iirc, the FEC on the flash controls only the flash illumination, but the EC on the camera controls both the flash and the ambient together.

Yes and No, camera EC adjusts both, but not the ratio of which is contributing what. FEC adjusts the ratio of which contributes what. (or more accurately, both EC's)

[jocelynaz]

Originally Posted by zona5101

You are shooting in manual on both the flash and the camera?

No, I was using TTL in the flash and aperture mode on camera.

[jocelynaz]

Originally Posted by inkista

And what's overexposing--the ambient or the flash? And which exposure compensation are you using? The camera's? or the flash's?

Primarily the flash is overexposing. But one shot, it looked like both the ambient and flash was overexposed.

Which exposure comp am I using? The camera, I'm guessing. In Commander mode, I had kept the Comp. to 0 in the e3 menu.

What I'm not understanding is how the exposure comp. is adjusting on its own?? The shots I did, I did not adjust the exposure comp. at all. Then all of a sudden I noticed through the viewfinder that the exposure balance reading was showing overexposed. The exposure comp for some reason had overexposed +2. But I did not touch anything with it.

[jocelynaz]

Basically, how do determine which proper aperture to use to get the correct exposure when using off-camera strobe? Is there an easier way to calculate this than what is showing in the SB-600 manual?

[zona5101]

I wasn't sure if the D200 has commander mode...it does. So you should be able to set the camera in commander mode and turn the wireless remote flash funtion on on the SB600 and shoot TTL.
If you decide you want to shoot in manual then your camera goes in manual with your shutter at sync speed or slower. The SB600 would go to manual then you adjust the power output. You can use that table in the SB600 owners manual but it is much easier to "chimp" - take a shot, look, adjust the power on the flash or the apreture, repeat.

[scootermcq]

I was having that problem until I figured out that the auto iso was playing havoc with the exposure and turned it off when doing off camera work.