Flash with filter

Hi, I'm normally not to keen on using the flash.

However sometimes it is the only way. It always looked to me to cold.
i tried to use various White balance settings, but this didn't seem to work that well. Plus I then forgot to set it back to dayligt during normal
operation.
I bought this Tiffen 812 filter. This seem to work well.
The colours are warmer and very close to the original

I've added two pictures to show the difference.
The first without and the second with the filter.

The lens was the 77mm f 1.8 set to f8.

Without filter.




This one is with the Tiffen 812 Filter.
The colours are correct. Especially the speaker cloth,





The Flash I used was Pentax AF200T on the Auto setting

Regards, Horst

I occassionlly use Kinoflo lights but find the tungsten tubes to warm and the daylight ones too cold so I mix 3 tungsten tubes with 1 daylight and vice versa.

Hi Horst,

A rather bold first post

Hi Horst,
what program do you use to edit with? I too have been experimenting with flash and find the pictures a bit on the cool side. Try adjusting the white balance by a couple of hundred when opened to edit, it can make all the difference (notice the cool blue cast to the wall in the first shot without filter). Also the white balance tool in PS raw is useful although it can be a bit trial and error when selecting a suitable spot.
Dave

well, what i tried to do is to use the simplest way of achieving the result I like.
The problem with all the functions in the menu is, that you first have to find them every time You want to use them and then reset them to your favorite position.
Of course many of you have no problems with this, or setup one ore more user functions. But I really find it to awkward.
It is very simple with the filter, especially with portraits and family shots (yes I do them. no need to smirk) I can now use the flash and not have to worry about the colour.

My normal white balance is set to either daylight or shade.

Regards, Horst

It looks a bit warm in the second shot but if this is just how you prefer your shots to look that's fine! You could try fixing a correction gel to the flash itself, rather than using a filter. You could cut it to size and actually glue it to the pop up flash.

Have you tried using the Flash white balance? I wonder if you can set the Vanessa to automatically go to Flash white balance whenever the pop up flash is used.

Hi Pentaxophile,

Thanks for the info. I will try the correction gel.
I am using an external flash and could easy stick something like it on to it.

regards, Horst

Pentaxophile wrote:

.

I have ordered a bunch of correction gels from an Ebay seller in England.
however it will take most probably about 3 weeks to get here.

Regards, Horst

I cut up an old Cokin 81A filter and selotaped it across the front of my Metz, for this exact reason.

Dan

Hi, I received a set of Set of ROSCO flash gel filters fro England and mounted one which I thought will do the trick on to my flash gun.

It worked. Saves me a lot of money having to buy screw on filters for all the different lens sizes.

Thanks to you guys who recommended this type of filters.

Regards, Horst

I'll be interested to see your images using these, mine are still in the original packing they arrived in

I like the improvement with the second picture Horst. I think it gives a preferred atmosphere.

I would suggest that you try and get a swivel flash. If you could bounce the flash from the ceiling it gives added depth with shadowing and helps reduce the slightly distracting reflection you have in a couple of spots.

It completely changed my view of flash photos.

It does make a difference with the correct filter.

I suppose you can adjust the white balance in your camera, but it is quite tedious and easy forgotten to be returned to normal.
To much effort.!!

I just bought a Flash holder bracket. This has provision for swiveling the flash.
It should arrive on Wednesday. This will do the job. I hope.

Regards, Horst

You can get quite powerful WB control with even the hotshow flash in manual - by adjusting shutter speed & aperture. Under tungsten lighting you have two light sources, the warmer ambient light from the tungsten and the cool flash light. Assuming the aperture is not too critical you can quite delicately manipulate the effect - slower shutter speeds will bring in more warmer tone, and wider apertures will increase the flash power, so restoring the cooler tone.

I have found that much finer control can be exerted this way, especially if using 1/3rd stop increments, than any white balance control, either software or on camera - and the colour quality is better too.