Which is the best mode

Hi to ya, my daughter asked me to take some pics of her, she is pregnant and only a few weeks to go, i have no flash gun only the built in flash with the KR and two lenses 18-55 and 50=200, however i do have a tripod. She has perfect white walls in her house, which would be the best mode, and can anybody give me some tips to get the best out of my camera.


Thank you regards Dave

Dave - the in built flash will give unattractive results. I would urge you to use window light, and bump the ISO if needed. Even use tungsten lighting (position lamps in the room to light her).

As a last resort, use a bit of white paper to deflect the on-board flash upwards to the ceiling, which will illuminate the room evenly... but you will need to experiment with exposure settings in advance.

A few thoughts :-


What are the windows like?. I'm thinking that a window seat would enable you to make the best of natural light.

Try reflecting the inbuilt flash up to the ceiling, where it will provide a diffused light. A piece of silver foil/white card, inserted into the flash bay, may prove suitable (it won't look chic, but it's the result your looking for.

regards
Bernard

Typed at the same time as Pentaxophile

Hi David,

The KR is excellent at 800 ISO and not bad at 1600 unless you are doing very big enlargements over A3. the built in flash is like most such cameras poor.

Do remember to change the shake reduction to off if you choose to use your tripod.

Click away and have fun. I use the aperture priority mode most and spot focus in AF often combined with spot metering. All easy to toggle from the second info screen on the LCD. Your telephoto will give you nice control over depth of field.

Just a point to note, the white wall may well fool the metering, so as Bill says, spot metering off of her face would be your best option. Also, unless you can bounce the inbuilt flash, ensue she is some distance from the wall or you will get a lovely shadow showing.

You may also want to consider reflecting ligth back on to her to fill in shadows, any white card could help here.

I also think using tungsten lighting as per Pentaxophile. one light can even shine on the wall behind her. Remember white balance.

With the tungsten lighting set up I would use manual - spot meter on her face in AV (Apature Priority) mode with the desired apature, note down the shutter speed, change to Manual mode and disl in this shutter speed and apature.

Hi and thanks for your tips, i do have a flash gun which i used with the me super, but dont want to risk it with the KR in case it causes harm in some way, it might be incompaterble anyway. Going to the show at NEC, so will pick one up cheers.

I've just had delivery today of the cheaper of the two current Sigmas EF610 DG ST PA -TTL. Brilliant and very easy to use! It was from Wex's NEC offers email! Saved me going.

Which flash do you have? Many are actually safe to use. My only flashes are a Pentax 280t and a cobra 480AF.

I have a Hanimex TZ1 which i purchassed in the eighties, it looks very much like the moden ones used today, it has three ajustments on the flash head, dont see why i shouldent try it, but paid so much to get my KR, just woried incase somthing goes wrong, youi know what i mean

Check the terminal voltage first

Some older guns had/have 200 plus volts between the entre pin and ground.

Probably well over enough to fry your camera, if not the first time, eventually.

Older Pentax guns are cira 5-8V and quit safe. (I use AF260As and AF240Z quite happily on my K10D).

Obviously new guns are safe as they ae designed for DSLRs


regards
Bernard

Hi and thanks, she has a consevertory, excuss my spelling, so this may be the best option

Sorry Bernard dident mean to crash in on your post, its the drink, as i was saying i would not waht to go their regards Dave

Yep I would check the Hanimex. Most flashes are OK but a few have voltages which are totally off the charts and may harm your camera! The Hanimex TZ2 is listed at 225V here!

Or get a cheap wireless adapter off ebay and that will protect your Kr and also get the flash away from the camera I got something like this and it's very useful. Then I got an optical slave for a fiver and I could fire two remote flash guns.