Goddamn pre-flash!!

Ok...This post would specifically be a technical rant for the photographically and technically inclined!!

Call it a photographers itch... I wanted to experiment with 'off-camera' flash so I could extend my photograpic creativity!! It so happens that the camera I own, a sony H5 is worthless for this since it does not have a hotshoe or pc port where I can hook up an external flash.
After sometime I realize there is a small solution... to use an optical trigger to flash the second flash.
For those who expect an explanation at this point...
An optical trigger is a small device that is connected to an external flash...and will trigger the external flash as soon as it detects another flash nearby.


The black figure is the subject...the grey is the photographer... The weird object between the subject and the camera is the flash with the optical trigger...

So... problem solved right! Apparently not yet!
Its just the beginning!!
It so happens that digital cameras use what is called 'ttl' i.e. through the lens. The camera fires a small flash before the actual flash.This pre-flash is not to be confused with the red eye reduction option that makes the flash go off thrice...
Its used to judge the exposure and exact flash power required.
It so happens that this 'pre-flash' doesn't get disabled even when the camera is switched to complete manual mode!
So, the optical trigger which fires the second flash actually fires on the pre-flash itself...thus rendering the image dark! And the only way to circumvent this problem and use an external flash is...
1. Buy a camera with hot shoe... which I'm hoping my dear blogger friends will gift me!! :P
2. Make a optical trigger which ignores this pre-flash by delaying the triggering...which again I shall rely on my dear readers to help me out of.... HEY!! Am a doctor...not an engineer!! :P

Now I feel much better!! :P

Cheers!

P.S. If you really dont understand what I've written, don't bother too much about it...

Sony DSC H5 V/S Yashica Electro 35 GTN

Warning: Post is long and geek content ahead!

Film cameras have more or less given up their share of the camera market for their new cousin – the digital camera. Be it the ultra compact, compact, high zoom prosumer compacts or the digital SLR’s the digital revolution has taken the camera market by storm and got down photography to common man...With digital cameras you are not forced to restrict the number of photos and having to spend enormous amount of money on processing it before you even have a look at it.

Before I got the digital camera I used 2 film cameras...

The first was a small Olympus PhD (Press here dummy) camera...no frills camera...just point and shoot.

The second camera I used was the Yashica Electro 35 GTN. It’s quite a marvel for a camera manufactured in 1976. Its exposure settings and focusing options were (are) regarded superior to many SLR’s which were produced much later in the 80’s. The Electro 35 is a rangefinder camera.

Have a look at my previous post: http://confusedrantings.blogspot.com/2007/01/yashica-electro35.html

More info on rangefinder cameras: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangefinder_camera

Of course, it is needless to say, the features of this camera were vastly under utilized by yours truly...and the photos which came from this camera made everyone’s jaw droooop!

I never got to use this camera much and I never learnt much about photography eventually. Of course the enormous costs of developing and printing were another considerable constraint.

I finally graduated to a digital camera recently. The DSC H5 is among Sony’s Prosumer range of cameras. It has more features than a compact but lesser than a SLR. But, essentially it remains a point and shoot camera.

Read my previous post on this camera: http://confusedrantings.blogspot.com/2007/03/new-camerayipeeee.html

I’ve compared both cameras below...read on...

Of course this comparison means nothing, as each camera is from a different league altogether. This is only out of interest.

	Yashica Electro 35 GTN	Sony DSC H5
Format	35mm full frame rangefinder	Prosumer Compact SLR like
Type	Film 24x36mm	Digital 7.2MP
ISO rating	ISO 25 (DIN 15) to ISO 1000 (DIN 31)	Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000
Lens	Color-Yashinon DX 45mm f/1,7 (6 elements, 4 groups)	36mm – 432mm (6-72mm) Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar f/2.8-3.7
Focusing range	0.8 m to infinity	Normal focus range: 50cm Macro focus range: 2cm
Aperture	1.7 to 16	F2.8 - 8.0 (wide), F3.7 - 8.0 (tele)
Shutter	30s ~ 1/500 sec., B*	1/4 - 1/2000 sec. (Auto), 1 - 1/2000 sec. (Program Auto), 46-step 30 sec – 1/1000 sec. (Shutter Priority, Manual) Shutter speeds of 1/2000th are only available at apertures of F5.6 and higher.
Exposure meter	Single CdS cell, programs shutter selection	Multi-pattern (49 zone), Center weighted, Spot metering
Exposure compensation	EV -3.4 (f/1.7 @ 30 sec.) to EV 17 (f/16 @ 1/500 sec.)	+/-2EV, 1/3 EV steps
Viewfinder	Bright frame line, Overexposure and underexposure warning arrows	Electronic with same display as the back LCD
Focusing System	Superimposed rangefinder type focusing with automatic parallax compensation	Manual (with focus aids and magnification), Single, Monitor, Continuous. AF area modes: 3 Area Multi-Point AF, Center AF (selectable), Flexible spot AF, Contrast detect
Flash	Built-in "X" synchronization Hot Shoe	Pop up flash- Auto, On, Off, Slow synch, Red-eye reduction • Range (ISO Auto): 1’ to 29’ 3" (0.3-9.0m) (Wide) • Range (ISO Auto): 35.5 ’ to 22 ’ 4 " (0.9-6.8m) (Tele) • Range (ISO 1000): 2’ 11" to 52’ (0.9 -16m) (Wide)
Storage Media	Film easy loading- Single-stroke, Built-in double exposure prevention	Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo compatible, 32MB internal memory
Self Timer	~ 8sec	2sec, 10sec
Battery	One 6 volts battery PX32, with Battery check**	2 AA NiMH batteries
Adaptors	55mm ring, Hot shoe flash with sync, macro lens, tele and wide angle converters available, separate viewfinder for converter lens	Filter Diameter: 58mm (with supplied Adapter Ring) Optional Slave Flash units, wide tele and macro converter lenses, filters
Dimensions	180 x 84x 73,5 mm	113.2 x 83 x 94 mm
Weight	750g	554g
Continuous Shooting	No	Yes: 7 Shots at 1.1fps (7.2MP JPEG fine), 100 Shots at 1.4 fps (640x480 JPEG std)

• *In B mode shutter remains open as long as the shutter released button is pressed. Ideal for long exposure time shots and needs a cable shutter release (separate accessory).
• **The original 6V PX32 battery is no more available because it’s a mercury battery and is banned to prevent pollution. However the Yashica camera’s electronics are capable of working well between 4-6volts.This allows us to use an alkaline battery which can be easily adapted by using a small spring.

There you have it. The Yashica takes wonderful pictures. Once I make my way up the photography learning curve I’ll surely have another go at the Yashica. Till then....shoot!

Adios Amigos

New camera....yipeeee!!!!

I was always dreaming of a nice lil digital camera...I did get it now...not a small one though!! ;)
Just bit the bullet and bought the Sony DSC H5....an SLR-like semi professional high end compact camera!!
For some tech babble.....
The specs of this li'l beast....yeah yeah i kno u'll be sayin who the hell cares...... ;)


Its a 7.2 Mp with a CCD chip with 12x optical zoom and a carl zeiss vario tessar lens...
I'll post a few pics after experimentin wid this new li'l gadget....
cheers