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Re: [OM] F280 ModPhoto

Subject: Re: [OM] F280 ModPhoto
From: "Tom Trottier" <Tom@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2002 11:20:58 -0400
Cc: fAQ.-.Olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxx
On Wednesday, April 24, 2002 at 6:22, ClassicVW@xxxxxxx 
<olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote re "Re: [OM] F280 ModPhoto" saying:

> Tom,
> I think this is exactly what some of us have been saying- the OM-4Ti will 
> balance both the ambient and flash light to achieve the proper exposure. So, 
> if you change the aperture, which forces the camera to change the shutter 
> speed (in Auto) you, in effect, by changing that aperture and shutter speed 
> are changing the range of the Super FP flash, and, changing its impact on the 
> overall 'correct' exposure. At least I *think* that makes sense from a 
> practical standpoint...
>
> George S. 

I don't think the 3T or 4T will "balance" the flash by any of its 
operations. I think it will only prevent overexposure in auto mode by 
choosing the shutter speed. So *within* (not just at) the GN 
distance, you will be properly exposed.

The flash vs ambient ratio is governed by the distance from flash to 
subject only. The GN distance would depend only on the ambient light, 
since when you change film speed or aperture, both shutter speed and 
GN change. So if you are within the GN distance, the flash will 
predominate. At the GN distance, it would be balanced. Beyond, the 
ambient would dominate. The fill-in flash contribution can be 
calculated in the usual inverse square way:
  At GN distance        -       1:1 ratio flash:ambient
  at 1.4x GN distance   -       1:2
  at 2x GN distance     -       1:4
  at 2.8x GN distance   -       1:8
  etc.
This makes sense when you think of it. The flash contributes a 
constant amount of light, and it can only match brighter scenes at 
closer distances.

Note that at the "balanced" distance, the subject (if not the 
background) would be getting both ambient & flash light, so the 
shutter speed chosen by auto would be about twice as fast as 
indicated.

Here is a calculated chart of F280 GN distance in metres vs scene 
brightness. Stay this far away for a balanced exposure, twice as far 
for a 1:4 ratio fill. Shutter speed must be in the range 1/60 to 
1/2000. 
FC=FootCandles, EV=Exposure Value for 100 ASA film, M=metres.

FC      Lux     EV      M       Scene description
15,200164,000   16      0.33    Subjects in bright daylight on sand or snow.
7,60082,000     15      0.46    Subjects in bright or hazy sun (Sunny f/16 
  rule).
3,80041,000     14      0.65    Full moon (long lens). Subjects in weak, hazy 
  sun.
1,90020,500     13      0.92    Gibbous moon (long lens). Subjects in cloudy-
  bright light (no shadows).
95010,250       12      1.3     Half moon (long lens). Subject in heavy 
overcast.
4755,125        11      1.8     Sunsets. Subjects in open shade lit by bright 
sky.
2382,563        10      2.6     Landscapes and skylines immediately after 
sunset. 
  Crescent moon (long lens).
1191,281        9       3.7     Landscapes, city skylines 10 minutes after 
sunset. 
  Neon lights, spotlighted subjects.
59641   8       5.2     Las Vegas or Times Square at night. Store windows. 
  Campfires, bonfires, burning buildings. Ice shows, football, baseball 
  etc. at night. Interiors with bright fluorescent lights.
30320   7       7.4     Bottom of rainforest canopy. Brightly lighted 
night-time 
  streets. Indoor sports. Stage shows, circuses.
15160   6       10.4    Brightly lit home interiors at night. Fairs, amusement 
  parks.
7.480   5       14.7    Night home interiors, average light. School or church 
  auditoriums. Subjects lit by campfires or bonfires.
3.740   4       21      Candle lit close-ups. Christmas lights, floodlit 
  buildings, fountains, and monuments. Subjects under bright street 
  lamps.
1.920   3       29      Fireworks (with time exposure).
0.92810 2       42      Night Lightning (with time exposure). Total eclipse of 
  moon.
0.4645  1       59      Distant view of lighted skyline.
0.2322.5        0       83      Subjects lit by dim ambient artificial light.
0.1161.3        -1      118     Subjects lit by dim ambient artificial light.
0.0580.626      -2      166     Night, away from city lights, snowscape under 
full 
  moon.
0.0290.313      -3      235     Night, away from city lights, subject under 
full 
  moon.
0.0140.156      -4      333     Night, away from city lights, subject under 
half 
  moon. Meteors (during showers, with time exposure).
0.0070.078      -5      471     Night, away from city lights, subject under 
  crescent moon.
0.0040.039      -6      666     Night, away from city lights, subject under 
  starlight only.

(Scene descriptions, FC, Lux0 from THE ULTIMATE EXPOSURE COMPUTER 
http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm )

(Note, EV=Exposure Value.  EVs are numbers which refer to certain 
combinations of lens aperture and shutter speed. Combine it with a 
film speed and you have a proxy for scene brightness. 
EV 15 is 1/125 at f/16 - the sunny-16 exposure for 100 speed film
EV 14 is 1/60 at f/16 or 1/125 at f/11. The lower the EV, the more 
light gets let in. See 
http://www.chem.helsinki.fi/~toomas/photo/ev.html )

As you can see, the F280 is useful only with fast films and lenses in 
indoor or very close up situations.
 
This is purely theoretical on my part, so any expert F280 users, 
please enlighten me if I have it wrong.

tOM

> Tom@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
> 
> Has anyone tried this? From the slit article and other posts, I suspect 
> this is wrong and that the only way to control the fill ratio is the 
> distance of the flash to the subject. Shrinking the aperture affects both 
> flash and ambient light.
...
------- Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur -----------------
   ,__@ Tom A. Trottier +1 613 860-6633 fax:231-6115
 _-\_<, 758 Albert St.,Ottawa ON Canada K1R 7V8 
(*)/'(*)        ICQ:57647974 N45.412 W75.714
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if anything small falls into them they ensnare it, 
but large things break through and escape.
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