Canon R6 II Canon 580ex Speedlite and Auto ISO?

[allankravitz]

I rarely use my flash, but doing an indoor adult 80th birthday party. Looking for ideal settings for R6M2 ( RF 24-105 F4) with speed lite set on TTL.
AV with auto ISO, F4-F7? M with Auto ISO, M with set ISO? Thanks

 

[AntonLargiader]

Depends on your desired effect, but consider all-manual with the scene 1/3 to 2/3 stop under, then let the flash bring the subject and nearby areas back up to proper exposure with E-TTL. For the manual settings I'd try 1/200 so you're in flash sync range, f/4 or f/5.6 for a forgiving DOF, and then ISO to get the exposure right.

I haven't tried this, but I wonder if you can use auto-ISO with EC to consistently meter the scene at -1/3, and then 0 FEC to make sure the subject gets exposed properly.

 

[ACEkin]

I wonder if auto ISO would work without seeing the light. By the time the camera sees the light, the exposure is taking place. If some details of the environment are desired in the captured images, try a little higher ISO but a fixed number. The flash will provide sufficient illumination necessary at the set ISO and f-top. I may try 800 ISO, f/5.6, and 1/200 or less shutter speed. Lower shutter speeds will capture more ambient light but with a possibility of motion blur below a certain level.

 

[AntonLargiader]

That’s not how it works with flash, and definitely not with E-TTL. You’d expose for whatever background exposure you want and that is what the camera will do. It doesn’t read the effect of the flash and change the metering.

The ETTL pre flash will fire, the camera will see what effect it has on the scene and then the camera will control the flash intensity to get the subject properly exposed (subject, depending on what metering pattern you are using) and simultaneously take the actual picture.

Just put the flash on and try some test shots!

 

[Archibald]

I'm sure there are many ways to do this, but I think I would shoot in M and with a fixed ISO. TTL would work. I would bounce the flash off the ceiling if it is a powerful-enough flash, and the 580EX should be. With a weaker flash, shoot direct because that gives more light on the subject.

Avoid electronic shutter. Set the shutter at the sync speed (highest speed that works) to reduce ambient light, otherwise you might have two light sources of different colors and that will give problems. LEDs especially can give weird colors if they are close.

Setting the ISO to a reasonably low value will elicit more light from the flash, which will help the flash to overpower the ambient light. But it uses more juice, so have spare batteries on hand. Pick an aperture that will give the depth of field you need. As the others have said, do tests for sure.

Nice to see you here, Anton!