low-light event photography with fixed-lens RFs

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asfarley

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Hi,

I'm going to take some event pictures in a dim lecture hall & a dim cafeteria. My cameras are:
Minolta 7S
Olympus XA2 + A11 flash
Olympus Infinity Stylus

I also have 1 low-end Vivitar hotshoe flash.

Does anyone have any specific advice for this combination of cameras and event? I'm considering buying a flash cord, diffuser, bracket, or a second flash. What would make the biggest difference?
 
... a camera with available light friendly electronics, i.e. long time exposure and metering, and a flash socket or hot shoe. The 7S and XA2 with their hard coupled program automatic are quite far from being low-light capable, the mju ("close distance pencil" or whatever its US name was) has no flash socket.
 
Thats around the edge of the limit of the range of the A11 flash with 400 speed film - a bit over perhaps. The Stylus is probably in the same boat. Both would be useable may be start having issues at 20 feet and beyond..

Are you comfortable using a strobe manually? If so, the 7s may a better choice. Can you compare the guide numbers to see if it gives you more range? Personally I'm not comfortable using a strobe manually yet (need to work on that) so I'd go with the safe bet. Thats just me and my limits though. 🙂
 
Brian Legge said:
Thats around the edge of the limit of the range of the A11 flash with 400 speed film - a bit over perhaps. The Stylus is probably in the same boat. Both would be useable may be start having issues at 20 feet and beyond..

Are you comfortable using a strobe manually? If so, the 7s may a better choice. Can you compare the guide numbers to see if it gives you more range? Personally I'm not comfortable using a strobe manually yet (need to work on that) so I'd go with the safe bet. Thats just me and my limits though. 🙂
Click to expand...

I've basically never used flash before at all, but if now is the time to learn then so be it. My flash is a (cheap, old) Vivitar 215. On the back, distance relations are given up to 40ft but 15ft is highlighted in red, whatever that means. It uses 2 AAs.

I'll have access before the event, so I can test my setup in advance. I'd like to know which gear would potentially be most beneficial for this situation so that I can keep an eye out now and not be forced to buy something last-minute.
 
I haven't used the 215, but I'd go with the Mintolta 7s and a flash in the hotshoe or on a bracket with appropriate cable. if you're shooting ISO 400 film at that distance, you shouldn't have too much of a problem at f/4 or f/5.6 (I think.) Does the 215 have an A setting? Set your camera to 1/30 at f/4 and the Flash to A, and you should be alright to go.

I use a Leica SF-20 in Manual / M mode that lets me input f/stop, power settings, and ISO. The flash will tell me what my optimal exposure distance is. In Automatic / A mode, the flash will determine when the flash has provided enough exposure, and cut off the flash. This is handy.

I shoot around 1/30th of a sec to ensure enough exposure in my backgrounds that they don't go completely black.

Hope that helps.
 
asfarley said:
I've basically never used flash before at all, but if now is the time to learn then so be it. My flash is a (cheap, old) Vivitar 215. On the back, distance relations are given up to 40ft but 15ft is highlighted in red, whatever that means. It uses 2 AAs.
Click to expand...

15ft is its maximum range in its only automatic setting, regardless of film speed. You can squeeze more out of it if you use it at full power on manual with fast film - but that will not be easy unless you are either very familiar with manual flash photography or with the camera.
 
Ok, so if I'm using NPS 160 @ 20 ft, I use full/manual at f4 on a bracket.

Are there any obvious improvements from this point?

Thanks for the advice.
 
In case you don't have it, here's the manual for the flash:
http://www.cameramanuals.org/flashes_meters/vivitar_215.pdf

f4 should be ok for everything between 15 and 20 ft for manual mode (full output) and negative film. below 15 ft just set to automatic and f5 on the camera (see table in manual for 160 iso) and the flash will do the rest. should work out ok - direct flash is not that difficult if the auto mode of the flash is working alright. i started using flash on my iiif just a few weeks ago and it's easier than i thought. and it can be fun!
 
and
- diffuser: NO (reduces flash power and you don't have much available)
- bracket: WHY? (the 7s has got a hotshoe, doesn't it?)
- sync cord: MAYBE (if you end up shooting only at these distances (20 ft) it doesnt make too much sense - for closer subjects in auto mode it could be nice to try some off camera angles - as a 'flash virgin' i would save these experiments for later though 🙂 )
 
NeeZee said:
and
- diffuser: NO (reduces flash power and you don't have much available)
- bracket: WHY? (the 7s has got a hotshoe, doesn't it?)
- sync cord: MAYBE (if you end up shooting only at these distances (20 ft) it doesnt make too much sense - for closer subjects in auto mode it could be nice to try some off camera angles - as a 'flash virgin' i would save these experiments for later though 🙂 )
Click to expand...

Thanks for the manual link. I found a significantly more powerful flash used for $25 so I think I'll go for it, if power is the limiting factor. I thought brackets helped to reduce red-eye and improve detail by moving the light off-axis. Is this nitpicking? I'm just looking for competent results, nothing fancy.
 
I would go with fast film and the minolta 7S since it has a 1.7 lens.
Use HP5+ and have it push processed to 800, or use TMAX 400. The Minolta can only be set to go up to 800.

In the photos below I used HP5 pushed to 1600 and a light yellow filter (2X) with my Olympus 35SP set at 800. I had NCPS push process and scan it.

From a dark restaurant
82240003lr.jpg


next to a 40W lamp with a shade
82240016xlr.jpg



The flash can work to, but I generally do not like the look of flashes. I mostly use flashes for fill light in bright sun.
 
fyi - flash brackets are useful for social photography to make flash shadows disappear, as long as the flash is on the lens axis and just high enough so that the shadow is hidden from the taking lens, behind the subject. You can do the same thing by holding a flash above your head using the extension cord, but that means you have to operate the camera one-handed.
With the flash in the hot shoe, apart from red eye you'll see the subject's shadow on any reflective surface behind them, unless they are standing well in front of it. Not a problem if you don't mind the shadows, of course.
The older (thyristor-controlled?) flashes, as mentioned above, tell you on the rear placard which shutter speed and aperture settings to use for the desired maximum subject distance and then the flash sets correct exposure by measuring the flash light reflected back, and cuts off the flash when enough light has been reflected. Simple and usually effective, but it can be fooled by a light object (or person) closer to the camera, causing it to cut off the flash output prematurely. If you're aware of that you can increase exposure by guesstimate (from memory it's 4x the exposure - i.e. 2 stops - for every doubling of distance, but you might want to check that).
If you want to read excellent tutorials on using flash, I can recommend www.strobist.blogspot.com
For a first time out with flash, keep it simple, and use the 7s.
 
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