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REDEYE REDUCTION MODE
AUTO-FLASH MODE
SLOW-SYNC MODE
FILL-IN FLASH
FLASH-OFF MODE
DRIVE MODES
FLASH AND FLASH MODES
Be it a high-speed action shot or something more sedate, your DSLR
can shoot fast sequences of images that means you won’t miss any of
the action. In addition, if it has a built-in fl ash, then you will be able to
use it to add even more illumination on a scene. Let us have a look
at some of the key features of both these DSLR tools
Drive modes
Your DSLR will have a variety of
drive modes – settings that make
the camera shoot one image, a
sequence of images or delay the
fi ring of the shutter for a pre-set
period of, say, 10 seconds. There
are times when it is useful to know
when to use them and why.
Single shot mode
As the name suggests, in this mode, when
you press the shutter button to take a picture
a single shot is taken and even if you keep
your fi nger on the shutter release, it will not
do any more. To take another shot you must
release the shutter button and start again.
Use this mode for static subjects or portraits
and the like, where you know the subject is
not going to suddenly run off.
Self-timer mode
DSLRs have a delayed shutter mode that
enables you to get into the shot after the
shutter has been pressed. Typically, you
focus, press the shutter button and run into
the scene while the camera beeps a count-
down or fl ashes a small lamp, or both. The
amount of delay can (usually) be pre-set,
typically for two to 20 seconds. The self-timer
is also useful for long exposure tripod shots,
to avoid vibration from touching the camera.
Continuous mode
It is all very well being able to shoot a static
subject and get it focused, or include yourself
in a shot using the Self-Timer setting.
However, for subjects that are moving (or if
you’re moving) at, say, a sports event, you will
need to use your DSLR’s continuous shooting
mode. When set, the shutter will keep fi ring as
long as you keep your fi nger pressed down on
the shutter button.
Depending on the camera, the frame
rate (the number of images per second that
can be captured) will vary, but is typically
between three and ten frames per second
(10fps). One limiting factor is the size of the
buffer memory. Think of this a reservoir of
images waiting to be processed and sent
to the memory card. The larger the buffer
(or smaller the fi le size of the image) the
more it can hold and the longer your camera
will continue to shoot before the buffer fi lls.
When the buffer memory is full, the
camera will either slow down, going from,
say, fi ve frames per second to three, as it
moves images across from the buffer to
the card. Alternatively, it may just stop,
as the processing resources needed to move
images to your card become too great to
do both shooting and storing of shots at the
same time. Once all the waiting images have
successfully buffered across to the card,
you can start shooting again.
Intervalometer mode
This is a timer mechanism on some DSLRs
(or a function on their wired remotes) that
takes a series of images at predetermined
time intervals, making them ideal for time
lapse photography or remote shooting. This
is different from a self-timer (which takes
one shot after a predetermined time interval
– see Self-timer mode, left) as the camera will
continue to shoot at the time interval selected
until it is stopped or the memory card is full.
Flash and fl ash settings
Many DSLRs have a built-in pop-up fl ash unit.
The pop-up fl ash is great for fi lling in shadows
in daylight or closer shots in low light but they
are also relatively low-powered units, so can
only properly illuminate a subject up to about
three metres away from the camera. They
are not good for illuminating larger areas. For
that you’ll need to buy an accessory fl ashgun,
which sits on the camera’s hotshoe.
The built-in fl ash can be good for a fi ll-in in
daylight but can sometimes provide very harsh
light if the subject is quite close. In addition, if
you have your lens hood fi tted, it can obstruct
the fl ash light and create unattractive shadows
across your shots. And, because the fl ash unit
is close to the lens, it can make the camera
susceptible to redeye (see Redeye Reduction
Flash to the right).
Flash modes
and what they do
AUTO FLASH
The basic point-and-shoot fl ash setting
that fi res when the camera ‘thinks’ it is
needed. In many cases, the fl ash pops
up automatically (if using a built-in unit),
saving you the worry of knowing when
to use it. In some modes the camera may
indicate fl ash is required with a small fl ash
‘lightning’ symbol in the viewfi nder.
FORCED FLASH (FILL-IN FLASH)
In this mode the fl ash is set to fi re all the
time, whether it is required or not, even
in daylight. You can use it to fi ll-in shadows
(fi ll-in fl ash) or for when you need an
extra puff of light to add sparkle to a shot,
boost colours and, with portraits, add an
attractive light to your subject’s eyes.
FIRST AND SECOND (OR REAR) CURTAIN SYNC
Normally, the fl ash fi res immediately after the
fi rst curtain of the shutter is fully open. But
when taking pictures using a slow shutter
speed the subject can appear to be moving
backwards, as it leaves a trail in front of the
subject. With Second Curtain Flash Sync the
fl ash fi res shortly before the second curtain
closes. The result is a more natural ambient
light trail that follows the subject.
SLOW SYNC FLASH
With this technique you fi re the fl ash in
conjunction with a slow shutter speed. It
has two main uses: to create interesting
motion blur images with moving subjects
(so they’re part blurred, part sharp) and
to show a subject in the context of a dimly
lit environment (such as a dimly lit room or
outside at night with a lit building behind).
With normal fl ash the background would
disappear in a sea of blackness, but with
slow sync fl ash you can illuminate a
foreground subject while keeping the
ambient light exposure correct.
REDEYE REDUCTION FLASH
Redeye Reduction Flash is a method of
preventing or reducing the effect of redeye,
a phenomenon caused by light refl ecting
from the retina out into the camera lens.
A large pupil size can aggravate the
problem so it’s often evident in low light
fl ash shots. To prevent or reduce it, the
camera either fi res a burst of fl ash pulses
or emits a beam of bright light. Both are
designed to reduce the subject’s pupil size,
but this mode rarely works well in practice.
FLASH OFF
Sometimes you’re in a situation where fl ash
isn’t allowed (eg museums) or your subject
is too big or far away for the fl ash to light it.
In these instances turning it off will instead
cause the camera to select a slow shutter
speed to compensate – so you’ll need to fi nd
a steady support for the camera.
REMOTE FLASH TRIGGERING
Some DSLRs offer fl ash units (or acces-
sory fl ashguns) that can remotely trigger
(using infrared, wi-fi and/or the fl ash light
itself) multiple fl ash units not connected
to the camera. This is useful for lighting
large areas (you place the other fl ash units
where needed to help with the illumination,
eg. backlights to fi ll shadow areas) or for
creative effects not otherwise achievable
with a camera-mounted fl ash alone.
