Chapter 7. Using Flash
In This Chapter
Exploring flash technology
Using the onboard flash
Modifying flash exposure
Using flash control options
Using one or more accessory Speedlites
Countless scenes open the door for using flash — either the Rebel XSi/450D's onboard flash unit or one or more accessory Canon EX-series Speedlites. And on the creative front, flash offers opportunities for capturing everything from a drip of water to stroboscopic motion.
This chapter explores flash technology, details the use of the XSi/450D's onboard flash, and covers the menu options for the built-in flash and for accessory EX-series Speedlites. This chapter is not an exhaustive look at all the ways in which you can use the onboard or accessory flash units. Rather, the focus is on fundamental flash techniques and ideas for using flash for both practical situations and creative effect.
Exploring Flash Technology
Both the onboard flash and Canon's EX-series Speedlites employ E-TTL II technology. E-TTL stands for Evaluative Through-the-Lens flash exposure control. E-TTL II is a flash technology that receives information from the camera, including the focal length of the lens, distance from the subject, exposure settings including aperture, and the camera's built-in evaluative metering system to balance subject exposure with the ambient light.
In more technical terms, with E-TTL II, the camera's meter reads through the lens, but not off the focal plane. After the Shutter button is fully pressed but before the reflex ...
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