Nikon 50DX Instruction Manual - Page 21

Bounce-Flash Photography When taking pictures of a person in front of a wall, a direct flash often causes harsh, unattractive shadows on the subject or background (photo below, right). By bouncing the light off the ceiling or walls, you can soften the shadows and produce more natural-looking portraits (left and center photos). In addition to the general single-flash bounce operation (center photo), the SB-50DX enables you to perform double-flash bounce operation when used with a camera having a built-in Speedlight (photo below, left). Double-flash bounce operation will provide a more natural-looking lighting effect. If your camera has a built-in Speedlight, perform this double-flash bounce operation. In bounce-flash photography, high ISO sensitivity such as ISO 400 is recommended. Bounce-flash with Direct flash (built-in single flash Speedlight) Bounce-flash (off the ceiling) with double flash • Tilting the flash head • The flash head can be tilted up to 90° or down to -18°. Tilting angle Up to 90° Click-stop positions*2 90°, 75° and 50° LCD panel indication Zoom-head position Fixed at 50mm*3 Guide number (ISO 100, m/ft.) 26/85 (fixed) Horizontal position (0°) 0° 24 to 50mm 18/59 to 26/85 Down to -18°*1 -18° 14mm (with wideflash adapter*3, 4) 12/39 (fixed*4) *1 Generally, the flash head is tilted down for close-up flash shooting (p. 43). Attach the wide-flash adapter. *2 Flash head can be tilted up or down to the intermediate positions. *3 Power Zoom does not function (p. 16). *4 Zoom head position is fixed at 24mm and guide number 18/59 (m/ft.) without the wide-flash adapter. 40 • Bounce-flash operation with single flash (example photos, p. 10) 1. Attach the SB-50DX to the camera body and set the camera's exposure mode to Aperture-Priority Auto (A) or Manual (M). (See your camera's instruction manual). 2. Set the camera's metering system to Matrix Metering or Center-Weighted Metering and flash sync mode to Front-Curtain Sync. (See your camera's instruction manual.) • Generally, set flash sync mode to Front-Curtain Sync. • If your camera does not have the flash sync mode option, Front-Curtain Sync is activated. 3. Press the MODE button of the SB-50DX to set TTL/D-TTL auto flash (p. 18). 4. Tilt the flash head. • For easiest bounce-flash operation, tilt the flash head up at least 50° to bounce light off the ceiling. Make sure that the light from the flash head does not directly illuminate the subject. • Good results are generally obtained when the flash head is positioned 1 to 2m away from the reflecting surface (ceiling, wall, etc.). 5. Set the aperture. • With bounce flash, there is light loss when compared to normal flash operation, so use an aperture two to three stops wider (smaller f-number) than you would for regular TTL auto flash operation. 6. Compose, focus, confirm the ready-light comes on, then shoot. • If the ready-light on the SB-50DX and the camera's viewfinder ready-light fi blink for approx. 3 sec. after shooting (p. 21), the flash has fired at its maximum output. This may indicate underexposure has occurred. To compensate, use a wider aperture (smaller fnumber) or reduce the bounce distance (distance between the flash head and reflecting surface and/or distance between the subject and reflecting surface). Note on reflecting surface In color photography, select white or highly reflective surfaces to bounce light off of. Otherwise, your picture will come out with an unnatural color cast similar to that of the reflecting surface. 41 Technical Operation