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Flash metering and release lag

Doug Kerr

Doug Kerr

Well-known member
As you have seen in other departments here, I have lately been doing a lot of shooting of volleyball matches. The ambient lighting situation is such that I am generally using flash (a Speedlite 580 EX II on my EOS 40D body), but allowing the ambient exposure to figure in as well (else I would have very dark backgrounds, not good for all the shots).

Even though my rig has a really small shutter release lag, it is still very challenging to get "the moment" when there is fast action. In a serve and so forth, I can of course "lead" the action, but not in actual volleys.

I have come to wonder whether the time required for the flash metering system to emit the metering preflash and evaluate the result before opening the shutter and firing the actual flash for exposure adds into the lag in any significant way.

And, extending that thought, I wondered whether the use of the "Automatic" metering mode of the flash (in which the flash burst is metered in real time based on the light return to a sensor on the flash unit) could reduce that component in any significant way. (That thought came to me just as yesterday's match ended, so I didn't have a chance to try it out.)

In some static shots, it appeared as though I could get consistent exposure metering in that mode.

I wondered whether anyone here has any insights into this matter.

Thanks.
 
R

Rhys Sage

pro member
The lag is the time taken to raise the mirror and to open the shutter. There was a noticeable lag with film cameras too. The Canon EOS RT got around that with a pellicle mirror which dropped light be about 1.5 stops. Leica gets around it with their M series by not having a mirror.
 
N

Nill Toulme

New member
The lag due to the flash is not significant. (And I'm surprised they're letting you shoot volleyball with on-camera flash... most will not.)

You just have to work on your timing, or try shooting RAW at ISO 3200, 1/400 f/2 and shoot high-speed bursts.

What AF mode and points are you using?

Nill
 
Doug Kerr

Doug Kerr

Well-known member
Hi, Nill,

Nill Toulme said:
The lag due to the flash is not significant. (And I'm surprised they're letting you shoot volleyball with on-camera flash... most will not.)
Click to expand...

Just my Scottish charm, I guess. Or maybe the $1000.00 we donated to help send the team captain to the Nationals in Honolulu. Or the quilt Carla made for the coach to honor her retirement. Or the fact that they are so grateful to have any pix shot!

You just have to work on your timing, or try shooting RAW at ISO 3200, 1/400 f/2 and shoot high-speed bursts.
Click to expand...

Really hard to "work on my timing" when the ball typically arrives, unexpectedly, at my subject after having been hit by an opponent 10 feet away! It's not at all like baseball!

What AF mode and points are you using?
Click to expand...

Either One-shot or AI Servo, depending on the situation. For serves, I have to prefocus and recompose; typically, at the time of the strike, the server isn't on any of the AF points. I usually operate with the center AF point preselected.

Thanks.

Best regards,

Doug
 
Doug Kerr

Doug Kerr

Well-known member
Rhys Sage said:
The lag is the time taken to raise the mirror and to open the shutter.
Click to expand...

Plus, in this case, any preliminary delay due to flash metering, and in some operations, focusing time as well, and in some cases, ambient metering time, and in some cases . . . .

In an EVF camera, the finder lag adds to the "effective lag" as well.

Best regards,

Doug
 
N

Nill Toulme

New member
Do you shoot with both eyes open? You can follow the course of the play with your left eye/peripheral vision, and focus on your subject with your right. Watch your subject's reactions, and your peripheral vision will tell you when the ball is struck.

As for AF, try leaving it in AI servo and use the custom function that moves AF to the back button. Then you can have AI servo running by holding down that button, or lock focus to recompose by releasing it.

But there's no question about it, shooting v-ball is tough.

Nill
 
Doug Kerr

Doug Kerr

Well-known member
Nill Toulme said:
Do you shoot with both eyes open?
Click to expand...

Generally.

You can follow the course of the play with your left eye/peripheral vision, and focus on your subject with your right. Watch your subject's reactions, and your peripheral vision will tell you when the ball is struck.

As for AF, try leaving it in AI servo and use the custom function that moves AF to the back button. Then you can have AI servo running by holding down that button, or lock focus to recompose by releasing it
Click to expand...

Yes, I need to do that. Excellent reminder.

Thanks.

Best regards,

Doug
 
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