P3D Unique flash use w/RBT S1!

["Dr. George A. Themelis" <DrT-3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

One of the most surprising things I learned from our RBT S1 lists is
how does flash work with the S1 and the Konica flash that comes with it.  

Back in November I wrote in photo-3d:

>For years my philosophy in using flash has been this:  Use the smaller
>aperture you can use.  I have a Minolta 360XP flash which I use in 
>automatic mode at f11 and sometimes I use f8.  That's about it.
>
>The RBT S1 comes with a very small Konica flash.  Two years ago I did 
>not know what to do with it.  Never put the time to figure out how this
>thing works.  I was wondering... Can I still use my Minolta flash?
>This little Konica thing does not look much of a flash...
>
>Welcome to the new stereo flash philosophy!
>
>If you set the camera in P and the flash in P(Full), the flash will fire
>it's entire charge.  Now, the camera knows at what distance your subject
>is because you have focused at it.  It also knows the Guide Number
>("strength") of the flash you are using.  So, it just adjusts the 
>aperture for a good flash exposure at this distance.  (For example, if 
>you are focusing at 0.6 m it will pick close to f22 with ASA 100 film, 
>but chances are that you are focusing around 10 ft, in which case it
>will pick f4).  This is nice because you usually need more depth of
>field (smaller apertures) in close ups.
>
>That's not the entire story.  So the camera selected the aperture.
>How about the shutter speed?  The Konica Hexar (like the Realist :-))
>is synchronized for flash at any speed.  With the Realist I usually
>set the shutter speed fixed at 1/100 because it makes no difference
>since all the light comes from the flash.  BUT, the Hexar will try
>and balance the ambient light.  It will use as slow of a speed
>as it is needed to balance ambient light, without going under the
>minimum handheld speed.
>
>The combination of wider apertures (like f4 at 10 feet) and slow speeds
>will allow more ambient light.  Bye-bye dark flash photography (all
>my Realist shots indoors are dark like night even though there 
>might be a good amount of ambient light).  The RBT S1 pictures with
>the Konica flash are much more pleasing with more ambient light
>(but watch these colors, you might pick up greens from FL lights!)
>
>In my first roll I took a flash picture at the camera show on Sunday. 
>The camera used f4.6 I think.  My subjects were fine, super sharp.  
>(Background is slightly out of focus, but who cares?)  The picture has 
>a good overall illumination (looks like day, not night!)  
>
>I like this so I plan to use the Konica flash.  I could use the 
>Minolta if I wanted because the camera can be programmed for a 
>different GN but I think I will stick with the more compact Konica 
>flash.  Less weight, more light.
>
>NOTE:  This discussion and different strategies apply for any camera 
>or flash.  Only, with the Realist I never dreamed of using a weak 
>flash and f4!!!! (is there f4 in a Realist? :-))  I was font of the 
>heaviest and most powerful flash units.  Now with the RBT S1, weak is 
>good!
>
>-- George Themelis

There are some good ideas in the above but I still did not get
the facts right!  Keep one reading....

George Themelis


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