Ralph C. Baslow

Lecanto, Florida

I am a retired power company electrical and financial planner. Moved to Québec from Vermont Dec 2005. Recently moved to Florida Dec 2008. Life-long outdoorsman, bird-watcher and nature lover.

My pictures to-date were taken with an 8 megapixel Canon PowerShot Pro 1, a great non-reflex camera. I prefer to photograph in ambient light, but recently have been leaning toward flash, even in good light, and am getting better results. I believe that this is a function of the Camera being small, non-reflex and all-purpose. I have been using two different flash modes, with the camera in its Super Macro setting.

The first flash mode is when I use the built-in flash. I use Programmed Exposure Mode with 2 stops of under-exposure and the flash output reduced by two stops. The maximum flash sync speed is 1/250th of a second.

The second mode is when I use my Canon 220EX external Flash. I set the camera to T (shutter speed priority) at 1/1000 of a second, and press the "H" button on the flash to allow it to sync with the camera at speeds greater than 1/250 of a second in focal-plane shutter mode. I also have the flash output manually reduced to 1/16 of full power, which is adequate most of the time in Super Macro mode. Adjustments to flash output or shutter speed are quick and easy.

Also, using the 220EX flash in focal-plane shutter mode and the camera on manual exposure at 1/3000 of a second and F 7.1, with the flash between 3/8 and full power, I have gotten excellent exposures when the subject is under good ambient light.

Even at these high speeds, the use of a tripod or monopod produces better pictures - you can move quite a bit horizontally between the time the autofocus locks and the shutter trips.