My exposures come out inconsistent

Hi Wahdain,
Its so simple enter the formula given below. First press the C button then press the exposure mode change button ( this is what you used to change the exposure from auto to manual or photo modes) then again C button, then again exposure mode change button then 1 and 4 then start button ( this is what you press to take a copy) Try this and put it right.
Best Regards,
Rakshita

No I wouldn't say there is anything wrong with your DSLR I would think that the flash sync speed is set incorrectly. Each camera model will have a specific shutter to flash synchronized speed.
I've had and used SLR cameras with sync speeds as low as 1/30 and DSLR's at 1/250.
With my studio camera under studio strobes with a shutter speed at 1/60th I do get a slight blink of light BUT, it's the flash duration that makes the exposure.
There is also a difference between a flash made for a film camera and one that is made for a digital camera check make sure teat the flash is compatible with the camera you are using, also check see what the camera syn speed is and set your shutter speed to that. If your camera is equipped with an "M" mode then it also has a "P" mode for program this is a common mode to use flash because the camera sets everything for you all you need to do is compose, focus and trip the shutter. If the exposures are not coming out right then another thing may be a factor and that's the light metering mode (if you camera is equipped) look in your manual there could be as many as four different metering modes, check to see what the manual recommends for flash photography for your camera.

Another thing I use digital flash on my film cameras BUT not a film flash on a digital camera they just don't sync right.

Cheers

You can't. The Portrait mode, like all the other point&shoot modes, are automatic. The camera controls most functions, like exposure metering, auto-focus mode, and white-balance. If you want control over the camera, you'll have to use one of the PSAM modes.

Digital Camera Fully Compatible, Newly Developed S-TTL System "S-TTL" enables TTL auto shooting by an external strobe for a digital SLR camera as well as for a point & shoot digital camera.
INON S-TTL auto strobe supports any manufactures' model providing highly accurate exposure control.
Film camera era without strobe selection problem TTL stands for "Through The Lens" and TTL auto strobe system controls flash amount to provide correct exposure based on calculation by camera's internal sensor metering reflecting strobe light from a subject through the lens. This TTL system meters actual light amount reflecting from a subject providing accurate exposure.
When we start with the history of underwater TTL auto strobe, underwater camera?"NIKONOS V" released in 1984 was the first to provide automatic TTL flash control for underwater strobe SB-102, SB-103 succeeded by NIKONOS V compatible underwater strobes form other manufactures. The 5 pin electrical sync connector for NIKONOS V is most popular and widely adopted to connect an underwater strobe and underwater film camera (underwater camera/housing).
A film SLR camera has flexibility to select an underwater strobe. As far as housing has NIKONOS type electrical sync connector and properly wired, automatic TTL flash control is usable with any TTL auto strobe like Nikon SB-105, INON Z-220, Z-22 connected via electrical sync cable.
NIKONOS type 5 pin electrical sync connector and NIKONOS V with INON Z-22 strobe

Film camera compatible strobe is not usable for a digital camera!? Underwater TTL strobe circumstances have been drastically altered with the spread of digital camera among divers. Some underwater housing for digital SLR camera has NIKONOS type electrical 5 pin sync connector as same as film camera housing. Since the housing has same NIKONOS type sync connector, existing film camera compatible underwater strobe has been considered compatible with a digital SLR camera via 5 pin sync cable but happened to experience error message on the digital camera or blackout on an image even the strobe worked. Why this happened?
This is because automatic TTL strobe system difference between a film camera and a digital camera.

The film TTL auto system makes single flash while digital TTL auto system employs pre-flash type making two to three flashes. Film TTL auto strobe system starts firing at the same time the shutter opens and reflecting strobe light from a subject is recived at a film. The reflecting light on the film is metered by the sensor to determine when to cease firing for correct exposure. This process takes only about 1/1000 second.
In contrast, digital TTL auto strobe system can not calculate adequate exposure based on reflecting light from a subject since image sensor (CCD/CMOS) reflectivity is comparably low comparing to a film. So digital TTL strobe system gives preliminary flash for very short period of time (pre-flash) just before the shutter opens metering reflecting light from a subject by the sensor to calculate necessary amount of light for correct exposure and starts emitting main flash at the same time the shutter opens. Canon E-TTL and Nikon i-TTL employs this system.

When we connect conventional film camera compatible TTL strobe to pre-flash type digital SLR via sync cable, the strobe makes full dump by pre-flash signal then the shutter opens before the strobe has been fully charged resulting in quite under exposed image only with ambient light. Even two time flash compatible strobe like INON Z-220 strobe, does not fully support a digital TTL and force to use Manual flash mode.





Film SLR:
A strobe starts firing at the same time the shutter opens and quenches firing when correct exposure has been obtained.
A film compatible TTL strobe connected to a pre-flash type digital SLR via electrical cable flashes does not support TTL auto exposure resulting in synchronization only with first pre-flash or totally uncontrollable.

The birth of digital fully compatible S-TTL S-TTL auto compatible INON D-2000 strobe and Z-240 strobe works in TTL auto mode by simply setting their main dial to S-TTL position. A film camera seems to depend more on photographer's skill, experience and feel since the camera does not allow checking images on site. A digital camera allows us to check images right after shooting and enable to try to shoot again as much as we like. And high capacity memory card further allows to shoot hundreds of images. The digital camera makes entry level of underwater photography getting down and nowadays more people buy a digital SLR camera and underwater housing even they have just started underwater photography. However underwater photography gets more difficult because underwater strobe does not work in TTL auto.
INON is among the first to support digital TTL auto system with "S-TTL" auto mode equipped D-2000 strobe and Z-240 strobe.
The proper name of S-TTL is "Optical Synch TTL". S-TTL enables to perform in TTL auto exposure as same as genuine TTL strobe from camera manufacture, based on camera's built-in flash light to use as a signal to be transmitted to a strobe. S-TTL uses digital camera's built-in flash light not as a light source but as like a controller to trigger S-TTL strobe.
The built-in flash of a digital camera makes weak flash (pre-flash) before main-flash to calculate exposure. This pre-flash is transmitted to S-TTL strobe to control the strobe to make pre-flash to a subject. The reflecting light from the subject goes through the camera's master lens to an image sensor then a processor calculates main flash light amount for correct exposure.?Finally the built-in flash makes main-flash which is transmitted to the S-TTL strobe to cause main-flash of the S-TTL strobe.


Digital camera's built-in flash lights are transmitted via an optical fiber to the
S-TTL strobe to make pre-flash and main-flash instead of the built-in flash.

A plus-or-minus one-third stop is perfectly normal if you're handholding the camera, especially when metering a high-contrast subject such as a lit lamp. If you really need to lock the exposure, use the exposure-lock button or set the camera to manual.

In manual mode the light meter result is the output of setting the apeture and shutter speed. It will constantly change as you change these and the ISO until you get the desired exposure. Is this what you mean by inconsistent? If it is giving verying results in the same conditions try it with ISO 100. That should fix it

Under exposed should be minus not plus number.
Lucky you didn't buy Canon 5D or 1D- they have focus and exposure problems.

Hope you are not using the pop flash that is on the camera. If you are, then turn off the Red Eyes Modes.
Set camera to manual mode and lower the F number(open up to half or one stop).

What studio lights are you using? Increased the light output of studio by those number and shoot like you normally do.

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1) Being connected to your studio lights is interfearing with the camera's electronics, disturbing its ability to focus. Does it focus if you're not actually connected to the studio strobes, but are trying to focus using just the modelling lights? 2) There may simply not be enough light for the camera to focus. Canon sells a red LED AF illuminator that sits in the hotshoe (can't remember the part number). That may help. Also, if your modelling lights are set to "tracking" or "proportional", try setting them to fixed full power. You've probably got the strobes set several stops lower than full power, so "tracking" modelling lights rob you of several stops of focusin light. Or try a faster lens.

The Coolpix line of cameras require a "tip positive" sync connection to an external strobe unit (when using the Nikon AS-15 Flash Sync Adapter). On some external Studio Strobe units the sync polarity is easy to change because of the type of plug: On this type of connector simply turn the plug around and insert it with the male pin connectors in the other holes. Other types of connectors (such as the standard "phono" plug) are not generally changeable by the user. If the Coolpix does not fire an external strobe check with the strobe manufacturer for sync polarity info.

The Coolpix line of cameras require a "tip positive" sync connection to an external strobe unit (when using the Nikon AS-15 Flash Sync Adapter). On some external Studio Strobe units the sync polarity is easy to change because of the type of plug: On this type of connector simply turn the plug around and insert it with the male pin connectors in the other holes. Other types of connectors (such as the standard "phono" plug) are not generally changeable by the user. If the Coolpix does not fire an external strobe check with the strobe manufacturer for sync polarity info.