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Hi Nicolas – I just read your new article on the HF1
A question on diffusers, specifically the ambient blue diffuser. I have the flat version.
In the video from backscatter they suggest setting WB to 4500k for the 4500 diffuser, 5500k for the 5500 and a custom white balance for the ambient.
I have done these settings for the 5500 and 4500 and all was fine, but the ambient was a different scenario- probably user error as I have not used manual white balance previously as the auto settings and LR adjustments are fine in most situations with the D850.
The video from backscatter regarding the ambient diffuser suggests:
See from 8:14 on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ampH6q6eka4
Place strobes close to handles or port
Set camera to darken ambient light as much as possible
Use highest flash synch speed
Use a small aperture like f22
Low ISO 100 or 200
Take photo of neutrally toned foreground (with flash)
Make sure properly exposed- start with HF1 on high and work down until no highlight warnings
Initiate Custom WB
I did all this but could not get the D850 to accept the white balance – I am using the WB PRE setting and doing as above, each time I get the message “no good” in the viewfinder. I was using a dive slate as reference object.
Out of interest I wrote to backscatter and the reply I got appears contradictory to what was in their video – the reply:
“When using ambient filters and doing a custom white balance, you must 0 the exposure meter before taking a white balance. 1/250 sec, ƒ22, and ISO 64 are too dark for the camera to take a white balance properly; you must slow the shutter speed and open the aperture to get the ambient exposure to 0 instead of -3 or -4. I would start by racking the aperture wide open and then adjust the shutter speed if needed. After a white balance has been taken, then put the setting back to the darker settings”
I see from your article that you have used the ambient diffusers – can you offer any suggestion on WB setting?
I tried the 5500 diffusers for the first time on Saturday (weekend prior the 4500) – very blue, but pleasing enough, much better than the 6300 white diffuser.
Appreciate your advice
Cheers
John