> 6 minute read

Make the Most of On-Camera Flash

Whether you use your camera’s built-in flash, or an external hot shoe flash unit, there are a few tips and tricks that will keep your flash photography looking great.

Flash can be a lifesaver when creating in low-light conditions and even in daylight: that extra burst of light can be the difference between getting a good picture or missing an opportunity completely. Some X Series cameras feature an integral flash unit that is great for quick snaps and, with careful use, can be used more creatively, too.

In fact, even if you have purchased an optional hot shoe flash, knowing when, where, and how to use this can transform the pictures you create. Here’s how to make the most of flash with your X Series camera.

You can access these from the camera’s Q Menu (if you’ve not removed this option by customising it) or via the camera’s main menu:

• Press MENU OK.
• Navigate to the FLASH SETTING menu and choose FLASH FUNCTION SETTING.
• Choose options from the MODE screen.

TTL stands for Through the Lens and refers to the way the camera monitors flash light. Essentially, it’s the same way as it meters ambient light and ensures more accurate results. We’ll have an in-depth look at what each of these options does later on this series of tutorials, but for now here’s a quick summary:

• TTL MODE: select TTL for automatic flash exposures. Manual (M) lets you specify flash power yourself, while Commander is used to control compatible flashes placed off-camera.

• FLASH COMPENSATION: increase or decrease the brightness of the flash by dialling in ±2 stops of compensation.

• SYNC.: choose between FRONT, where the flash is activated at the start of the exposure, and REAR where it’s activated at the end, just before the shutter closes.

• ZOOM: on compatible external flashes, the flash can be distributed over a wider or more focused area to match the focal length of the lens being used.

• ANGLE: when using compatible external flashes, you can specify whether the flash output covers a wide area or subtly lights the centre of the frame a bit more than the edges.

NB: All of these screen grabs were created with a hot shoe flash mounted on the camera. If you are using the built-in flash, you may not see all of these options.

Fill Flash

Although flash is traditionally used in dark conditions, it’s just as useful in daylight, or anywhere there is enough available light to photograph even without it. Under these conditions, flash is really useful for filling in any dark shadows on faces in portraits and brightening up subjects that are silhouetted against the sun. It’s something called fill flash and your X Series camera’s TTL flash metering makes it easy to do.

All you need to do is pop-up your camera’s internal flash or fit an external flash in the camera’s hot shoe, then photograph as normal, making sure the flash TTL Mode (see above) is set to TTL.

Without fill flash

With fill flash

Fill flash should be subtle, not dominate. If you find your pictures look a bit too artificial, you can decrease the contribution the flash makes to the scene by dialling in some negative exposure compensation via the Flash Function Setting menu.

Slow-Sync Flash

When we make images with fill flash, we are using ambient light as our main light source and adding to it with a small amount of flash. But we can also do the opposite: use flash as the main light source and let in a little bit of the ambient light to make the picture seem less artificial.

The best time to do this is at night, when there isn’t much ambient light around – just enough to give a portrait some atmosphere and ambience. Again, it’s not difficult to do; just pop up the flash, or fit an external flash in the hot shoe, and photograph as you would normally. The camera will balance flash and ambient light for you and create a pleasing result.

By default, with the TTL Mode set simply to TTL Standard, the camera will use a shutter speed no longer than 1/60 sec in order to avoid blur from camera shake, but in very dark conditions, this can mean that not enough ambient light is let in. If you want ambient light to make more of a contribution, set the TTL Mode to TTL Slow, which will allow the camera to pick longer shutter speeds. Just be aware that you won’t be able to hold the camera still at ½ sec, so make sure to support the camera on a tripod.

Avoiding Red Eye

In flash-lit photos made in dark conditions (like parties or restaurants), you may have noticed that subjects develop glowing red eyes, which can look a bit strange. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this phenomenon is called ‘red eye’ and is caused by light from the camera’s flash bouncing off your subject’s retinas, lighting them up bright red.

Fortunately, your X Series camera can do a bit of in-camera retouching and remove red eye automatically. To do this:

• Press MENU OK and scroll to the FLASH SETTING menu.
• Select RED EYE REMOVAL and choose one of the options (these vary by camera – see your camera’s instruction manual for a detailed explanation of each one).
• Now activate Face/Eye Detection AF and photograph as normal.

Manage Your Expectations

If you are using a small flash – like the one that’s built in to your camera – it’s important to realise the limitations of what such a compact unit can do. Pop-up flashes are designed to be convenient and portable, which means they don’t pack as much power as a separate hot shoe flash. With this in mind, make sure you are standing no more than 10m away from your subject, and don’t expect such a tiny unit to be able to light up large objects and spaces – it’s much better for small-scale portraits and fill flash in bright and sunny conditions.

Your Next Steps

• CHALLENGE Show us what you can use your flash for: daytime or nighttime, indoors or outside. Post your favourite images to social media with the hashtag #learnwithfujifilm and #flash. You can also submit your work here for a chance to be featured on our social media channels