Ttl flash photography

What is a TTL Flash? (TTL vs Manual Flash Modes Explained)

By Hillary Grigonis

A- A+

Download as PDF

Subscribe Below to Download the Article Immediately

You can also select your interests for free access to our premium training:

Business Basics

Cheat Sheets

Child Photography

Colorful Cityscapes

Composition

Creative Photography

Creative Portrait Concepts

Digital Photo Collages

Fairytale Portrait Photography

Food Photography

Interior Photography

Landscape Editing

Landscape Photography

Lightroom Processing

Lightroom Presets

Long Exposure

Macro Photography

Milky Way Photography

My Camera and Photography

Organic Marketing

Pets

Product Photography

Sky Photography

Social Media

Still Life

Time-Lapse Photography

Travel Photography

Urban Photography

Wildlife Photography

Your privacy is safe. I will never share your information.

TTL flash photography is daunting for beginners. But the list of technical specifications on each flash can feel even more intimidating. For instance, what are TTL and Manual, anyways?

Let’s find out what these two flash modes are and how you can use them with this quick beginner’s guide.

Neewer NW-670 TTL Flash

Capture stunning photos with ease using a TTL flash, perfect for both beginner and advanced photographers.

Buy from Amazon

Neewer NW-670 TTL Flash Speedlite with LCD Display for Canon 7D Mark II, 5D Mark II III, IV,1300D, 1200D, 1100D, 750D, 700D, 650D, 600D, 550D, 500D, 100D, 80D, 70D, 60D and Other Canon DSLR Cameras

Amazon

$89.09

Buy Now!

[ExpertPhotography is supported by readers. Product links on ExpertPhotography are referral links. If you use one of these and buy something, we make a little bit of money. Need more info? See how it all works here.]

How Many Pictures Can a 128GB Card Hold (32, 64, and 256GB)?

To answer this question properly, we need to look at the two different shooting settings and how they affect the file size.

The two file settings are JPEG and RAW.

JPEG vs Brand-Specific RAW vs DNG

JPEG compression is used in several image file formats. JPEG is the most common image format used by digital cameras and other photographic image capture devices.

These images are “compressed” and only keep the data the camera deems worth keeping if you’re uploading your images to social media or directly to your archive, good. But because of this, they don’t offer much play in post-processing.

A RAW image contains all the “raw” data of the scene you’re capturing. This means you have the full dynamic and color range for every pixel your camera can capture.

RAW image files are way bigger than JPEG files. They give you more room to change exposure values, adjust white balance, and tweak colors using post-processing software.

Manufacturers usually have their own RAW file formats. Canon uses CR2 and CR3, Nikon uses NEF, and so on.

A DNG is a digital negative. It is a RAW format not specific to a camera brand. It is the same as a normal RAW file for all intents and purposes. My Canon EOS 7D shoots in JPEG or CR2 FAW. But my Ricoh GR II uses DNG.

Size Differences between JPEG and RAW

There is a considerable difference between the two file types.

JPEGs are compressed. They fit perfectly in the 8-bit boundary used for web images. They are usually the result of RAW conversions, too.

Because of the various amounts of compression, JPEG file sizes vary. On a 20MP digital camera, they are between 5 and 10MB.

On the other hand, RAW files contain all the data your camera captures. RAW files are perfect for extensive post-processing.

Most RAW formats are uncompressed. This means that every RAW file (at the same settings) has roughly the same size, no matter what’s in the photo. They are usually around 30MB each on a 20MP camera.

RAW vs JPEG Photos on Memory Cards

So, if a RAW file takes 30MB of space, it can fit in the memory cards as follows:

32GB = 1,092 photos
64GB = 2,184 photos
128GB = 4,368 photos
256GB = 8,732 photos

JPEG files are almost too much to count at 7 MB each:

32GB = 4,700 photos
64GB = 9400 photos
128GB = 18,800 photos
256GB = 37,600 photos

Remember that1,024 bytes is 1MB, and 1,024MB is 1GB.

Types of Memory Cards You Can Use

Choosing a memory card depends on your camera. You can choose the memory card’s brand, size, and speed.

The bigger the size, the more photographs you can take. This is a great way to store more images. But it’s a great way to lose or damage them all too.

The speed relates to how fast the memory card can deal with the data. A faster memory card is more expensive. And it allows you to use continuous shooting or burst modes. But your camera may not even be able to utilize the card’s full writing speed.

If you want to know more about picking the best memory card, check out our article on how to choose your memory card.

CF (CompactFlash) cards are one of the two most common memory cards for digital cameras. They are the largest in physical size.
They are used in many mid- to larger-sized digital cameras and digital SLRs.

SD (Secure Digital) cards are being used more and more due to their small size.

Most laptops even have a small opening specifically for these memory cards. They are a safe bet for manufacturer support in case something goes wrong.

They even have a tab on the side of the memory card that protects your images when depressed.

MicroSD cards are smaller than their bigger brother. They were designed for smaller cameras and devices such as Go Pros, drones, and cell phones.

Smaller memory cards have a higher chance of being lost. They will work as an SD card when accompanied by an adapter.

Size Matters

At the time of this article (March 2018), these are the highest capacities for these memory card systems:

CF = 512GB
SD = 1TB
MicroSD = 1TB

Speed Does Too!

At the time of writing this article, these are the fastest memory card systems:

CF = 155MB/s (read/write)
SD = 300MB/s (read/write)
MicroSD = 100MB/s (read/write)

As you can see, the SD card is already outstripping the CF. There are other, even faster card types, but you won’t find them in consumer-oriented cameras.

Before you go, check out this video.

Conclusion

So how many pictures can a 128GB card hold? Well, it depends on what you’re shooting—JPEG or RAW. 4,368 RAW photos vs 18,800 JPEGs. Now, you can fit even more on 1TB memory cards!

Neewer NW-670 TTL Flash

Capture stunning photos with ease using a TTL flash, perfect for both beginner and advanced photographers.

Buy from Amazon

Neewer NW-670 TTL Flash Speedlite with LCD Display for Canon 7D Mark II, 5D Mark II III, IV,1300D, 1200D, 1100D, 750D, 700D, 650D, 600D, 550D, 500D, 100D, 80D, 70D, 60D and Other Canon DSLR Cameras

Amazon

$89.09

Buy Now!

How it Works, Why it Fails and How to Use It

Using TTL flash but disappointed with the results? Check out our beginner’s guide on TTL…how to use it and how to make it work better for you!

Learning flash is one of the hardest skills in photography for many people. Between all the gear and the lighting and terminology, it feels really intimidating and complicated. Some photographers try to shortcut their flash education and try using TTL flash. But TTL flash, like most of the gear in photography, is only as good as the operator. Without understanding TTL flash properly, you can’t use it correctly.

Let’s figure it out together! I’ll explain what TTL flash is, how it works and how to use it to get properly exposed images when shooting with it at an event or session.

What is TTL flash?

TTL stands for “through the lens.” It’s how your camera’s onboard light meter works and how your camera’s auto and semi-auto modes work (aperture priority, shutter priority, program, etc.). TTL flash is a system of calculating the correct amount of light from your flash using the information from your camera via “through the lens” metering. Some folks consider it an “automatic” mode for flash. It is that, sort of, which we will cover below.

Not every flash is equipped with TTL technology. If you plan to purchase a flash and want TTL as an option, check the specs of your equipment. This Godox speedlight for Nikon is an example of a TTL capable flash.

New to flash and don’t know what all those buttons and dials mean? We’ve got you covered with our “Meet Your Flash” tutorial!

How does TTL flash work?

Before you learn how to use TTL flash, you need to understand TTL flash, i.e. how it works in a basic sense. So let me describe what’s happening when you use TTL flash.

When you have a TTL flash on your camera and you press the shutter halfway down, your camera focuses and triggers the flash to work. The flash sends out a 1/32 power preflash that hits your subject and reflects back to your camera through the lens (TTL!). The camera then says “Oh hey, I saw that preflash! Now here’s how much light the subject needs based on that preflash!” The camera turns the power of the flash up or down to expose your subject based on what it read through the lens. Then the shutter opens, the flash fires at the level the camera determined earlier and your image gets recorded.

Types of through-the-lens flashes

These flashes come in a few different types. There are TTL flashes, A-TTL (automatic-TTL), and E-TTL (evaluative-TTL flashes). Each type works off the same principle but functions differently. For example, E-TTL (Canon, Sony)) and i-TTL (Nikon) flashes fire a pre-flash right before the actual flash fires to do the same job. The flash then compares that pre-flash reading to the reading without flash and uses the information from both to set the power. E-TTL flashes tend to be a little more accurate, but they all work on the same principle.

A few things to note here… to begin with, you can’t actually see that pre-flash fire. It happens so fast that you can’t perceive it with your naked eye before the main flash fires. But it does happen!

Second, for the camera and flash to work together in harmony, your flash needs to be compatible with your camera. I can’t take a Canon flash, throw it on my Nikon camera and use TTL mode. The two have to be able to work together. When you’re buying a new flash and want to have through-the-lens flash, make sure the flash supports it and it’s compatible with your camera’s metering system.

And finally, know that you can use TTL with off-camera flash. It works, with some limitations. But that’s a subject for another tutorial. So we’ll just talk about how to use TTL on camera for now.

Looking for info on fill flash? Check out our tutorial!

Are you using TTL flash correctly?

A lot of photographers use TTL on their flash and make no other adjustments to their settings. The result? Disappointment and frustration. Some common complaints are dark photos, washed out photos or photos that look too “flashy.”

So why isn’t TTL working?

TTL IS working, but the system is only as good as the information it’s given. To give TTL a chance to succeed and give you the images you desire, you need to give it the correct information.

The problem with using TTL flash metering

First, you need to understand that the TTL flash system will meter off your focal point and respond accordingly. More specifically, TTL meters off the tone under your focal point and tries to make it a middle tone, just like your camera’s onboard light meter.

The TTL flash system doesn’t see color. It only knows to take that tone you metered off of and set exposure for a middle tone. So if you meter a black tuxedo, for example, the TTL flash will adjust its settings to make that black a middle tone. The result can be a washed out, overexposed image.

Likewise, if you meter off a white dress, the flash adjusts to make white a middle tone. This can mean an underexposed image.

Here’s a scene taken using TTL flash, bounced off the white ceiling. As you can see, it’s not a correct exposure. The whites of his fur are blown out, the black in his coat looks almost gray and the whole thing is overexposed.

The system is only as good as the information you give it. That means for a better or more correct exposure, you’ll have to adjust the flash power manually via the flash compensation button.

For an in-depth explanation of tones and zones, see our two tutorials below

What is the zone system in photography and do I need to learn it?
What’s a gray card and why should you get one?

TTL does a pretty good job of exposure if you have a good blend of tones in your image. But if you have lots of dark or lots of light tones, TTL may leave you feeling underwhelmed.

Meet Flash Compensation

So then your next step is to improve your photos using flash compensation.
Flash compensation lets you override what your TTL system determines is a correct exposure. Using the flash exposure function n on your camera in conjunction with TTL, you can better control how it exposes your image. Essentially, you are telling the flash system/camera how it should be exposed based on the tone you are metering.

Flash compensation is usually adjusted by pressing the +/- button in conjunction with a flash button (the one that looks like a lightning bolt/arrow). Don’t confuse it with exposure compensation. Exposure compensation will adjust your camera settings for more or less brightness. You want to adjust the FLASH power via flash compesnation.

Let’s look at another image taken with TTL. Again, it’s overexposed. I’ve lost detail in my whites and the blacks look gray.

Flash compensation will change your flash power to make the light the flash emits more or less powerful. If, after using your TTL system your images feel underexposed, use the flash compensation button to increase your exposure to your liking. If your images feel overexposed, use the flash compensation button to decrease exposure to your liking. This tells the flash “Hey, you’re doing a good job but dial it down a bit.”

The next photo was taking adjusting the flash compensation button to -1 1/3. By adjusting the flash compensation, I’m able to tell the camera where my exposure should be. I’ve lost a little detail in the black fur of the panda, but my highlights look okay and my image isn’t overexposed.

Putting a gray card in my scene confirms that my adjusted TTL exposure is now a lot closer to a correct exposure when the flash power is set manually with a gray card.

Remember as your scene changes, the camera may read the scene differently based on the tones in your image, even if the lighting hasn’t changed. That means you need to review your images and adjust flash compensation as needed!

Why is my background so dark when I’m using flash?

Another complaint I hear about through-the-lens flash is that the subject is well lit but the background is dark or underexposed.

To fix this, you need to make the background brighter, or increase your ambient exposure. The flash doesn’t reach far enough to light up the scene, it’s just providing fill light on your subject.

Try lowering your shutter speed, opening up your aperture or raising your ISO to allow more ambient light in your scene. Sometimes it takes a combination of all three. Then take a test shot with the TTL flash enabled and see how that looks. Adjust the flash compensation as needed.

Dealing with flashy photos

One of the other common complaints about TTL I hear is that it results in flashy photos. “Flashy photos” usually means that the photo is either overexposed in general or that the ambient exposure and subject exposure isn’t jiving.

If using the through-the-lens flash results in overexposed images, use flash compensation to turn down the flash power on your subject, as we talked about above.

But what about when the background and subject exposure doesn’t match? What can you do then?

Let’s start by understanding the problem. Usually “flashy” means that there is a lot of contrast between the ambient light and the light hitting your subject. Contrast, or how big of a difference between the lightest and darkest part of your image, comes from a few places: the environment, the size and distance subject of you light source (flash) and the ratio of the background/flash lighting.

So how do I fix the flashy look?

First, consider your ambient light. If your goal is a soft, evenly lit photo but you’re shooting a high contrast scene with hard natural light, you’ll never achieve your goal. Make sure your environment matches the look you want for the photo! Look for open shade or other areas where there is soft diffused lighting for your portraits.

Then, consider your flash itself as a light source. Are you using a bare flash, which tends to be smaller, thus harsher, than say a speedlight in a large shoot-through umbrella? When it comes to lighting an image, the bigger the light source the softer the image. How can you make that light source bigger? Try bouncing your light or adding a nice big modifier like a softbox or octobox. That makes your smaller light source bigger, softening the light.

Close the Gap

Finally, if you want to eliminate the contrast between the background and the ambient light, you need to close the gap, or the ratio between the two. (We call this a lighting ratio but if that term gives you math anxiety, just call it the lighting gap!) To close that gap, you need to either add more ambient light to the scene or reduce your flash exposure. Sometimes, you need to do both.

Try adjusting your camera settings to lighten the background more. Then take a test shot. Adjust the flash compensation to expose your subject to your liking keeping in mind that background to subject gap.

The image below was taken using flash. But because it was in open shade with soft diffused light, I was able to add just a hint of flash to my subject and product a soft, subtle portrait. It doesn’t look “flashy” at all!

TTL vs. Manual Flash

Which is better, TTL or manual flash? Well, it depends on your goals and your mastery of flash.

Through-the-lens flash can be a great tool to use in certain situations. Many wedding and event photographers like to use TTL when they “run and gun” during a reception or event. They like that they can wander around with their TTL flash enabled and don’t have to dial in the flash exposure on every single image. TTL gets even better if you understand how to use flash compensation to tweak it more to your taste.

Manual flash has lots of advantages. You have full control of your light. And you have the ability to replicate the same lighting later down the road.

I always advocate for learning how to shoot flash manually, even if you only plan to use TTL. Why? Because if you understand manual flash first, TTL is much easier to tweak to your liking. Second, you might find yourself in a situation where you can’t use TTL and will need to know how to light a scene manually.

Automatic but not automatically great

Through-the-lens flash can be a great tool, but only if the photographer knows how to use it correctly and how to adjust it to meet their needs. It is automatic flash but it doesn’t automatically make your flash images perfect. Take the time to learn how it works and how to use it correctly. You’ll have one more awesome tool in your photography kit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnU-QHIyp5o

How to Create Milk Bath Photography – The Comprehensive Guide Lens Calibration 101: The Why and How of tweaking your lens

What is TTL flash mode and how is it different from manual flash mode

Professional flash photography is quite difficult for beginners, the list of specifications of each flash may seem confusing. For example, what are TTL and manual flash modes and how to use them?

In addition to flashes built into the camera itself, there are on-camera flashes, which are usually called "speedlite" (Speedlite) or "flashgun" (Flashgun), as well as large studio flashes - "monoblock" (Monolight). Many on-camera and studio strobes today are equipped with a TTL mode.

TTL stands for "through the lens" (English) - "through the lens". TTL when working reads the exposure passing through the camera lens, while using the camera's built-in exposure meter, and also takes into account the distance to the object. This is sometimes referred to as "TTL metering".

TTL is an automatic mode that is activated via the flash control menu. When you press the shutter button, the flash outputs the amount of light according to the camera's exposure meter. If the scene is dark, the flash output will be correspondingly intense. TTL detects and sets the flash output, allowing you to take pictures without worrying about underexposure or overexposure.

Exposure compensation

Just like you can use exposure compensation in semi-auto mode on the camera, TTL flashes have what is called flash compensation.

Flash compensation assumes the automatic setting level set by the unit itself and can then add more or less power depending on how you set it. Like exposure compensation, this feature is measured in fractions of a stop.

Flash compensation A-3 reduces flash slightly, A+1 adds one full stop of light to the frame.

Flash compensation is a great tool for beginner photographers and is ideal for scenes where the distance to the subject changes rapidly. The downside is that it's not as flexible as the full manual flash mode.

Does TTL work without a camera?

TTL exposure readings are read through the camera lens. And if you place the flash in an area that is different in lighting from what the camera sees, you will end up with either an underexposed or overexposed image. Therefore, place the flash close to the camera.

What is the difference between ETTL and TTL modes?

Some TTL flash units have several TTL mode variations. For example, Canon's flashguns have ATTL, ETTL and other functions. The abbreviation ETTL stands for Evaluative Through The Lens. This mode uses fast pre-flashes of light before the actual flash to block out ambient light that could interfere with exposure. The ETTL mode is useful in scenes where other bright light sources compete with flash light. It is ideal for concerts, weddings and other events, for example.

How to use manual flash?

Like the camera's manual mode, manual/manual flash mode provides maximum control over images. In manual mode, the photographer himself chooses the amount of light for the exposure of the frame.

Flash power (pulse duration, flash lamp duration) is measured in fractions of its full power.

Setting 1/1 is the brightest light (full power) the flash can send.

1/2 is half power, 1/4 is a quarter, and so on.

Different flash models will have different power ranges from 1 to 1/64, some up to 1/128, others up to 1/250.

By controlling the power, you can adjust the appearance of lights and shadows in the image. Mastering manual flash takes practice and patience. Here your flash will not give you any advice on what settings to use.

Many photographers have their own presets for each type of image, which they then adjust as needed.

Some photographers, for example, start at a certain power, say 1/32, and take a picture. They then adjust the flash settings up or down based on that first image.

Another option is to use handheld exposure meters to read the light in the scene. They usually allow you to get fairly accurate readings.

Camera exposure settings also affect the flash system. Narrowing the aperture will have an effect similar to reducing flash output. The light on the subject will appear dim.

If the flash output remains the same, adjusting the aperture affects the brightness of the flash. To balance the flash with the ambient light, the shutter speed must be correct. If your subject is well lit but the background is dark, you need to lower your shutter speed.

Be aware that shutter speed has a limit. Most cameras have a shutter speed limit of 1/200 or 1/250. If you go beyond these values, you will see black bars in your image, when you go over 1/200 or more, the shutter will no longer be flash synced. Here you can try high-speed sync.

How do I control flash for good results?

Let's start with ISO. The effect of ISO on flash is easy to understand because it's the same as using ISO without flash. Adjusting ISO makes the photo brighter or darker. It affects the ambient light in the background in the same way as light from a flash. In manual mode, you can move the flash or the subject further if the flash is too bright. You can further control your flash using modifiers such as softboxes and diffusers. Flash photography creates harsh light with harsh shadows. Using a diffuser or softbox along with a lower flash output will create a softer and more pleasing light. If you don't have a diffuser, you can bounce light off a neutral-colored wall or ceiling to soften the lighting. Bouncing the flash off the wall will create spatial lighting, as if you placed the flash where the wall was.

Comparison of TTL and manual modes

Each flash mode has its pros and cons.

TTL flash is great for situations where the distance between the flash and the subject changes rapidly. If you are photographing a wedding ceremony using manual flash, the lighting changes as objects get closer. As a result, you will get an inaccurate exposure. Using TTL mode here will automatically adjust the flash output when the distance between the subject and the camera changes.

Manual flash is best when you want maximum control over the light source. This is also useful if the distance between the subject and the flash does not change.

The disadvantage of TTL is the fact that in this mode it is difficult to re-create the same level of illumination of the scene - because you do not know what settings the automatic TTL mode will decide to use for each subsequent frame. Post-processing of such photos will become more complicated because of this fact.

In most cases, photographers use manual mode. They switch to TTL only if they can't change flash settings quickly enough to capture a changing scene.

If you are annoyed that your flash creates dark shadows behind objects, use the manual flash mode and diffuser.

TTL mode is suitable for beginner photographers and when shooting moving subjects, often with flash compensation and flash modifier applied.

Conclusion

TTL auto flash adjustment is useful for shooting scenes with moving subjects and is suitable for photographers who are just learning how to use flash. But the manual flash mode still gives better results.

Learning manual mode is only one piece of the puzzle. You also need to understand how to use a diffuser, how exposure settings affect flash, how to use an external flash. In the end, choosing between TTL and manual is not a matter of preference. It all depends on the specific tasks.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TTL AND MANUAL SHOOTING?

Articles Lessons

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TTL AND MANUAL SHOOTING?

We worked on location shooting during which we photographed performer Mindy Gledhill and her tour bus. It was a beautiful sunny day, so one side of the bus was completely lit up. This was a great opportunity for us to test our Profoto B1 and B2 off-camera flashes in TTL mode.

TTL is an abbreviation for the term "Through-The-Lens" flash metering. By attaching either Air Remote TTL-C or Air Remote TTL-N to the camera, the photographer can set up the lights, turn them on and fire to get the perfect flash exposure. Then, by pressing a few buttons, the photographer can adjust the TTL exposure compensation directly on the camera itself, and when working with different groups, can increase and decrease the power of these individual groups (A, B, C) regardless of the camera in TTL mode or in manual mode.

LIGHTING

Our basic lighting setup consisted of a B2 flash with an OCF Softbox 2×3 as the main light, another B2 with a zoom reflector for hair, and two off-camera B1 flashes to illuminate the shaded side of the tour bus behind Mindy. . Also, to make sure we had full control over our subject's lighting, we used a gold/white folding reflector as a flag to shade her from the sun. Our main light and the hair light were set to the left to match the direction of the sunlight. The backlights that illuminated the bus were installed only to subtly fill the shadow in front of the bus.

TTL MODE

Our first flash shot was taken entirely in TTL mode with no flash exposure compensation. Our lighting fixtures were divided into three groups. A: main light. Q: Light falling on the hair. C: Background lights in front of the bus. Even with the extremely bright deceiving light from the side of the bus, the first TTL frame was very close to what we needed. The main light was perfect, and the light on the hair was 2/3 stops brighter than I would have liked. The only group that did not suit me was the background lighting in front of the bus. It was technically correct that the flashes tried to match their exposure to the rest of the bus, but this resulted in the front of the bus being too bright to look like a natural shadow. But ultimately, the Profoto AirTTL System created a very accurate initial exposure. Which now had to be adjusted in accordance with our preferences.

SWITCH TO MANUAL MODE

The Profoto Air Remote TTL-C system allows full TTL control and manual flash control in three groups (A, B and C), and manual flash firing in three additional groups (D, E and F). In our lighting scheme, only the first three groups were used. After our first test shot, we evaluated the resulting image and determined that some manual adjustments were needed. So we switched the Air Remote TTL-C from TTL mode to manual mode and started making our adjustments by pressing the up and down buttons on the group remote. Hair lighting group B was 1/3 stop too bright, so we pressed the power down button three times. (Each press corresponded to a decrease of 0.1 stops). Our group C for the backlighting of the bus was 2 stops too bright, so we pressed the power down button twice, holding it down for a long time each time. (Each long press corresponds to a full step). As soon as the settings of each flash in the respective groups were changed at our command via the remote control, we started shooting. The results were exactly what we wanted.