How do you change Aperture or Speed with Flash on hand?

[tuanvo1982]

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Hi,

I am wondering how people can change or get focused if they keep camera in your hand and flash on the another hand. I thought they will fix aperture and speed and fix focus length as well.

[ismon]

When I am in the dark, with flash in one hand and camera in the other, everything is preset. The shutter is set to the sync speed. The aperture is preset to the correct exposure for ten feet, and the lens is pre-focused to that distance. When the rangefinder images coincide, you have the correct focus and exposure without fumbling around in the dark. For 14 feet open up a stop, for 7 feet close down a stop. Keep life simple.

[lars_bergquist]

I have put a wrist strap on the flash-end connector of my cable. Sean Reid too (Welcome to ReidReviews, "Working With Flash") recommends this. This helps a lot for changing the aperture and the focus; though focusing is really zone, in practice.

 

The old man from the Age of Flashpowder

[menos I M6]

Did you ever have had to transport two cans of beer in one hand ;-) ?

 

Imagine, you pick up two cans of beer with your left hand, put the one, you hold between your left thumb and index finger back and set aperture and focus on your lens instead and you are almost there.

 

Now put the second can of beer back and take a flash instead in the same manner - still thumb and index finger free for adjusting the lens, right ;-)

 

If you combine this holding with the secure fit of a wrist strap, you can even occasionally dangle the flash of your wrist and use the hand for changing lenses or alike.

 

Bungee the flash and swing it back into your left hand and you're ready to flash again.

 

Sean Reid's website with several great articles about flash is highly recommended - he doesn't write about beer, but his tips regarding flash are very useful.