# TTL?



## tevo (Apr 18, 2014)

After doing a fair bit of reading, I am quite confused. I generally understand that TTL metering with flash allows it to pre-fire a flash and determine how much power is needed for the correct exposure. However, I was watching some Joe McNally lighting tutorials and he kept mentioning off-camera TTL flash, and after looking into pocketwizards and their off camera TTL capabilities, I am confused as to the purpose of TTL in general, specifically off camera. Under what conditions would you use TTL, both on camera and off? I am very familiar with using flash manually and am confident in my abilities with them, but am I missing out on this magic TTL/i-TTL? 

Edit/tl;dnr: How to TTL/CLS???


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## Designer (Apr 18, 2014)

It is neither magic nor particularly complicated.  

I would use iTTL when the conditions are rapidly changing and I might not have enough time to manually make adjustments. 

If you are competent and comfortable with fully manual flash, then don't worry about it.


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## tevo (Apr 18, 2014)

Designer said:


> It is neither magic nor particularly complicated.
> 
> I would use iTTL when the conditions are rapidly changing and I might not have enough time to manually make adjustments.
> 
> If you are competent and comfortable with fully manual flash, then don't worry about it.



So let's say I'm shooting a wedding both indoor/outdoor. How does iTTL help me/how would I use it?


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## tirediron (Apr 18, 2014)

tevo said:


> So let's say I'm shooting a wedding both indoor/outdoor. How does iTTL help me/how would I use it?


It will help by giving you a reasonably correct exposure under most circumstances.  Manual flash is best for circumstances where you need complete control and constant repeatability.  TTL is ideal for events, wedding receptions, and things where you're doing a lot of shooting under continually changing conditions.


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## runnah (Apr 18, 2014)

Modern science has yet to explain TTL. The current theory is that it involves wormholes and faster than light travel.


Anyways as far as use, well I can only speak for myself but I use it for run and gun events. Any time when you are moving, the subject is moving and the light is changing it is good to use TTL. When I have time to setup I use manual to get the look I want.


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## Derrel (Apr 18, 2014)

Just an observation. Joe is selling books. And DVD courses. And selling gear these days, using YouTube and other video channels to demonstrate the power of his sponsor's brand of speedlights and cameras, as well as his sponsor's brand of grip gear, and light modifiers,and his sponsor's brand of triggers. I watched a few of his commercials the other day, 9- to 12 minute ones, promoted through PetalPixel or fStoppers, can't recall which. So, it's interesting that you as a young, serious photography enthusiast are asking a VERY interesting and important question which was not answered by his videos...because his videos are covert advertisements for $549 speedlights, and $100 triggers, and $150 Joe McNally-branded softboxes and so on,and so on.

Doing 'educational videos', giving workshops, and teaching for money is one of the new, big things that the biggest names in photography are doing as a way to make money. And yet...the fundamental question you ask, the critical questions about "WHY TTL?" were not really addressed....and again, we circle back around, to what is being shown, and who is paying the production costs for these videos. I watched those two of four videos, as Joe very deliberately used $1,500 or so worth of flash and grip and modifier gear to shoot SIMPLE headshots outdoors in a DEEPLY-shaded area, where there would be NO sunlight...in order to keep synch speed below the level of ambient. I watched as he used a modifier that would make his $549 Nikon TTL flash unit's built-in remote commander triggering system INEFFECTIVE, so he had to put on Pocket Wizards to trigger.

He uses a Nikon D4, which HAS NO built-in flash, so he used an SB-910 in the hotshoe, in order to command and trigger a SECOND SB-910 in his modifier. So, two 910's, that's $1,099.90.

It would be a shame if you bought a pair of Lumopro 180's at $199 a pop. Midwest Photo Exchange LumoPro LP180 Quad-Sync Manual Flash

You were watching the videos of a guy who is sponsored by a number of companies that make expensive flashes, high-grade triggering systems that cannot compete with the MIC ones on price, and by a company that makes very nice light modifiers that also cannot compete with the MIC stuff sold on eBay. And so I find it interesting that the videos did not really tell you WHY you ought to buy TTL flash units and PocketWizards...but they did show how totally awesome that stuff is.


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## TreeofLifeStairs (Apr 18, 2014)

I have an NEX-7 and a Metz flash that uses TTL but I've had trouble finding wireless transmitter/receivers that keeps the TTL functionality. There have been a couple but tend to cost much more. I opted to just get a non TTL transmitter/receiver since if I'm doing off camera flash then it's probably going to be a more controlled environment. I still use the TTL on camera and bounce the flash for my kids birthday parties and such since there is a lot of change in subject matter. Just my thoughts.


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## tevo (Apr 19, 2014)

Derrel said:


> Just an observation. Joe is selling books. And DVD courses. And selling gear these days, using YouTube and other video channels to demonstrate the power of his sponsor's brand of speedlights and cameras, as well as his sponsor's brand of grip gear, and light modifiers,and his sponsor's brand of triggers. I watched a few of his commercials the other day, 9- to 12 minute ones, promoted through PetalPixel or fStoppers, can't recall which. So, it's interesting that you as a young, serious photography enthusiast are asking a VERY interesting and important question which was not answered by his videos...because his videos are covert advertisements for $549 speedlights, and $100 triggers, and $150 Joe McNally-branded softboxes and so on,and so on.
> 
> Doing 'educational videos', giving workshops, and teaching for money is one of the new, big things that the biggest names in photography are doing as a way to make money. And yet...the fundamental question you ask, the critical questions about "WHY TTL?" were not really addressed....and again, we circle back around, to what is being shown, and who is paying the production costs for these videos. I watched those two of four videos, as Joe very deliberately used $1,500 or so worth of flash and grip and modifier gear to shoot SIMPLE headshots outdoors in a DEEPLY-shaded area, where there would be NO sunlight...in order to keep synch speed below the level of ambient. I watched as he used a modifier that would make his $549 Nikon TTL flash unit's built-in remote commander triggering system INEFFECTIVE, so he had to put on Pocket Wizards to trigger.
> 
> ...



This is the exact quandary I'm having. Joe produced undoubtedly nice results with his setup, and my understanding is that with TTL he could shoot A and just adjust the EV comp on his camera for ambient exposure and dial the flash up or down as needed. In practice, that seems more efficient than shooting manual, which does make the SB910s look very attractive. However, in a situation like that it seems as though manual would be just as easy. 

I'm currently in the market for new speedlights because I'm doing a lot more studio/controlled lighting shoots and I just broke one of my two SB-600. Yongnuo makes AWESOME flashes but they don't support TTL, so after seeing the supposed magic and ease of the CLS setup Joe was using, I wondered if the $200 I was considering for three yn560iii (which, less the TTL are apparently comparable to the 910) was wasteful. 

I suppose having one or two flashes with TTL would be useful to have for wedding/events, but I usually steer towards natural light when possible for events anyway.


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## Scatterbrained (Apr 19, 2014)

TTL is great when you don't have time to stop and meter the light at the subject before each shot, namely events.   I use TTL with my speedlight any time it's in the hotshoe, because most likely I'm bouncing flash and mixing flash with ambient.   If you're doing portrait shooting I'd recommend getting some proper strobes.  More power, more robust, more and larger modifiers, etc.  For me the whole "strobist" thing is a bit overplayed. They're great when you need to be light and mobile but they make a series of compromises as they were always intended to be used on camera for supplemental lighting.   You get less power, fewer modifiers, slower recycle times, a beam pattern that isn't ideal for use in modifiers, no modeling lights, no cooling system, etc.   If you're leaning towards more controlled studio shooting and/or portrait sessions, just get some monolights and a light meter.


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## tevo (Apr 21, 2014)

Scatterbrained said:


> TTL is great when you don't have time to stop and meter the light at the subject before each shot, namely events.   I use TTL with my speedlight any time it's in the hotshoe, because most likely I'm bouncing flash and mixing flash with ambient.   If you're doing portrait shooting I'd recommend getting some proper strobes.  More power, more robust, more and larger modifiers, etc.  For me the whole "strobist" thing is a bit overplayed. They're great when you need to be light and mobile but they make a series of compromises as they were always intended to be used on camera for supplemental lighting.   You get less power, fewer modifiers, slower recycle times, a beam pattern that isn't ideal for use in modifiers, no modeling lights, no cooling system, etc.   If you're leaning towards more controlled studio shooting and/or portrait sessions, just get some monolights and a light meter.



Since I don't do primarily studio, it makes more sense for me to invest in speedlights that will suit a multitude of situations, including traveling lightly. I used TTL today shooting a media event at the new Levi's stadium, and I have a better understanding of its use now.


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