Charlie Howard (dpreview, Panasonic forum, 25 February 2004)...
{answering a question about how to determine the best settings for a particular flash unit. The flash unit has three power level ranges} Up to 6 feet, you can use the bult-in flash and default settings. Beyond that, try using the external flash at each of the three power level ranges, and with the camera at ISO 50 and 100 (a total of six combinations). Put the camera into Shutter priority mode and set the shutter speed to 1/1000. Pick a realistic target, and shoot at various distances with the six combinations, make notes of what you've done, and then look at the results on the computer screen (the camera will show a brighter image than the computer will).
If you plan to print your photos, print the better-looking test pictures, because prints may have different apparent exposures than what you see on the computer or the camera. Some photo labs try to adjust customer's photos, so that's also something to evaluate.
{Photograph below `Leaves' by Charlie Howard taken with FZ10 and flash during daylight}
Klaas Bloem (Yahoo!, FZ10 group, 24+25 June 2004)...
Q: Why shouldn't we use P(rogram) mode with an external flash? {P mode works fine with the built-in flash}
A: Although the camera is aware an external flash is mounted to it's hot shoe it doesn't communicate with it. So it doesn't know what settings you are using on the flash. Try using ISO 50 F4 on both flash (in auto mode) and camera, keep the camera in aperture priority to prevent the EVF from darkening to much.
(Launch of a lifeboat by horses on Ameland. Picture taken by Klaas Bloem. Click the image to see more of his photographs!)
