Sometimes your flash will be too bright or too dark for your subject. While the E-TTL system is highly advanced and will get the flash’s output close to where it should be, it doesn’t always know what you want the image to look like.
Like exposure compensation, flash compensation allows you to dial in a change in the flash output in increments of 1/3 of a stop. You will probably use this most often to tone down the effects of your flash, especially when you are using the flash as a subtle fill light.
USING THE FLASH EXPOSURE COMPENSATION FEATURE TO CHANGE THE FLASH OUTPUT
- Press the Q button on the back of the camera to bring up the Quick Control screen.
- Use the Multi-Controller to select the Flash Exposure Comp. options box (A).
- Using the Quick Control dial, scroll right (to increase) or left (to decrease) the flash output. You can also press the Set button to bring you to a dedicated screen and increase or decrease the flash output from there (B).
- The Flash Exposure Compensation feature does not reset itself when the camera is turned off, so whatever compensation you have set will remain in effect until you change it. Your only clue to knowing that the flash output is changed will be the presence of the Flash Exposure Compensation symbol in the viewfinder. It will disappear when there is zero compensation set.