What in the flash is going on??

Today I pulled out the D90 and fitted up the SB-800 flash as I wanted to take some shots of some gear I have.  Annoyingly, each shot I took was coming out way too dark.  I pride my self on being able to find quick solutions to photographic problems, but this wasn't the case this time.  

 Firstly I checked the CLS setting as I had been playing around with it a while back.  Nope, all OK.  Did some additional reading on CLS to see if I'd forgotten anything, but alas it was just fine.  Checked all the SB-800 menus - all correct.   Replaced the flash batteries - Still the same problem.  Checked the flash compensation on the flash - No, set at +1/3 EV, which weirded me out as it was 2-3 stops too dark.  

Frustrated, I put the camera down for 10 minutes, and after I came back I noticed the +/- flash exposure compensation on the camera.  I gave it a push and '-3' came up.  So I changed it back to '0' and viola!  Correct exposure!  Hallelujah!!   

Even for a serious amateur, sometimes there are so many menus in a modern DSLR, finding the correct answer to the problem takes time. 

Leica 90mm f4 collapsible Elmar M on Sony NEX 5n

This is the Leica 90mm f4 collapsible Elmar M mounted on the NEX 5n with an adapter, and interestingly, the lens can almost completely collapse into the camera, save about 5mm.

Stabilized Primes

One thing that is very hard to find is a prime lens under 200mm that has a built in stabiliser.  There are two exceptions - a few macro lenses out these (though the closer to 1:1 you get, the less well it works) and the Sony NEX 50mm f1.8 OSS.

Unfortunately though, this lens has two problems. One, it isn't that optically terrific; and two it really is quite large, being nearly 3 times longer than the Sony 16mm f2.8.  The second means that, unlike most 50mm lenses, it isn't compact and therefore doesn't suit the NEX that well.  The first point is a little more interesting though.  Two different sites, Photozone and SLR gear have given below average to average reviews for this lens, sighting soft wide open performance in the corners and high CAs respectively.  Interestingly Photozone used a NEX-7 and SLR gear a NEX-5, which may result in the different issues found. 

Stabilizers are an excellent feature, and I am surprised they are not built into more primes, especially those from 50mm upwards.  A fast aperture, stabilised portrait lens around 85mm would open up all sorts of opportunities, as would a fast standard 50mm lens.

Here's hoping the manufacturers hear my small voice on internet and release more stabilised primes, and that the optical performance of these is excellent.

Fujifilm X100