Need shallow DOF with fill flash; is it possible?

[iqvideo]

Hi,

When using fill flash in a sunny or overcast day, with a low ISO, I need to keep a f-stop that is way too small (f11 to f22) to keep a synch speed.
I would love to reduce my DOF for some shots, how can I do this as it is impossible to open to a larger f-stop???

thanks for any advice

Stephan

[JPS]

Wich camera ? I've been using an S2 for a good time, and, coming from a Coolpix 500 with witch i could use very fast shutter-speeds with flash, i've had problems to get used to the "maximum" 1:125 SS of the S2 !

Now i use a D70, and despite i LOVED my S2, i find this Nikon much usefull for my kind of flash-shooting (macro), as i can use up to 1:500 with TTL flash, or without TTL, up to 1:8000 if i want to !

I'm affraid that, if you have an S2 (or S3), once you've set your ISO to the minimum and increased the shutter-speed to the maimum (try 1:180, it works also), the only way to obtain a smaller aperture will be by adding one or several neutral filters on your lens !

Hope this helps ?
J-P.

[iqvideo]

I am using the S2 :(
thanks for the quick reply!

I guess I will look into a neutral density filter then.

[JPS]

Hi ! strange as i almost allways have to fight to get MORE light ! I never had a problem of having too much light: in fact, the only times -with my S2- when i would have had the possibility of using a faster speed was for MACRO matters: i like to isolate the subject from the background, and the best thing i found is to use a high shutter-speed + flash ! Like that, you can get a very well lit foreground while the background stays totally BLACK, even at noon in full sunshine !

Cheers,
J-P.