Manual vs TTL Flash

In today’s post, I’m going to dive into the debate of flash modes and explain my rationale of Manual vs TTL flash. When I first started diving into flash, I found all of the new modes and settings to be very confusing. I was hard to know where to start. My first few attempts at flash yielded hideous results. I honestly packed my flashes away for several months until I finally got completely fed up with the stress of photographing in poorly lit homes. I finally dove into learning how to really use my flashes and it made SUCH a difference in my work.

TL/DR: Manual vs TTL Flash – Which is Better?

If you’re trying to understand whether it would be better for you to use Manual vs TTL Flash here are a few things to consider:

• TTL Flash is the “auto” mode for your flash. TTL may help you when you’re first learning flash or if you are photographing in fast moving environments (such as sports, events, or weddings) when you may not have time to meter and test settings. With TTL, your camera decides how much flash power should be emitted.
• With Manual Flash, the photographer chooses the power of the flash. This allows the photographer more control over the brightness of the flash and may result in more consistency in the amount of light across the session. However, this may require extra time to meter and adjust settings, as well as the use of an external light meter.

About Kelley

In case we haven’t met yet, my name is Kelley Hoagland! I’m a wife, mom of three spunky little girls, and family photographer in Chattanooga, TN. I have absolutely fallen in love with using flash photography during my in-home photography sessions. I have found that using flash elevated my work and helped me maintain my bright, warm style across settings. I’m now on a mission to help other family photographers get over their fear of flash. I promise that using flash is so much fun once you get the hang of it. I currently offer a FREE Quick-Start Course for Flash Photography and I would love for your to sign up!

What does TTL Flash Mean?

Before we can settle the debate of Manual vs TTL Flash, we need to first define these terms. They were complete gibberish to me when I first picked up a flash. TTL is an acronym that stands for “through the lens”. TTL is basically the “auto” setting for flash. Your camera reads the amount of light coming “through the lens” and then cues the flash to output the amount of light it computes to be the right amount for a correct exposure. This flash setting is relying upon the meter built into your camera to determine the necessary amount of flash power.

Pros: It’s rather beginner friendly because the photographer does not have to understand flash power. Just dial in the desired aperture, shutter speed, and ISO and the camera and flash will do the rest of the work when in TTL mode.

This is also a great setting if you’re in a situation, like an event or reception, where you’re having to shoot quickly, on the go, and don’t have time to meter the light for your exposure settings OR you’re using on-camera flash and you or your subject is moving around a lot while you are trying to quickly trying to document the scene.

Cons: Your camera is making decisions for you. You may like the result. You may not. The editing process may also be very frustrating, as flash output may vary from shot to shot. If consistency is important to you, this may add a lot of extra time to your editing process.

This post includes affiliate links, which means the author will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you purchase an item using the provided link.

What does Manual Flash Mean?

Just like with shooting in manual mode with natural light, the manual flash mode gives the photographer all of the control. The photographer chooses the amount of power the flash will output by dialing in this setting either on the flash itself for on-camera flash or on the trigger when using off camera flash. Full flash power is denoted as 1/1. 1/2 means half power. 1/4 means quarter power and so on. My Godox V1s speed light can go as low as 1/256 power.

Because you will not be directly using your in-camera meter as you would with TTL, other forms of metering are generally necessary. Consider either using a light meter or, my favorite, the ExpoDisc. Granted, when using a digital camera, you could also go through the process of trial and error, checking the back of your camera between test shots. However, I do recommend using some form of external metering to ensure consistency with your flash photography work.

Pros: You are in control of deciding how much flash power is used. This means more control in creating the quantity and quality of light you desire. Artificial light in photography sometimes gets a bad rap for looking harsh, but this is often because of too much flash power being utilized or poor use of modifiers. Because the flash power is staying the same unless you change it, the lighting of your images will be more consistent, making for easier editing. This is especially true if you are using off camera flash.

Cons: Extra time for metering and testing flash settings is required when using Manual mode. It is also recommended that you use an external light meter to guide you in choosing the correct exposure and flash power settings.

Manual vs TTL Flash – The Winner In My Book

In case you haven’t already guessed, I am pro Manual Flash. I’ll be honest. I’m a bit of a control freak. It’s very much my preference to make decisions about the way my equipment functions, rather than hoping that my camera will read my mind. If something looks off, if the light is too harsh or bright, I want to be able to make small adjustments to my liking. Therefore, I highly recommend learning how to use your flash in manual mode.

Granted, I am writing this from the perspective of a lifestyle portrait photographer. I generally have a lot of say in how my sessions go. Where to place the subjects is decided by me. I usually have plenty of time to set up and check lighting. If you are an event photographer or documentary style photographer, you will find yourself in situations where you have to move very quickly. TTL mode may be the best mode for you in those circumstances. It is certainly better than using no flash at all in low light situations.

While I do side with manual mode in the debate of Manual vs TTL Flash, I do recognize that there is a lot to learn before confidently using this setting. I would love to help you get more comfortable with using flash during your in-home or indoor portrait sessions. If you need help getting familiar with all the flash functions, check out my FREE Quick-Start Course for Flash Photography. In this free mini-course, I go through all of the modes and settings I adjust when setting up for for on camera and off camera use. This is a great place to start if you don’t fully understand how your flash works. I also offer a full 4+ hour course about my approach to In-Home Flash Photography.

Curious to see my gear list? Click here.

I hope this post has helped you learn the difference between Manual vs TTL Flash and taught you something in the process of mastering flash. Flash photography has brought me so much confidence when approaching indoor portrait work. To see my Chattanooga photography work, including in-home sessions with flash, click here. Learning how to craft your own light is a worthy endeavor as a portrait photographer. Keep up the good work and keep on learning. I’m here to help if you need me!

Related Post: How to Use the Godox V1 as a Trigger

How to Sync a Godox Flash with a Trigger

3 Flash Mistakes to Avoid For Natural Looking Photos