How to Use Fill-In Flash on the Nikon D40

A fill flash could reduce the chest shadows cast by the horse's head.

A fill flash casts light onto an already well-lit subject or scene. A fill flash is intended to reduce shadows on a subject that may be lit from highly direction light that causes shadows, such as a bright sun. The Nikon D40 adjusts how it fires the flash based on its analysis of the light present in a scene or on a subject. If there is adequate light to take a picture without a flash, it will use the flash as a fill flash. However, you still must ensure that your flash is properly set for fill flash to work.

Instructions

1. Turn the camera on.

2. Press the flash button on the side of the camera's viewfinder. This will cause the flash to pop up.

3. Put the camera in Program (P), Aperture Priority (A), Shutter Priority (S) or Manual (M) mode by rotating the mode selector to the appropriate letter.

4. Press the flash button again, and rotate the mode dial on the back of the camera until you see a lightning bolt in the flash indicator area of the LCD. The built-in flash operates as a fill flash when it is in standard flash mode. If you see an eye or other words next to the lightning bolt, you are not in fill-flash mode.

5. Photograph your subject as you would when not using fill flash. If using Shutter Priority mode, use a shutter speed of 1/500 of a second or slower. The D40 shutter will not synchronize with the flash at shutter speeds faster than 1/500.

Tips & Warnings

• Setting the camera to use the built-in flash as a fill flash will also cause an attached hot-shoe flash to operate as a fill flash.

• If you try to use a flash at shutter speeds over 1/500 of a second, the camera will not fire.

References

• Nikon USA: D40 Manual