f/8 or f/1.8?

[dbmiller]

Never mind the other differences. Which aperture do you prefer for this?

ILCE-7RM3    Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 55 mm F1.8 ZA (SEL55F18Z)    55mm    f/1.8    1/2000s    ISO 100

ILCE-7RM3    Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 55 mm F1.8 ZA (SEL55F18Z)    55mm    f/8.0    1/250s    ISO 100

 

[Ad Dieleman]

f/8. For me the bright blurs in the f/1.8 pic attract too much attention.

 

[Jefenator]

I like the f/1.8 shot but I'd like to see it with the fill flash. (Probably easier said than done...)

 

[WNG]

f/1.8 image. The natural light's angle is creating a flattering shadow on you. The DOF and bokeh is preferred.
The flash fill is too harsh for my taste in the f/8 image. Both has flattened the image.

 

[Kiwi Paul]

I also find the oof elements in the f1.8 are too distracting.

 

[chalkdust]

There are many good choices between f/1.8 and f/8.

 

[dbmiller]

Thanks all for the comments. I'm still trying to learn how to use the darn flash. Struggling between getting the right amount of ambient, and not making the flash so obvious.

The flash actually fired on the 1.8 shot in HSS mode, but no return was detected, and I wasn't sure the TT685 could provide enough light for that shutter.

I've got one from another location where I think I got it better, and because of the shade, I was able to keep the shutter speed to 1/250th and aperture was f/2.5... No f/8 to compare with, though...

ILCE-7RM3    Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 55 mm F1.8 ZA (SEL55F18Z)    55mm    f/2.5    1/160s    ISO 100

I actually had both the TT350 and TT685 with me. There was one location where I tried to set up a shot with one flash being the master but not firing, and the other would fire off camera. But I didn't remember all the settings I had to change and couldn't get the off camera flash to fire. And I left the manuals at home.

 

[WNG]

I see, then if the flash fired, it for sure didn't overfill the natural light. It worked out though.
The third shot I like best, most flattering light.