1DM2/550EX issue

[stringer]

Hi,
Just joined and was hoping for help/advice.
Manchester freelance, local papers and own site.
Have Canon 1DMK11 (2) and Canon 550EX.
I use flash a lot but the last week or so the ETTL has stopped working and every picture is a whitout unless i use something like f10 when i only want f2.8 or i use use manual flash.
I may have changed some setting or other but for the life of me i cant get it right!!!
Anyone help?
PLEASE!!!
Bill.

[tim]

Hi Bill,

The only time that's even happened to me is when the 550EX isn't seated properly on the hot shoe. Make sure it is, also check that the pins aren't bent. Make sure the flash is in ETTL mode, not M. If ETTL really is screwed you can turn the flash to manual and reduce the power, that way you can get the wider aperture you want. Alternately you could try bouncing the flash, that wastes a lot of power.

[stringer]

Thanks for that Tim,
I had the same thought, that the connection was not right, but it is.
All the other stuff i do now, the manual, bounce et. but i need to get it sorted but before i send away for repair i'm trying to make sure it's not something i have done to knock it off.
I always shoot in camera manual and flash ETTL but as i say its gone haywire, one thing, the symbol (flash head and CH 4) is showing on the flash LCD???

[Snapman]

Welcome to the forum :)

Same as Tim. I had this problem and it was because I hadn't pushed my 550EX right into the hot shoe on my 20D.

[tim]

I don't know of any reason it'd do that, I think it's time to send it to Canon for repair unfortunately. Before you do you could try another flash at a local store, and maybe it's time to get a backup flash - the 580EX is a bit nicer, and easier to use in multi flash setups. Compared with the cost of two 1DM2's and the cost of not being able to take photos, the 580EX is cheap.

[gmen]

I always shoot in camera manual and flash ETTL but as i say its gone haywire, one thing, the symbol (flash head and CH 4) is showing on the flash LCD???Just a thought but is the flash set to master or slave on the switch just above the hotshoe? Not sure if that would solve the problem but it would explain what you're seeing on the LCD.

---- Gavin

[robertwgross]

Tell us the settings on the camera and on the flash unit.

Check the custom functions as well.

It could be something as simple as a loose wire inside the flash unit foot. It could be a user setting.

---Bob Gross---

[gmen]

Tell us the settings on the camera and on the flash unit.

Check the custom functions as well.

It could be something as simple as a loose wire inside the flash unit foot. It could be a user setting.

---Bob Gross---
Yep... just wondering what the end result was? I've got a couple of 550EX guns.. always useful to know what could go wrong ;)

---- Gavin

[stringer]

Thanks to everyone for all your help/advice.
It turns out that most of you, Tim/Snapman, were right, after looking more closely i found that one of the pins on the flash was retracted, by loosening it it was then able to connect with the camera, problem solved!!
And Tim, i take your point regarding having another flash, you are quite right and one is on its way!
Thanks again to all.
Bill.