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Murphy66
13th of November 2005 (Sun), 23:58
Anyone know where I can get a 540 EZ manual online?

Also, anyone ever used 540 EZ as a slave to a 590 EX?

Thanks in advance!
robertwgross
14th of November 2005 (Mon), 01:37
I guess you know that the 540EZ is TTL, and that there is no such animal as 590EX. The -EX series are all E-TTL.

---Bob Gross---
dicky109
14th of November 2005 (Mon), 01:41
see this link. Not the official manual but should help
http://eosdoc.com/manuals/?q=540EZ
Murphy66
14th of November 2005 (Mon), 08:05
Thanks, that's a big help.

And yes, I own a 580EX not a 590. Hopefully I take better pictures than I type :)
robertwgross
14th of November 2005 (Mon), 13:41
And yes, I own a 580EX not a 590. Hopefully I take better pictures than I type :)

Another proud owner of the CDS keyboard!

---Bob Gross---
coeng
1st of December 2005 (Thu), 07:52
I guess you know that the 540EZ is TTL, and that there is no such animal as 590EX. The -EX series are all E-TTL.

---Bob Gross---

Haven't been keeping up with the technology in years. Bought my 540 EZ in 1999. What's the difference between the EZ and EXs. And what is E-TTL? I know A-TTL is automatic thru-the-lens metering.

Basically I could use a brief history lesson on Canon flashes from 1999 to present day. Thanks.
robertwgross
1st of December 2005 (Thu), 13:08
The old 540EZ was a very good Speedlite in its time. It was the top-of-the-line for Canon EOS film cameras and they used TTL flash exposure. Flash illumination bounced off the film surface for metering.

However, now most of us are in the digital EOS world, and E-TTL or E-TTL II is what is used. So, it is almost necessary to have some -EX Speedlite that can handle it. For one thing, no longer do we have a film surface, and the digital sensor does not reflect the same way.

Basically, the camera commands the Speedlite to pop a pre-flash at low intensity. The camera meters this before the shutter opens, decides what it wants to do, and then commands the main flash pop. Meanwhile the shutter has opened, the light comes through to the sensor, and VOILA! All of this happens in a small fraction of a second as your finger is coming down on the shutter button.

The old 540EZ does not do all of this.

---Bob Gross---