G2 and 420EX -- slow sync ? Am I missing something?

[Sailare]

Hi,
I have been trying to do some flash fill type shots but what it says in the flash manual and what it does seem to be different. Am I missing something or have I got a hardware problem?

with ISO at 50 and with Apeture priority set at 5.5 and the flash off it reads a slow shutter speed of several seconds. When I turn the 420EX on an press the button half way it gives me my fixed 5.5 apeture but a 1/60th shutter. No matter what apeture I set, even 8.0 the shutter stays at 1/60th. I was under the impression it would set the shutter as if the flash was off (several seconds)

I tried it in a very dark room and it still give a 1/60th shutter.

Am I missing something? Does the sequence of turning on the camera and flash have any bearing?

Please comment if you can help me with this puzzle.

thanks

[Sailare]

In digging into the camera's manual, I found one line on the page about use of Av. "When this mode is used with flash the slowest shutter speed is 1/60th".

Well, it appears that the hardware is working correctly. It also appears that the G2 does not really do a complete slow sync with flash, although it generally says it will here and there through out the manual.

If set to manual apeture and shutter, it reads that flash kicks out full strength. That's not a solution either.

New question - What does it say for the G3, G5 or Pro1?

[Riccardo]

For G5 is the same: shutter speed between 1/60 and 1/250.
It is necessary to set P mode for slow sync.

[PeterS45]

For G5 is the same: shutter speed between 1/60 and 1/250.
It is necessary to set P mode for slow sync.

Same for the G3.

[Sailare]

For G5 is the same: shutter speed between 1/60 and 1/250.
It is necessary to set P mode for slow sync.


Not so. In P mode the shutter goes to 1/60th just the same.


comment:

Well, the 420EX has all the capabiliteis to do it as detailed in the manual. It is the camera you chose that brigns in the variables.
As we have all experienced Canon does tell you what it does in the different modes, but rarely if ever explaines why.

As for the G series not producing the full "slow sync" capabilities... well it is a G series after all, which is a mixed bag of advanced features and point and shoot capabilities. Canon has decided and perhaps correctly the user of these cameras would prefer a hand hold setting as a priority. At 1/60th you do get the shot and not a well exposed bluzzy picture.

[PeterS45]

Page 61 of he G3 manual says you you can shoot images using the flash with a slow shutter speed by setting the "Slow Synchro" option in the "Rec"-menu. Have you tried that?

[Sailare]

Page 61 of he G3 manual says you you can shoot images using the flash with a slow shutter speed by setting the "Slow Synchro" option in the "Rec"-menu. Have you tried that?

Aha! another difference discovered. The G2 does not have a "slow sync" setting in the menu. It also does not have "second curtain" which I know the G3 and up do have.

At the time I purhased the G2, the G3 was available but a significant price difference. it did not seem worth while as I thought the only difference was a 4x vs 3x zoom and a better grip. Not so.

Oh, well, jsut another excuse to get a Pro1 and pass the G2 down the family tree.

[PeterS45]

Oh, well, just another excuse to get a Pro1 and pass the G2 down the family tree.

Are you sure the Pro1 has the slow shutter option????

Otherwise you'll have another excuse to buy the 300D :lol: :lol: .

[Riccardo]

[quote="Sailare

Not so. In P mode the shutter goes to 1/60th just the same.

[/quote]

In P mode the max time esposure is 1" not 1/60. This is not the max, but....
In M no slow syncro.
In AV mode the manual write time between 1/60 and 1/250, but the machine arrive to 1".
In TV no slow syncro.

I apologize for my precedent post, written by reading the manual and not "on the machine".

You could even use 2nd courtain with all times.

[Sailare]

[quote="Sailare

Not so. In P mode the shutter goes to 1/60th just the same.



In P mode the max time esposure is 1" not 1/60. This is not the max, but....
In M no slow syncro.
In AV mode the manual write time between 1/60 and 1/250, but the machine arrive to 1".
In TV no slow syncro.

I apologize for my precedent post, written by reading the manual and not "on the machine".

You could even use 2nd courtain with all times.[/quote]


Again - another difference between the G2 and G3 is noted.