Auto fill flash reduction ON or OFF?

[GenEOS]

OK, I am struggling with getting my two 550EXs and ST-E2 to produce anything. When set up off camera using the ST-E2 in my living room, I end up with a dark image and two beams of light from each flash. It does not illuminate the room.

I have both flashes set to slave and I have auto fill reduction turned on. I am shooting in Program mode for this test.

If I put one 550EX on the camera, by itself and shoot a shot in Program mode, it illuminates the room nicely.

So, what's the deal with taking the flashes off camera and getting the darker images?

I thought I knew my camera and then I went and put a flash on it.....
I am using a D60.

[robertwgross]

Daniel, why don't you tell us all of the settings on the STE2 transmitter and each of your 550EX flash units? What are your camera settings for ISO, speed, and aperture?

I can visualize how you might get a single beam of light from each flash, but I can't understand how you get two beams of light from each flash.

I think you proved that you have the wireless channels set up correctly, but that's all.

What happened when you turned off the auto fill reduction?

---Bob Gross---

[GenEOS]

Can you give me a set up to try? Then I will give that a whirl and see what I am doing wrong. I will shoot this with my D60, 16-35 f2.8 and the two 550EXs. One EX is set as A and the other as B. St-E@ is set 1:1 (the middle setting) Bother flashes in E-TTL mode.

I have read a bunh of threads on using this set-up, but for some reason I am really struggling with it. I want to use the 550s at the NHRA nationals friday night. I was hoping to use one off camera, but if I can't figure these things out, I am going to just put one on the camera and use it the old fashioned way...

[rodbunn]

Turn auto fill flash reduction OFF! I would never turn it on.....

Rod

[scottbergerphoto]

Unless it's really bright in your living room, the auto reduction of fill flash shouldn't be a factor. It's supposed to recognize when you are shooting in bright ambient light and reduce the flash output to just fill in shadows. I keep it turned off, but I don't see why it would affect a shot primarily lit by flash.
Scott

[slin100]

Where are the flashes situated? Are they directing light onto whatever the lens is focused on? What is the zoom setting on the flash? It should be defaulting to 24mm when off-camera, but make sure the zoom isn't manually set to a telephoto range.

Also keep in mind is that as long as ETTL is enabled, the flash output is still going to be based on the camera measuring the preflash and will be predominantly weighted by the selected focus point.