380ex, 10d, CF - 2nd curtain sync, possible?

[jfretless]

All,
Been trying to use 2nd (rear) curtain sync with a 380ex and the 10D. I enabled the custom function on the 10D, but am not getting the desired effect. While looking at the images' EXIF data, it still states that it was shot with 1st curtain sync.

Current firmware is 2.0.0

I did a search, couldn't find anything.

Can someone with this combo try using 2nd curtain sync? Or does someone know for a fact it can't or can be done with the 380ex?

Thanks.
John

[Tom W]

Second curtain flash is available on the 380EX, but can only be set by the camera. Or at least that's what it is supposed to be able to do.

BTW, and just in case, note that you have to be shooting in "P", Av, Tv, M, or A-DEP modes to use custom functions. In addition, the effects of second curtain won't be noticable generally unless you are in one of the slow-sync modes where you can drag the shutter (Av, Tv, M).

[leony]

It's a custom function in 10D. You can set first or 2-nd curtain sync. The 380EX is a great flash for the $, is E-TTL and will accept any functions that your camera can set: like first/second curtain sync and flash compinsation. It will also work with high-speed flash (FP - look in canon's manual).

[jfretless]

As stated in my original post, I have set the custom function to 2nd curtain sync. However, EXIF data shows that images was shot with 1st curtain sync. I'm shooting low light concerts with very slow shutter speeds, so there is no possible way that "it's probably shooting 2nd curtain" and I don't see it. I'm trying to achieve the "star trail" effect to enhance shots that show motion. This is a fundamental flash photography technique that is "easily" accomplished with 2nd curtain or rear curtain sync.

Maybe I have a defective flash or the 380ex is too basic of a flash to handle this. In other situations, the flash work as expected.

Does the 550 or 420 have 2nd curtain in the flash or is it still controlled by the camera?

Thanks.
John

[Tom W]

Dang it - I just sold my 380EX along with the manual. On my 550EX, you can set up second curtain on the flash and that works. But, I haven't been able to use the Camera's custom function to force a second curtain flash either. Something's missing here. I know that the 380 supports it.

[Tom W]

OK, I think I've got it now. According to page 98 of the manual, CF #15-1 enables second curtain sync "with the built-in flash". I tried that and it works.

Now, page 150 states that CF 15-1 enables "2nd-curtian sync even with EX-series Speedlites that do not have this capability". this is poorly worded, but I think that the camera will only give you second curtain on external flashes (EX-type) that DO NOT already have that function.

My 550EX has the capability built in but the camera CANNOT control it. But the flash will do it if set up on the flash itself.

I never used it on my 380, but I'm pretty sure that that flash has the capability. I just don't know how its done.

[leony]

i've used 380EX with 2nd curtain cync with my Elan II and then 10D as well, succesfully. Don't worry about EXIF. Try this:

1) Set CF in 10D to be "2-nd curtain cync".
2) Set camera to M(anual) with any appereture and shutter of 1 second.
3) Take a picture.

Interpreting results:

if all is OK, you'll see two flashes - first at the beginning of exposure to "meter the flash output", which happens before the shutter opens. The second flash will be right before shutter closes (2-nd curtain cync).

You want to do this with long shutter speed so that there is a deffinite delay between two flashes. if you look carefully, you can see both flashes with any shutter speed, it's just easier with long ones since the "metering flash" and "exposing flash" are set appart by the "shutter speed" if you have 2nd cync selected.

hope this explains it.

[Tom W]

i've used 380EX with 2nd curtain cync with my Elan II and then 10D as well, succesfully. Don't worry about EXIF. Try this:

1) Set CF in 10D to be "2-nd curtain cync".
2) Set camera to M(anual) with any appereture and shutter of 1 second.
3) Take a picture.

Interpreting results:

if all is OK, you'll see two flashes - first at the beginning of exposure to "meter the flash output", which happens before the shutter opens. The second flash will be right before shutter closes (2-nd curtain cync).

You want to do this with long shutter speed so that there is a deffinite delay between two flashes. if you look carefully, you can see both flashes with any shutter speed, it's just easier with long ones since the "metering flash" and "exposing flash" are set appart by the "shutter speed" if you have 2nd cync selected.

hope this explains it.

Well, the 550 doesn't do that with CF-15-1, though the internal flash does. However, the 550 has its own second-curtain control which works just fine, so I suspect that it overrides the camera's control. I don't remember if the 380 has its own 2nd curtain control or not.

[robertwgross]

I don't have the 380EX either, but I was reading in my 550EX manual.

It states: "Second-curtain synchronization does not work with the camera's [green box] picture-taking mmode and Programmed Image Control modes."

You might look for a similar restriction for the 380EX and your camera.

---Bob Gross---

[jfretless]

Thanks Leony.... and to everybody else....

It works!

What I thought was dragging the shutter was infact not slow enough. When shutter speed is set to 1/10 or slower, you can definitely see two flashes. At any speed higher than that, I couldn't get it to work... or at least see the effect. I did a quick test... here's the result...

Images are to only illustrate effect of 2nd curtain sync, nevermind how bad the picture is... :wink:

http://www.harvie.net/161_6199_JFR.jpg

http://www.harvie.net/161_6200_JFR.jpg

Thanks again!

John