Working my Flash

[decades]

Does anybody now a tutorial site or just a site with some info on what specific functions my flash has. Like what the flash exposure compensation are particularly for? What am i compensating while adjusting that? Questions like that. I have the 580EX II.
Thanks

[PhotosGuy]

Seen this? ** IMPORTANT LINKS: EOS Flash ** (READ FIRST) (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=138907)

[Curtis N]

Lots of good links in that sticky, and some of them are links to threads with... more links!
This one (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=46599) particularly has lots of good info about Canon flash systems.

Flash exposure compensation adjusts the flash exposure. This might be for creative reasons, or to "compensate" for abnormally bright or dark subjects (white wedding dress vs. black tuxedo).

[decades]

Thanks Alot!

[r.morales]

Is there a list of flashes take will take an external battery pack or does the new 580 ex II cycle fast enough for 6 or 7 shots in a row ?

[DavidW]

I believe you've already read the information I posted here, which contains most of the information you're asking about.

For completeness, the MR-14EX and MT-24EX macro flashes can also take an external high voltage pack - but these are not general purpose flashes.


As for recycle speed, I don't believe there's been a significant improvement over the 580EX. It depends on just how fast you want to fire the shots and how much flash power you're using - if you're firing the flash at or near its maximum output, you'll notice a significant delay before the flash has fully recycled.

I suggest starting out without a battery pack, and buying one later if it turns out to be needed. Be aware that there is a limitation on how many flashes you can fire in a short period of time before allowing the flash to cool, as I point out in the post I linked to. This is a problem with all shoe mount flashes.


If you want a faster recycling flash that you can fire repeatedly without worrying too much about the recycle time or worrying too much about the heat build-up, you could jump up to a Quantum Qflash. However, this is a significant expense (you don't just need the Qflash T5d-R or X5d-R head, you also need a D13w-R QTTL module, a flash bracket - I use a Newton Di400CR with the flash quick release and the Quantum T4/T5 plate, and an appropriate power source - a Turbo battery for a T series or a Qpaq-X for an X series, which you buy as three items, the Qpaq-X command module, battery and charger).

I have a Qflash X5d-R, and it goes on my bracket for the most demanding jobs. However, there are many jobs when the smaller, lighter 580EX is the right flash to go on my bracket, not least as the 580EX covers all the AF points with its AF assist light (the Qflash setup only covers the centre point, and it doesn't do that awfully well) and the 580EX has high speed sync (which the Qflash doesn't support). Other disadvantages of the Qflash are size, weight and cost.

In many ways, the Qflash is more suited to being an off camera flash than an on bracket flash, which is how I often use it (the Qnexus allows me to use the Qflash as a wireless E-TTL slave; the 580EX goes on my bracket as the wireless E-TTL master and fill light, with the Qflash on a stand as a wireless E-TTL slave and key light).


I mention the Qflash really to show how the choice of flash is a trade off. The high end shoe mount flashes, like the 580EX and 580EX II, are the best trade off for many purposes - they are general purpose, relatively small and light, pretty powerful, full of features and reasonably fast recycling with the option of an external battery pack if you want to speed up recycling and extend the battery life.

Further, if you're not firing a shoe mount flash repeatedly at high output, but you're firing with a gap of a few seconds between each shot at moderate output, you may well find that heat buildup isn't an issue at all.



David

[r.morales]

Yes I read that and found another post 3 of the 500 series listed .
Back when I was using film , I bought a used flash tube when out and I took in for repair .
It was a run up and grab so insurance bought me the new 380 .
The stolen one would flash as fast as power winder on AE-1 said too . It did weight more than the camera , but was impressive . At parties weddings etc 3 or 4 in a row and eyes are open or mouth closed on one .
Thanks again , I'll use the 380 until I can afford the 580 I guess .

[JWright]

Here's a good Canon flash resource...

http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/

[r.morales]

Thanks for post , some are dead links but copied 14 pages to read and bookmarked site .