Canon Speedlites

[paintman34]

I was thinking of buying a set of Alien Bees but have seen alot of people here useing speedlites bounced off umbrellas. I already have a 580ex and a 430ex and was thinking it would be easier to use speedlites for location shots since they are quicker to set up and take down and no need for a power supply. If I was to use 3 speedlites does the ettl mode adjust the power of each to produce a properly lighted photo?

[PacAce]

I was thinking of buying a set of Alien Bees but have seen alot of people here useing speedlites bounced off umbrellas. I already have a 580ex and a 430ex and was thinking it would be easier to use speedlites for location shots since they are quicker to set up and take down and no need for a power supply. If I was to use 3 speedlites does the ettl mode adjust the power of each to produce a properly lighted photo?
Yes, it does, depending on how you set up the master. You can have them all light up the scene equally or you can have them contribute different amounts of light to the overall exposure. I'm going to be doing a tutorial on using multiple flashes in a wireless configuration within the week. Keep an eye out for it in this forum if you're interested. It'll be call "ETTL Wireless Config: Part II - Working with multiple remote flashes". (Part I deals with a single remote flash (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=385912).

:)

[pcunite]

If I was to use 3 speedlites does the ettl mode adjust the power of each to produce a properly lighted photo?

Yes it does, you also have ratios that you can configure if you put each speedlite it the A,B,or C group. This is where you change the power need to automatically expose from one group vs. the other. ETTL II is still working your just changing which gun does the most work for modeling.

BUT!!

What is nice is manual mode. You can control all of the flashes from the master flash gun with all flashes configure to fire fully manual output!!! How about that!

* 1 580EX on camera set to trigger the others, manual mode, but not fire itself (you could make it fire if you want). Notice that is three settings.

* As many 580EX out in the field set to slave, pick a group it should belong to A, B, or C. You never need touch the slave again even if the master switches to ETTL mode.

Clift notes
* Now that everything is setup, on the master flash, choose group A and set manual output, choose group B and set manual, and so on.

[pcunite]

Keep an eye out for it in this forum if you're interested. It'll be call "ETTL Wireless Config: Part II - Working with multiple remote flashes". (Part I deals with a single remote flash (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=385912).

I look forward to your posts...

[paintman34]

I will be looking forward to reading this post. Thank you for the info. Also is there any extras I should buy for the speedlites (umbrella types, difusers, anything like this)

[sparcd]

I use two 430ex's and an ST-E2 to trigger them. Works great and plenty powerful for what I need. I use a snooted 430ex on the background or on the back of the hair, and one in an umbrella.