Need Input Re: Wireless and 550EX

[jadams]

Hello-

I was shooting some product shots of paper lanterns this afternoon. I plan to buy 420ex and/or 550ex. I want the wireless master/slave "stuff" -- but I have a few questions on it's application.

For starters, this is what I was shooting for. And no, a tripod with a tea lite wouldn't work. I need to be able to shoot them quick and in relative lightness (this was a lit room) and still get the contrast of background to lantern.

http://www.pbase.com/image/3291623

I did this manually firing my flash unit on 1/16th power under the lantern where the tea lite would normally go. It worked, but my arms could only reach so far. I had to get close. I couldn't hide the flash unit inside because I wouldn't be able to manually fire it. Here's my setup:

http://www.pbase.com/image/3291790

Now the questions:

1- How is the Canon Wireless Flash triggered -- via Infrared or RF? Obviously I would need RF because there would be no clear sight to my flash unit. Despite reading the Canon website pages many times, I can't find any confirmation on how this works. I must be missing it -- I can't believe that they wouldn't tell you clearly.

2- What are my options for the "master"? Can I use a 550ex on the camera, set it to trigger the slave, but not fire itself?

Thanks for your help!

Jasper

[chris maddock]

jadams wrote:

Now the questions:

1- How is the Canon Wireless Flash triggered -- via Infrared or RF? Obviously I would need RF because there would be no clear sight to my flash unit. Despite reading the Canon website pages many times, I can't find any confirmation on how this works. I must be missing it -- I can't believe that they wouldn't tell you clearly.

The trigger is light (not InfraRed, at least not on the 550EX), not RF. However, you'd be surprised how much you can get without line-of-sight when shooting indoors - the signal does bounce off walls and ceilings nicely. That lantern looks as if the signal from a 550EX might well be strong enough after passing through it.


2- What are my options for the "master"? Can I use a 550ex on the camera, set it to trigger the slave, but not fire itself?

Yes, you can set the 550EX to act as a master but without it's own flash active. It will still fire the pre-flash for light measurement, etc. but the main flash can be turned off.

HTH
Chris

[jadams]

Thanks Chris...

I picked up a 550EX last night and I have to say -- WOW!

I've never had a flash that integrated with the camera so nicely. No matter what I threw at it, it did wonderful. Letting it just do it's thing, the results were great. When I started reading the manual and started messing with the "FEL" and such, things just got better.

Well, I won't be able to test the wireless just yet. I didn't pick up anything to use as a slave. That's the next chapter -- I can't do that until I finish getting through the first. The manual is a bit thick, :D

After reading the posts complaining about E-TTL problems on the D30/60/1D, I was hesitant. But hey, I'm thrilled with it.

Jasper

[SteveCliff]

I am a beginner at all this, but I've just picked up a 550EX too and so far I am very pleased! Everything taken through ETTL and only 1 problem - which was probably down to me anyway :)