PDA

View Full Version : use of 550ex to focus in low light w/o flashing?

bestbyte
27th of March 2008 (Thu), 12:23
Is there a way to use the 550ex to help focus in lowlight with out actual firing flash?

Thanks
DDCSD
27th of March 2008 (Thu), 12:24
Is there a way to use the 550ex to help focus in lowlight with out actual firing flash?

Thanks

Look in your manual at your custom functions. There is one that disables the flash from firing, change that setting. Not near a manual right now to know which it is.
Curtis N
27th of March 2008 (Thu), 12:27
Custom function 7 on the 30D. I'm not sure if the 1D series cameras have that option.
bestbyte
27th of March 2008 (Thu), 12:28
Thanks, found it C.Fn II-6. Thought I remembered something about that
PacAce
27th of March 2008 (Thu), 16:12
You'll be able to disable the flash with the 30D and the 1Dmk3 but not the 1D2N.
DDCSD
27th of March 2008 (Thu), 17:28
You'll be able to disable the flash with the 30D and the 1Dmk3 but not the 1D2N.

You can't disable the flash on the 1D2N?!?!?! That is surprising.

What about the 1D2?
PacAce
27th of March 2008 (Thu), 21:38
You can't disable the flash on the 1D2N?!?!?! That is surprising.

What about the 1D2?

Yup, it's the same with the 1D2. The 1D3 is the first 1D series camera to give you the ability to turn the flash off.
DDCSD
27th of March 2008 (Thu), 21:45
Yup, it's the same with the 1D2. The 1D3 is the first 1D series camera to give you the ability to turn the flash off.

That amazes me since I can shut it off on my 20D. The 1D2 did come out just before the 20D, but the 1D2N was out a year after the 20D, right?

Not that it is an "essential" function, but it can be nice once in a while.
PacAce
27th of March 2008 (Thu), 21:50
That amazes me since I can shut it off on my 20D. The 1D2 did come out just before the 20D, but the 1D2N was out a year after the 20D, right?

Not that it is an "essential" function, but it can be nice once in a while.

I'm thinking the "logic" behind the xxD camera having the ability to turn off the flash while the 1D series cameras did not is because the xxD camera have built-in flashes whereas the 1D series cameras do not. But enough 1D users must have complained loud enough because Canon finally did decide to implement the ability to turn off the flash on the 1D3. But that's just conjecturing on my part. :)
Lotto
28th of March 2008 (Fri), 03:17
Well, the 5D has on build in flash, yet has a CF to turn off flash, how do you explain that?

Ignore me, just messing with you, Leo :)
tim
28th of March 2008 (Fri), 05:16
Well, the 5D has on build in flash, yet has a CF to turn off flash, how do you explain that?

Same software as the 20/30D series, more or less, that's why (in case you were wondering).
PacAce
28th of March 2008 (Fri), 09:20
Well, the 5D has on build in flash, yet has a CF to turn off flash, how do you explain that?

Ignore me, just messing with you, Leo :)

As far as I'm concerned, the 5D is a xxD camera with a full-frame sensor and with some items left out, like the flash. The 5D wasn't designed from the ground up to be a full-frame camera without a flash. ;)