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lakesidechadwick
14th of April 2008 (Mon), 00:48
I have a 580exII and a 430ex flash unit...can I use the 430 off camera with the 580 on the camera, if so, how do I go about setting this up? Thanks in advance!
FlyingPhotog
14th of April 2008 (Mon), 00:50
Set the 580 to Master and the 430 to Slave.

Do a bit of manual reading and start playing. It falls into place pretty quick once you understand which flash is doing what exactly. It's fun, too!
lakesidechadwick
14th of April 2008 (Mon), 00:53
Set the 580 to Master and the 430 to Slave.

Do a bit of manual reading and start playing. It falls into place pretty quick once you understand which flash is doing what exactly. It's fun, too!

I figured out how to set the 430 to slave (just flip switch to slave!!,) but how do I set the 580 to master?
FlyingPhotog
14th of April 2008 (Mon), 00:54
Should also be a three position switch...
Curtis N
14th of April 2008 (Mon), 04:46
The 580EX II has no three-position switch.

lakesidechadwick, do you have an instruction manual for it?
PacAce
14th of April 2008 (Mon), 12:59
I figured out how to set the 430 to slave (just flip switch to slave!!,) but how do I set the 580 to master?

On the 580EX II, press and hold the Zoom button for about 2 seconds. When you see the flash icon and the word "OFF" blinking on the LCD screen, turn the dial until "Master" and "on" blink. Press the Zoom button again to exit out (or just let it time out).
lakesidechadwick
14th of April 2008 (Mon), 16:18
Leo,

Thank you for your answer...I do have a manual as previously asked, but to tell you the truth I didn't even flip through it, because when I tried reading my manual for the 430, it did me absolutely no good. Maybe that should have been where I turned first, but I went right to the top and asked my fellow POTN members....It just feels good to be a part of, you know?

Mike
Curtis N
14th of April 2008 (Mon), 16:49
It took nine hours for you to get an answer.

I think reading the manual would have been quicker.
lakesidechadwick
14th of April 2008 (Mon), 23:31
It took nine hours for you to get an answer.

I think reading the manual would have been quicker.

If all I had done was sit in front of my computer and wait for the answer, you would be absolutely right...I apologize for asking a question like that...I should have only asked a truly difficult question, to which the answer was unavailable in print anywhere...shame on me.

I actually invested about 4 total minutes, which is less time than it would have taken to locate the English section in the manual.

Leo, thanks again... and apologies again for my ignorance and thinking that the flash section in a camera forum would be the proper place to ask such a question.

...long day at work
DDCSD
14th of April 2008 (Mon), 23:37
If all I had done was sit in front of my computer and wait for the answer, you would be absolutely right...I apologize for asking a question like that...I should have only asked a truly difficult question, to which the answer was unavailable in print anywhere...shame on me.

I actually invested about 4 total minutes, which is less time than it would have taken to locate the English section in the manual.

Leo, thanks again... and apologies again for my ignorance and thinking that the flash section in a camera forum would be the proper place to ask such a question.

...long day at work

Curtis was just trying to point out that most everything you need to know is available to you. The manual is a great source of information and reading through it a few times will help you out tremendously. Have your flash in hand while reading it, and try out the things in the book as you read. I keep my book for my 430EX in my bag at all times. It is tough to remember everything, especially when the menu doesn't tell you much on the flash.

Without going through the manual, you have no idea what you can accomplish with your flash units.

Curtis is the most helpful person I have seen on this forum, as evidenced by his almost 15,000 posts, most of which are him taking his personal time to help people out with their flash questions. He isn't telling you to read the manual because he is mean and doesn't want to help or because he thinks you are lazy. It is because you need to read the manual to get the most out of your flash.
apersson850
15th of April 2008 (Tue), 11:24
Use the 580 EX II on the 40D, and do the settings via the camera's flash menu. That's more intuitive than using the controls on the back of the flash. Once you've understood it, you can rather easily figure out how to do the same thing on the cameras that doesn't support that menu function (currently, the 1D mark III, 40D and 450D do).
PacAce
15th of April 2008 (Tue), 16:55
Use the 580 EX II on the 40D, and do the settings via the camera's flash menu. That's more intuitive than using the controls on the back of the flash. Once you've understood it, you can rather easily figure out how to do the same thing on the cameras that doesn't support that menu function (currently, the 1D mark III, 40D and 450D do).

Unless the 40D has a few extra features which the 1DmkIII does not have, it doesn't look like you can switch the flash from normal to master or slave from the camera menu. It looks like it can only be done via the zoom button on the flash.
PacAce
15th of April 2008 (Tue), 16:57
Leo,

Thank you for your answer...I do have a manual as previously asked, but to tell you the truth I didn't even flip through it, because when I tried reading my manual for the 430, it did me absolutely no good. Maybe that should have been where I turned first, but I went right to the top and asked my fellow POTN members....It just feels good to be a part of, you know?

Mike

No problem. I realize that it's not alway possible to check the manual so if I can reply with a quick answer, I gladly will.
prinspaul
17th of April 2008 (Thu), 15:27
I've experienced such a "weird" thing last night;

I set my 580 to master and had the 430 setup as a slave, when I hit the red pilot button on the master flash, the 430 flashed like 0,5 second later?! what happened? could it be due to a low battery level or wrong settings? I don't have much experience with this master/slave thing yet 'cause I work alot with studio flashes or just one speedlight at the time. thanks in advance
PacAce
19th of April 2008 (Sat), 12:55
What you experienced is normal. Not sure of the exact reason for that behavior but one reason could be that it makes it easier for you to verify that each slave flash (or group) is working as you can see each one fire individually.
prinspaul
20th of April 2008 (Sun), 14:51
that makes sense! thanks!
troypiggo
23rd of July 2008 (Wed), 03:31
On the 580EX II, press and hold the Zoom button for about 2 seconds. When you see the flash icon and the word "OFF" blinking on the LCD screen, turn the dial until "Master" and "on" blink. Press the Zoom button again to exit out (or just let it time out).

I just received a very good condition, but used, 580EX II. First thing I did after test firing it was to try and use it as master and my 430EX as slave. Setting the 430EX as slave was just a flip of the switch.

I read the manual, which said to do exactly what you say above, hold "Zoom" for 2 secs until "OFF" blinks etc. Tried that, didn't work. Nothing happened.

Don't have my gear or manual with me at the moment, but was browsing the forums here searching for answers. Any ideas? I'm concerned there is a fault with the unit. All the other buttons seemed to function.
Lotto
23rd of July 2008 (Wed), 04:08
Don't if it's same on the 580II, but on my 580, I have to make sure the wild angle diffuse is pushed all the way in, or the wheel is disabled.
troypiggo
23rd of July 2008 (Wed), 04:31
I'll try that tonight. Thanks.
PacAce
23rd of July 2008 (Wed), 07:26
Don't if it's same on the 580II, but on my 580, I have to make sure the wild angle diffuse is pushed all the way in, or the wheel is disabled.

Do you mean that the wheel is disabled for everything? If so, how would you change the power setting if you're in manual flash mode and wanted to use the wide panel? Also, even if the wheel is disabled, would that prevent the Master/Slave function icons from displaying on the LCD screen when the zoom button is held down for a couple of seconds? I don't have my 580EX II in front of me either so I'm just curious.
Lotto
23rd of July 2008 (Wed), 16:55
Leo, no it does not disable very function, but the functions that required pressing the Zoom button first. So changing manual power, ratio are OK, but not turning on/off the ratio, changing channel, or not allowing the master unit to fire.

I am talking about my original 580EX BTW, the 580II might have different setting. For the functions that I can't get to after, I would make the change before pulling out the diffuse panel.