Wireless ETTL with 550s

[steven]

So I have read the stick about EOS flash but I still have a question about wireless.
I have set up using 3 550s and set them in a A:B:C flash groups and everything appears to be working as advertised.
I then wanted to try turning off the master 550 on the camera.
Change the setting per manual and then:
1) tryed the PILOT button and, in turn, all three flashes fired.
2) shot the picture, again all three flashes fired. The master put out a relatively bright flash, more than I would expect for control purposes.
3) tried covering the master flash (just the white flash are not the red) and took the picture. All flash fired and the picture looks the same as when I don't have the master coverd.

The question is when the master flash off should any amount of flash come out of the master?

[NGrinerPhoto]

you can turn it off so it won't change the image ... but it will still fire

hit sel/set 5 times on the master

[robertwgross]

The master still has to send the optical wireless data signal to the slaves, even if it is not popping during the main flash time.

---Bob Gross---

[mbze430]

What you are seeing is the pre-flash to comunicate with the other flashes.

[steven]

So the master uses the white flash to talk to the other 550s as apposed to the red light, right?

[robertwgross]

The 550EX master unit sends data signals to the slave units with pulses of visible light from the main tube (the STE2 uses red/infrared) and each slave must be placed so that the red sensor on the front can see the master. Note that each flash can "see" in one direction and "flash" in another direction with a swivel head.

The red pattern that you may see is the autofocus assist lamp, and it has nothing to do with the data signals above.

---Bob Gross---

[steven]

Thanks for the info:)

[scottbergerphoto]

I use 3 550EX's for a portable lighting set up. I put one on the hot shoe(A=fill), one on a lightstand w/wo an umbrella(B=main) and one for the background (C).
There are some examples Here (http://www.pbase.com/scottbergerphoto/ayana_bailey)
Scott

[steven]

Thanks, Scott.

From other posts of yours that I've read this is the setup I have been playing with.
Works very well, thank you very much:)

[Peter Ho]

I have used remote with 2 flash for some food table top setting. The flash setup is not of a problem but it is the depth of field.
I used an 80-200 set at 200 & f6.3 on manual with the 2 flash. But then I always have this depth of field problem as the foreground and background of the bowl goes unsharp.
Peter

[PacAce]

I have used remote with 2 flash for some food table top setting. The flash setup is not of a problem but it is the depth of field.
I used an 80-200 set at 200 & f6.3 on manual with the 2 flash. But then I always have this depth of field problem as the foreground and background of the bowl goes unsharp.
Peter

Why not decrease your aperture some more, say, to f/11 or f/16?