Technically Speaking

[aymanmb]

can a firmware enable for example Canon built in flash to wirelessly control external Canon flashes (similar to Nikon system), or it has to be a hardware thing and it is too late for existing Canon bodies to catch up with Nikon.

A crasy thought, but give us hope one day Canon can be generous and do it for us.

[troypiggo]

A firmware hack to current camera bodies is not going to enable them to transmit an IR signal. The hardware just isn't there.

[PacAce]

A firmware hack to current camera bodies is not going to enable them to transmit an IR signal. The hardware just isn't there.

IR is a range of light in the light spectrum generated by flashes including the built-in flash of the Canon DSLR cameras. So, as long as the firmware is able to control the flashing of the built-in flash to be a meaningful ETTL commands to a slave EX flash, there's no reason the built-in flash can't control EX slaves.

[aymanmb]

IR is a range of light in the light spectrum generated by flashes including the built-in flash of the Canon DSLR cameras. So, as long as the firmware is able to control the flashing of the built-in flash to be a meaningful ETTL commands to a slave EX flash, there's no reason the built-in flash can't control EX slaves.


That was my initial thoughts as well and wanted others to confirm this theory. It is IR that Nikon is using to control wirelessly other flashes, it is a preflash. Same is true for the 580EX as a master I think, it uses a pre flash coded with information from te master to slaves.

Am I right?

[troypiggo]

Thanks for that, Leo. Weird, I've never seen IR coming out of my flashes. :)

[PacAce]

Thanks for that, Leo. Weird, I've never seen IR coming out of my flashes. :)
Well, that's reassuring since IR is invisible to human eyes. Now, if you had said that you have seen IR emitted from flashes, then I'd have to think that you were some kind of alien from outer space or somebody with very special eyes. ;) :lol:

[PacAce]

That was my initial thoughts as well and wanted others to confirm this theory. It is IR that Nikon is using to control wirelessly other flashes, it is a preflash. Same is true for the 580EX as a master I think, it uses a pre flash coded with information from te master to slaves.

Am I right?

Yes.

[bsaber]

I really wish Canon would add that feature... but I doubt it's going to happen.

[Rellik]

It would be great to have it. But Canon will not implement this in their cameras. Maybe if Nikon really pushed this as a selling feature. Though they seem to be more caught up in the megapixel battle. Also I don't see canon killing off the ST-E2 or prevent selling more flashes to accommodate this feature.

Also IR, preflashes, or anything using optical as a trigger will have it's limitations, especially outdoors. I think the future will be wireless like the radiopoppers, but more intergrated. Now that would be awesome. One can dream.

[aymanmb]

But Canon will not implement this in their cameras. Maybe if Nikon really pushed this as a selling feature
well, if Canon listen well, a lot of users do see this as competitive selling point specially for 1st hand buyers.

Also I don't see canon killing off the ST-E2 or prevent selling more flashes to accommodate this feature
this feature does not seem to kill Nikon's IR trigger (they have a similar one to the ST

[Rellik]

well, if Canon listen well, a lot of users do see this as competitive selling point specially for 1st hand buyers. True, but clearly not priority of most buyers. Canon owners who would use this feature makes up for only a small percentage of all canon users. Look how long it took canon to put a PC port into the 580ex.


this feature does not seem to kill Nikon's IR trigger (they have a similar one to the STYes, but how many of those units you think Nikon will sell? Not a whole lot if their bodies already can trigger wirelessly. Most likely, it was added for bodies without a popup flash like the D3.