G10 in manual mode and 430EXII

[djrosen]

I have recently purchased a G10 with the 430EXII. I have been experimenting with shooting in manual mode mostly outdoors. When shooting with the camera in manual mode and using the external flash, does the flash also go into a manual mode and flash settings (output, zoom) need to be set manually? I know how to set the camera in manual mode for proper aperture, shutter and ISO to get a proper exposure, but I have not used the flash previously except in full auto mode and not sure what needs to be set manually.

[Lotto]

You can set to flash to manual mode if you want, but in most situation, leave it in ETTL mode will be fine, and make the adjustment for the flash exposure via FEC.

[Blue S2]

You might want to manually set flash in bounce mode or other times where you require a consistent output without change. In manual flash mode, all you do is adjust the power rating on the back of the flash.

[djrosen]

Thanks for the suggestions. I called Canon support and they also recommended leaving the flash in ETTL mode when the camera is in Manual mode. I have not got too far along the learning curve with the flash to know how much to adjust the power under different circumstances.

[Titus213]

Assuming the G10 is a full ETTL II body I would definitely leave the flash in ETTL mode. The 430EX and G10 should be able to figure out what needs to be done. Then adjust FEC to taste.

[Bob_A]

So, the G10 must be different than the G9 then. A major weakness with my G9 (IMO) is that if the camera is in Manual you have no choice but to have the flash being used in Manual. Doesn't matter how the flash is set, it's being fired in manual with the output set by the camera.

[Jim M]

So, the G10 must be different than the G9 then. A major weakness with my G9 (IMO) is that if the camera is in Manual you have no choice but to have the flash being used in Manual. Doesn't matter how the flash is set, it's being fired in manual with the output set by the camera.
Just curious. Could you explain this a little more? I don't know what you mean by the flash being fired in manual with the output set by the camera.

[PacAce]

So, the G10 must be different than the G9 then. A major weakness with my G9 (IMO) is that if the camera is in Manual you have no choice but to have the flash being used in Manual. Doesn't matter how the flash is set, it's being fired in manual with the output set by the camera.

I just checked the G10 manual and it is just like the G9 and all the other previous G-series models, i.e., with the camera in manual mode, the only mode available for the flash is manual also. So, no ETTL when using the camera in manual mode, period. This is pretty much true with the other Canon P&S cameras which have the full manual mode option.

[djrosen]

I connected the 430exII to the G10. When setting the mode dial on the camera to auto, P, Tv, or Av, the flash output setting for the external flash on the camera LCD reads Auto. If I set the camera to M mode, then the camera LCD display shows the actual flash output setting such as 1/1 and can me manually adjusted.

[PacAce]

I connected the 430exII to the G10. When setting the mode dial on the camera to auto, P, Tv, or Av, the flash output setting for the external flash on the camera LCD reads Auto. If I set the camera to M mode, then the camera LCD display shows the actual flash output setting such as 1/1 and can me manually adjusted.
If the flash head is pointed straight ahead (in its "normal" position), the flash should display its working distance on the LCD screen based on the aperture and ISO set on the camera. If you know how far you subject is (or can make a good guess at it), you can use the distance information to determine what output level you should set the flash to.

The flash will fire at full power if set to 1/1. It will fire at 1/2 power when set to 1/2 and 1/4 power at 1/4, etc. As you adjust the power level from 1/1 downward and keep an eye on the distance information, you'll be able to see that the distance decreases as you lower the power level. Lower the power level until the distance shown on the LCD matches or is close to what your flash-to-subject distance is.

If you play with the aperture and ISO setting, you'll see that that also affects the flash working distance. So, you can make a combination of flash and camera adjustments to get a working distance that'll be suitable for the distance your subject is from the flash.

It should be noted that the working distance displayed on the flash LCD screen only applies when the flash is pointed directly at the subject (straight ahead). If you want to use bounce flash, you'll lose two or more stops of light so you'll need to adjust the flash, aperture and/or the ISO accordingly.

BTW, when you put the flash head into one of the bounce positions, the distance info will not be displayed on the LCD screen.

[turbodude]

You can set to flash to manual mode if you want, but in most situation, leave it in ETTL mode will be fine, and make the adjustment for the flash exposure via FEC.


with G series powershots, ETTL does not work when the camera is in MANUAL Mode. It reverts the flash to Manual flash output, still can be controlled via the camera, but it in Manual flash output. Only design flaw i really see in the Gseries cams.

[PacAce]

with G series powershots, ETTL does not work when the camera is in MANUAL Mode. It reverts the flash to Manual flash output, still can be controlled via the camera, but it in Manual flash output. Only design flaw i really see in the Gseries cams.
I would venture to say that most of the people who have the G-series, or any of the other P&S cameras for that matter, would probably opt for one of the smaller EX flashes instead of the top-of-the-line EX flash to go with their camera. And, up until the time the 430EX came out, the other EX flashes were auto-only flashes. On the EOS cameras, there was no way to use these flashes in manual mode, then and now. However, with the G-series cameras, these flashes can be used in manual mode by setting the camera to manual mode. So, I would see this as an advantage rather than a disadvantage or a flaw.

The 430EX does give you manual capability so the "manual flash in manual mode" may not be as necessary as it was before it came out but the feature does still allow the 420EX, the 380EX and the lower EX model owners to shoot the flash in manual mode. I know I was glad to have this feature when I was shooting the G3 back when. :)

[Jim M]

Well, I've learned a bunch from this discussion. I doubt if I will ever own a G series camera, but you never know what the wifey will bring home.

[Bob_A]

Well, I've learned a bunch from this discussion. I doubt if I will ever own a G series camera, but you never know what the wifey will bring home.


Sorry I didn't get back to this post earlier Jim, but it looks like others have explained it very well.

When I bought my G9 I noted this (on this forum, several times) as one of the biggest weaknesses of the camera. To work around it I only shoot flash in Tv/auto flash mode which typically ends up with the camera shooting with a wide open aperture. Fortunately the lens is pretty sharp, even wide open, and there's so much depth of field anyway that it gives acceptable results.