580ex challenges

LarrySilva · 19th of April 2006 (Wed)

Im have the 580 ex with my 20d and for the life of me I cant get good exposures. I have it on ttl, manual etc... Ive tried everything and it just wont give me consistent exposure. PLEASE HELP!!!! What am I doing wrong.

jngo · 19th of April 2006 (Wed)

wow. that's a tuff question with numerous answers. it all depends on the situation. could you give some examples? pics, if you have them would be even better. i've had my 580 for about half a year now and still struggle with it at times. practice, practice and more practice.

dengli · 19th of April 2006 (Wed)

Keep a lookout for bright or reflective objects in the frame. They really throw off ETTL as exposure takes these into account.

chris clements · 19th of April 2006 (Wed)

Can't help unless you're more specific; post examples.
You've had the flash on various settings - but what about the camera?
You'll generally get better (and certainly more consistent) results with the camera on 'm' and just the flash on auto.

MDJAK · 19th of April 2006 (Wed)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris clements

Can't help unless you're more specific; post examples.
You've had the flash on various settings - but what about the camera?
You'll generally get better (and certainly more consistent) results with the camera on 'm' and just the flash on auto.

I don't disagree with that, but I have to wonder why. Why does the camera give better results on "m" when using the flash?

Curtis N · 19th of April 2006 (Wed)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDJAK

Why does the camera give better results on "m" when using the flash?

Because you can control the DOF with the aperture, and control the amount of ambient light with the shutter speed.

René Damkot · 19th of April 2006 (Wed)

You can do the same in Av with EC

Only difference is: In M the flash is considered main light IIRC, and NEVEC doesn't come in to play.

Curtis N · 19th of April 2006 (Wed)

Quote:

Originally Posted by René Damkot

You can do the same in Av with EC.

It would take a heluva lot of EC to get your shutter speed to 1/250 at f/11 indoors.

René Damkot · 19th of April 2006 (Wed)

Aahh, but you were talking about 'controlling the amount of ambient light', not totally ignoring it

togger · 20th of April 2006 (Thu)

I have tried my 580 EX both with a D20 and D30. I find ETTL unusable when the 580 is the main light source.

It apparently is a distance based fill in depending upon available light.

If it consistently underexposed it wouldn't be as bad, but it also varies with your ISO setting (which I guess is part of the available light calculation)

Canon try and explain their logic at:

http://photoworkshop.com/canon/

Worse of all if you set your flash to Manual and turn the dial past the green rectangle it sets the flash to ETTL automatically and doesn't put if back again when you return to your original setting.

togger · 20th of April 2006 (Thu)

To use Manual flash press the button in the middle of the dial on the flashgun and adjust the power using the dial. Or adjust the aperture on the camera.

Best to have the camera set to manual as well, but don't go over the sync speed.

19th of April 2006 (Wed)	#1
LarrySilva Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 30	580ex challenges Im have the 580 ex with my 20d and for the life of me I cant get good exposures. I have it on ttl, manual etc... Ive tried everything and it just wont give me consistent exposure. PLEASE HELP!!!! What am I doing wrong.

19th of April 2006 (Wed)	#2
jngo Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Golden State Posts: 526	Re: 580ex challenges wow. that's a tuff question with numerous answers. it all depends on the situation. could you give some examples? pics, if you have them would be even better. i've had my 580 for about half a year now and still struggle with it at times. practice, practice and more practice.

19th of April 2006 (Wed)	#3
dengli Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Middlesbrough Posts: 263	Re: 580ex challenges Keep a lookout for bright or reflective objects in the frame. They really throw off ETTL as exposure takes these into account. __________________ Dave 1DMkIII, some lenses, grey hair and a beard

19th of April 2006 (Wed)	#4
chris clements Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: this scepter'd isle (bottom right corner) Posts: 1,644	Re: 580ex challenges Can't help unless you're more specific; post examples. You've had the flash on various settings - but what about the camera? You'll generally get better (and certainly more consistent) results with the camera on 'm' and just the flash on auto.

19th of April 2006 (Wed)	#7
René Damkot Moderator Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: enschede, netherlands Posts: 39,393 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: 580ex challenges You can do the same in Av with EC Only difference is: In M the flash is considered main light IIRC, and NEVEC doesn't come in to play.

19th of April 2006 (Wed)	#9
René Damkot Moderator Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: enschede, netherlands Posts: 39,393 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: 580ex challenges Aahh, but you were talking about 'controlling the amount of ambient light', not totally ignoring it

20th of April 2006 (Thu)	#10
togger Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 39	Re: 580ex challenges I have tried my 580 EX both with a D20 and D30. I find ETTL unusable when the 580 is the main light source. It apparently is a distance based fill in depending upon available light. If it consistently underexposed it wouldn't be as bad, but it also varies with your ISO setting (which I guess is part of the available light calculation) Canon try and explain their logic at: http://photoworkshop.com/canon/ Worse of all if you set your flash to Manual and turn the dial past the green rectangle it sets the flash to ETTL automatically and doesn't put if back again when you return to your original setting. __________________ 5D & Grip, 30D; 24-105L, 50 F1.4, 10-22, 17-85, 28-135, 580EX. Bowens Monolites. Film Junk; Pentax 67; 45, 105, 165. Canon 300, A1 & Lenses

20th of April 2006 (Thu)	#11
togger Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 39	Re: 580ex challenges To use Manual flash press the button in the middle of the dial on the flashgun and adjust the power using the dial. Or adjust the aperture on the camera. Best to have the camera set to manual as well, but don't go over the sync speed. __________________ 5D & Grip, 30D; 24-105L, 50 F1.4, 10-22, 17-85, 28-135, 580EX. Bowens Monolites. Film Junk; Pentax 67; 45, 105, 165. Canon 300, A1 & Lenses

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