Manual mode using a Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2

Yesterday, I set up my ST-E2 on camera (EOS 40D) with my two 550EX flashes on stands. I wanted to shoot the flashes in manual mode at 1/32 - 1/16 power settings, but discovered that the flashes will only work in ETTL mode with my ST-E2.

I tried to set the flashes to manual mode but nothing happens - the mode won't change.

There must be some way to fire them manually with an ST-E2. Surely Canon, in their great wisdom, didn't set this up as an ETTL only system!?! Tell me it ain't so! Please!

Is there any way to overide this so that I can set my flashes in manual mode and have the ST-E2 trigger them?

I believe it's the same as my 580s - you have to hold down the mode button for a few seconds, then it will go into manual mode - the M will keep flashing, that is normal. With another press of the mode button you are in slave stroboscopic mode, and another push to go back to ttl.

Thanks Paul Bradley. I'm going to go downstairs right now and try that out. Be back in a flash!

BRAVO!!!

Absolutely just what the Doctor ordered. Works like a charm.

Again, many thanks to you, Paul.

Don't think I've ever had a question answered so quickly on any forum.

Thanks so much Paul (and Ian)... This has bugged me for ages, and I'm certain there is nothing in the user manual regarding this.

PaulBradley wrote in post #5860249
I believe it's the same as my 580s - you have to hold down the mode button for a few seconds, then it will go into manual mode - the M will keep flashing, that is normal. With another press of the mode button you are in slave stroboscopic mode, and another push to go back to ttl.

Paul - Have no idea how I'm thank full !
Bless ya
G.

Note that this isn't the normal remote flash manual mode - this is independent slave manual mode. In normal remote flash manual mode, you control the power setting from the camera. But that takes a remote controller capable of doing it, i.e. a camera like the 7D or a flash unit like the 600 EX-RT.
When you go into independent manual mode, your flash will still be a remote flash, that fires in sync with the E-TTl slaves, if any, but the setup (power setting) has to be done on the independent flash itself.

This is supported by several slave capable flashes, and allows for extending the different manual power levels used indefinitely, regardless of the controller, but you have to take a walkabout to your flashes to set them up.

To disappoint some, it's indeed described in the user's manual for the flash unit.

apersson850 wrote in post #16494760
Note that this isn't the normal remote flash manual mode - this is independent slave manual mode. In normal remote flash manual mode, you control the power setting from the camera. But that takes a remote controller capable of doing it, i.e. a camera like the 7D or a flash unit like the 600 EX-RT.
When you go into independent manual mode, your flash will still be a remote flash, that fires in sync with the E-TTl slaves, if any, but the setup (power setting) has to be done on the independent flash itself.

This is supported by several slave capable flashes, and allows for extending the different manual power levels used indefinitely, regardless of the controller, but you have to take a walkabout to your flashes to set them up.

To disappoint some, it's indeed described in the user's manual for the flash unit.

He clearly states he's using a 40D and two 550EXs with STE2.

I have 2 550ex's. When I use one on camera as the master to control the other as slave, I can set manual power setting by using the one on camera. It's not available in the body (5d mk II) menu.

I was going to buy the Yongnuo 622 radio slaves, but posts around the net with one from a Yongnuo rep said a 622 on camera as master cannot set manual power settings for the 550ex. Why can't it duplicate the same manual power setting function in the body of a 550ex?

Anyone has a clear answer on this?

If this were so and no firmware update to the 622 transceivers, then looks like the only hope for 550ex owners is to wait for the dedicated 622 transmitter only that is already late from the original release date announcement.

badphoto wrote in post #16498888
Why can't it duplicate the same manual power setting function in the body of a 550ex?

The older flashes, as slaves, can only receive instructions from the master through the optical sensor on the flash. The newer flashes can receive the same instructions through the hotfoot; that's why they will work with the 622s.

>> The older flashes, as slaves, can only receive instructions from the master through the optical sensor on the flash

If this were the case, then how could ETTL ratio settings from the Yongnuo 622 work at all with the 550ex? It is clearly instructions through the hot shoe to the slave 550ex, as various posts on the net confirmed that this worked.

The question, again, is if the 622 can sit on the camera hot shoe and "pretends" to be a master 550ex to control ETTL power ratios to the slaves, then why can't it do the complete job and "pretend" to be the whole 550ex with manual power settings capability?

The 550EX is not in slave mode when attached to a 622.

You care to explain more than a one liner?

So what mode is it in? Regular, not master or slave? So when attached to the 550ex, the Yongnuo 622 pretends to be the camera?

CAPhotog wrote in post #16497979
He clearly states he's using a 40D and two 550EXs with STE2.

Yes, and?

You already figured it out. Since the 622 doesn't use the normal master/slave protocol, but indeed pretend to be a camera, with a flash in standard E-TTL mode mounted, it can't switch the mode of the 550 EX, since the 550 EX doesn't support mode switching through the hot shoe. But it does support setting the flash power level in E-TTL mode. Thus you can implement ratios in E-TTL that way, if you want to.

That makes sense. Thanks.

So the ST-E2 is an overpriced half a** thing that should have included manual power settings because it uses the master/slave protocol.

And since, like you said, the 550ex cannot take manual power instructions from the hot shoe, then the coming Yongnuo stand alone transmitter won't help either.