Inconsistent High Speed Sync

Hello fellow Canon users. A moment of your time, please.

Here's my situation. Sometimes when I'm shooting quick editorial pieces, I'll pack up a 580ex-- along with a few Canon 430exIIs. Normally I use them in manual wireless, on a 5D MkII, and rarely need to exceed the max sync speed of 1/200th of a second. Today I was outside doing a portrait, and I wanted to shoot at f/2, for a nice creamy background. When I set the wireless system up in manual, my chimping yielded frames that were blased over exposed, with a a dark shutter curtain line along the bottom. Puzzled, I switched to ETTL-II, and the frames were properly exposed. Is Canon proprietary off camera wireless flash HSS limited to ETTL mode? I was sure you could set the flash power output manually.

Cheers!

My 7D, 580EX II(master) and 430EX II(slave) can shoot HSS in manual.

Are you using the Canon proprietary wireless system? (580EX to trigger the 430EX II's)

Did you press the 2 buttons to manually set the H mode?

How were you metering the HSS in manual. If you were using a handheld meter that reads the first flash you might get a false reading.

gonzogolf wrote in post #12206824
How were you metering the HSS in manual. If you were using a handheld meter that reads the first flash you might get a false reading.

I would not think that it is possible to use a handheld meter to measure the light from a Speedlite in HSS mode because the subject sees a whole string of pulses (which are additive to the exposure) while the meter will see one pulse and quit.

Except when the Speedlite is used in fully manual (and a conventional flash output but not HSS) mode, a handheld meter seems to me to be totally useless with Speedlites.

SkipD wrote in post #12207012
I would not think that it is possible to use a handheld meter to measure the light from a Speedlite in HSS mode because the subject sees a whole string of pulses (which are additive to the exposure) while the meter will see one pulse and quit.

Except when the Speedlite is used in fully manual (and a conventional flash output but not HSS) mode, a handheld meter seems to me to be totally useless with Speedlites.

This is what I was thinking.

I am using all Canon proprietary wireless flash.

Not sure what this talk of external metering has to do with sync.

I have only selected HSS within the 5DMkII while 580exII is coupled with it, and not pressed the flash function button twice on 480ex units. Do you have to manually configure each slave at its own controls or does the HSS option from within camera automatically make all slaves fire in HSS?

Also, is there a difference between 430ex and 430exII units with regards to wireless HSS functionality?

I think your problems might be in setting the 430EX II's to manual mode. I always leave my slaves in ETTL. They will automatically fire in manual mode if the master is in manual.

EDIT: Disregard, I tried to recreate the problem and found it is impossible to set the 430EX II to manual while in slave mode.

Sorry, I don't know what your problem could be.

The Speedlites were not properly set in manual mode and causing over exposure. The black area in the frame was because you had shutter over sync speed without having HSS activated.

It pays to practice with your equipment before getting on the job. The fact that all worked well in TTL strongly suggests what the NTSB calls "pilot error".

Does the problem happen every time you use wireless manual and HSS?

I don't think it should make any difference, but what do you have your Firing Group set to? Have you tried other settings?

1) A+B+C
2) A:B
3) A:B C

Are the batteries all fully charged?

@dmward: I had practiced with the gear, and was certain a HSS wireless environment could be achieved in manual mode by simply indicating to the master unit that I desired high speed and manual. As msowsun has indicated, you cannot change flash types on 430exII units when in slave mode.

So, can anyone say with certainty that HSS is not possible in manual mode? It makes no sense that you'd have to set each to manual at the unit, but not to HSS (or ETTL even, for that matter.). Someone test it out for me, lemme know what u get back.

I use Canon 580ex II HSS in manual mode during wildlife shotos, but the flash is attached to the camera. When it sees a SS higher than the max, it goes into HSS, but when it's lower than max, it may overexpose the image.

Yes, as i said earlier, you CAN do HSS in wireless manual. No need to touch anything on the 430EX II other than turn it on and set it to slave mode. You set everything on the 580EX II master, and the 430EX II just does what it is commanded.

msowsun wrote in post #12216647
Yes, as i said earlier, you CAN do HSS in wireless manual. No need to touch anything on the 430EX II other than turn it on and set it to slave mode. You set everything on the 580EX II master, and the 430EX II just does what it is commanded.

Why bother with all the arcane bits and bobs on the 580EXII? Just use the camera's External Flash Control menu - so clear, simple and quick.

CliveyBoy wrote in post #12216874
Why bother with all the arcane bits and bobs on the 580EXII? Just use the camera's External Flash Control menu - so clear, simple and quick.

Actually, I do set everything on the camera's External Flash Control menu. I guess I should have said "You set everything on the 580EX II master via the camera's External Flash Control menu , and the 430EX II just does what it is commanded".