Canon Speedlites used as Modeling Lamp

So this is new to me... figured I'd share for my fellow speedlite shooters.

You can use a Speedlight as a modeling lamp simply by pressing the depth of veiw preview button on the body of your camera.

The speedlight will light up for about 1-2 seconds (kinda sounds like a bug zapper, lol). Its rather short, and the manual suggest not doing it more then 10 times in a row for heat protection... but I found it pretty interesting nonetheless.

1-2 seconds isn't all that much time to analyze your shot, but hey, at least its something...

Just figured I'd share. If you knew this already, kudos to you! I didn't, lol...

This comes up once in a while. But mostly people think their flash is freaking out when in reality they are just accidental pressing the DOF preview and the flash is doing what it is supposed to do.

Happened to me the other day. I was checking the DOF on a product shot and the flash sounded like a 4200rpm canon on the A-10 warthog. I looked up at it while still holding down the button in complete disbelief of what was going on. I knew it wasn't the flash that was malfunctioning, just another feature I wasn't aware of.

Since this happens with the dof button, does this occur with any other features?

zerovision wrote in post #12482189
Happened to me the other day. I was checking the DOF on a product shot and the flash sounded like a 4200rpm canon on the A-10 warthog. I looked up at it while still holding down the button in complete disbelief of what was going on. I knew it wasn't the flash that was malfunctioning, just another feature I wasn't aware of.

Since this happens with the dof button, does this occur with any other features?

No, i think just the DOF for the purpose of giving you a 'modeling lamp' - a 2 second one at least, lol...

Good technique to reducing red eye for your everyday amatuer. Possible deterrent for charging lions while on Safari.

zerovision wrote in post #12482684
Good technique to reducing red eye for your everyday amatuer. Possible deterrent for charging lions while on Safari.

You wanna test that theory (charging lions, not red eye) and get back to use on how effective that is?

If the jeep has a really thick, clean plexiglass window.

And you're on Safari in Cleveland.

Nice find! I can use it for AF in compete dark environment!