Flash Exp Bracketing feature

I understand FEB works something like AEB but when does it become active in the Ext Flash menu?

I have a Speedlite 430 EX II. When it's attached and turned on FEB is still greyed out.

It's been a while since I looked at the specs on the 430ex but I do not think it supports FEB. I think only the 580 series has that.

dedsen wrote in post #12646086
It's been a while since I looked at the specs on the 430ex but I do not think it supports FEB. I think only the 580 series has that.

That's what I was afraid of

Thanks

I'm trying to imagine a truly practical use for flash exposure bracketing.

Shoot.
Wait for flash to recycle.
Shoot.
Wait for flash to recycle.
Shoot.

All that time and effort for one useable shot, plus time spent in post deciding which one to use. And let's not forget you'll need three times as many batteries.

Human subjects will get annoyed by that real quick. And two times out of three, the shot with the best expression won't be the right exposure.

Wildlife subjects won't be there for the second shot.

Inanimate subjects won't care, I guess. But if they could talk they would probably tell you to use manual flash, dial it in (with a flash meter, histogram check or whatever) and get on with it.

^^^ Agreed. I don't see any advantage to ever using flash exposure bracketing. Take an ETTL flash shot, look at the image and histogram, and set flash exposure compensation if necessary. I seldom have to adjust compensation to more than ±1Ev. After that, all your shots should be well exposed (unless you shoot so fast you don't wait for recycling). I've been using my 430EX wirelessly with my 60D since last October, and it works great.

HughR wrote in post #12650575
...
(unless you shoot so fast you don't wait for recycling).
...

I've (accidentally) gotten some interesting effects that way, when one of my flashes was able to keep up and the other wasn't, so I got only one flash.

Well I don't feel so bad now (-:

But I do bracket a lot and I do take a lot of shots and I do spend a lot of time sorting through images to find the best one.

I'm almost embarrassed to admit how many shots I took to get the one I attached here.

But it's a hobby! and I'm retired, and there are no deadlines.

In time I may get better and not need to take so many; maybe after my composition class at UCSD next month.

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Well I'll back off my previous statement a little.

When you're mixing ambient and flash, you don't always know the best combination until you can view the images on your monitor.

Without automatic FEB, hopefully you'll become proficient at adjusting your flash power between shots.

Curtis N wrote in post #12650029
I'm trying to imagine a truly practical use for flash exposure bracketing.

Shoot.
Wait for flash to recycle.
Shoot.
Wait for flash to recycle.
Shoot.

All that time and effort for one useable shot, plus time spent in post deciding which one to use. And let's not forget you'll need three times as many batteries.

Human subjects will get annoyed by that real quick. And two times out of three, the shot with the best expression won't be the right exposure.

Wildlife subjects won't be there for the second shot.

Inanimate subjects won't care, I guess. But if they could talk they would probably tell you to use manual flash, dial it in (with a flash meter, histogram check or whatever) and get on with it.

I'm glad someone I respect holds the same view that I do. I just never got the need for it.

I've never used it, and it probably doesn't make sense to use it with today's cameras. However, it might be useful if you decided to shoot with a 35mm film body and you didn't have a light meter.