580 EX II question

I have a 5d mk II and a 580 ex II and wondered if possible what settings I have to turn my camera and flash to to fire all the time regardless of available light. ?

I don't understand what you mean by this... If it's on the hot shoe it should fire regaurdless, the only thing would be battery recycle times and dealing with shutter sync speeds, If sync speed is the issue you can try HSS.

Also contact issues as well with the pins from the flash unit.

can you explain more of what issue you are having.


HSS as per the manual:

Pg 17

With high-speed sync (FP flash), the flash can synchronize with all
shutter speeds. This is convenient when you want to use aperture
priority for fill-flash portraits.
0.5 0.7 1 1.5 2 3 4 6 9 13 18 m
ETT E!I Zoom SOmm Select <~>.
~ Press the < ~H/~ > button so that
<~> is displayed.
~ In the viewfinder, check that the < ~H >
icon is displayed.

Troubleshooting via manual pg 50:
The Speedlite does not fire.
• The batteries are installed in the wrong orientation.
~ Install the batteries in the correct orientation. (p.8)
• The Speedlite's internal batteries are exhausted.
~ If the flash recycling time takes 30 sec. or longer, replace the
batteries. (p.8)
~. Install the Speedlite's internal batteries even when you use an
external power source. (p.8)
• The Speedlite is not attached securely to the camera.
• ' Attach the Speedlite's mounting foot securely to the camera. (p.9)
• The electrical contacts of the Speedlite and camera are dirty.
... Clean the contacts. (p.9)

Here's my example. Last night I was photographing a tractor at dusk. I was shooting in manual mode and flash was on ettl. The flash would fire approximately every 3rd shot. There was ample time for the flash to recharge. It was attached to my camera. I've seen flash used in complete sunlight and if my flash wasn't firing at dusk, there would be no way it would fire in the daytime. When my flash would fire, I'd try the shot again and it wouldn't. I don't know why it would fire then not.

It should fire every single time in M mode with the flash turned on and set to ETTL. The only things that may prevent it from firing would be if hasn't had time to recycle (and if the batteries are low, it may take quite a while to recycle between shots), if the connection between the camera and flash is bad or if the flash/camera is malfunctioning.

mike3767 wrote in post #14178937
There was ample time for the flash to recharge.

"Ample time"? Are you sure? Was the pilot light red before you fired again? If not - batteries. Or, overheating cutout. The Speedlite may well have worked in daylight, as fill light, but not be powered up enough to handle dusk lighting demands.