580ex buggy algorithm question

I have read elswhere that the first 580s had a bug in the interpretation of the crop factor adjustment below 24mm. See below (adjustment for 1.6 factor):

f correct buggy
---- ------- -----
15 24 35*
18 28 35*
24 35 35
28 35 35
35 50 50

* Indicates frame not fully illuminated

I was wondering if that problem was ever fixed of if eveyone just turns off the crop factor adjustment via custom function.

I don't think this was a bug in the algorithm; just how they decided to implement it. The flash is specifically speced out to automatically adjust the head zoom to cover 24mm to 105mm lenses with a full-frame camera. The 24mm is 35mm when taking the 1.6x crop factor of the 20D and that's the reason why it stops there even when using a wider focal length lens.

Leo,

When at 17/18mm on a 20D with 1.6 factor that is 28mm FOV which could be set on the flash but was not originally - was set at 35mm. The 430EX correctly sets the 17/18mm to 28mm zoom on the flash head.

It does? Hmmm, then maybe Canon did rethink their original "design" and concede to the complaints of their customers. If that's the case, then there might already be a "fix" for the 580EX as well. Do you have the latest firmware installed on your 20D?

Leo,
That is my question - is there a fix for the later production runs of the 580EX? The problem was resolved in the 430EX. I am asking because I am trying to decide between the 580 and the 430.

Sorry but I can't answer that question. I'm not aware of any changes made to the newer versions of the 580EX. Maybe someone who just got their new 580EX can answer that question for you.