Getting the 580 to Fire for Multiple Shots

I just acquired a 580 flash unit and I'd like to know the most effective way of getting the thing to fire for fast, multiple firing of my 30D. Do I set it on MULTI, set the firing frequency and number of flashes to '1' and set the flash output to 1/128? This seems to work, but is there a better or more effective way of doing this? Thanks for the input...

In order to get the Speedlite to recycle quickly you will need to be shooting with the subject very close to you with little or no flash bounce going on (to get the camera/flash to work with minimum energy discharged for each flash) and probably a better set of batteries than ordinary AA alkalines.

No flash unit is designed to keep up with burst mode of 5 fps or even 3 fps continuously. With short distances, big apertures and high ISO settings, the flash output will be low enough keep up with the burst mode of the 30D for a limited number of frames.

Thanks for the replies. However, as I said, I've been able to get it to 'work' using the settings I specified. Do those settings ( MULTI; firing frequency and number of flashes to '1'; flash output to 1/128 ) seem reasonable? Has anyone else been able to accomplish this using similar or other settings??

cyanaura wrote in post #2731698
Thanks for the replies. However, as I said, I've been able to get it to 'work' using the settings I specified. Do those settings ( MULTI; firing frequency and number of flashes to '1'; flash output to 1/128 ) seem reasonable? Has anyone else been able to accomplish this using similar or other settings??

Set the flash to manual mode and set the power output to a very low level like 1/64 or 1/128.

The multi flash mode is for when you want more than one flash in a single exposure.
Manual mode at low power as Leo suggested will work, but you'll need to figure out the right aperture/ISO combination for the distance you're shooting.

Curtis N wrote in post #2732339
The multi flash mode is for when you want more than one flash in a single exposure.
Manual mode at low power as Leo suggested will work, but you'll need to figure out the right aperture/ISO combination for the distance you're shooting.

What would be a good example of when you would want more than one flash for an exposure?

Coder33404 wrote in post #2732673
What would be a good example of when you would want more than one flash for an exposure?

That's how the "high speed sync" thing works.

Coder33404 wrote in post #2732673
What would be a good example of when you would want more than one flash for an exposure?

When you're bored and want to create a cool effect.

Multi Stroboscopic Flash can be used to capture multiple images of a moving subject in a single exposure. You set the firing frequency (number of flashes per second) and the total number of flashes, and dial in the correct shutter speed for that combination. This page from Canon's Flashwork illustrates the effect.

It's really a specialized feature with limited practical value.

High Speed Sync also works by firing many times at a very high frequency, though it's used with fast shutter speeds and is a completely different capability of the flash unit.

Be careful. You can get fast recycle and lots of pops by using a Jack Rabbit or Quantum battery. You can also toast your strobe quickly.

how about using the MULTI feature for when the background is far or dark? What kind of MULTI settings do you use in order to get the background to propperly expose without washing out the foreground?

When I had a 580ex, I shot sequences all the time with my 1d at 8 fps. I normally set the # of flashes to about 25 for 1/64th power and shot away.

Vermin87 wrote in post #2750690
how about using the MULTI feature for when the background is far or dark? What kind of MULTI settings do you use in order to get the background to propperly expose without washing out the foreground?

Unless you're somehow moving the flash unit behind the subject, using multiple bursts of flash won't solve that problem.

Thats because of the light fallout properties right?

Curtis N wrote in post #2751145
Unless you're somehow moving the flash unit behind the subject, using multiple bursts of flash won't solve that problem.

Vermin87 wrote in post #2753025
Thats because of the light fallout properties right?

Correct. If your subject is closer to the light than the background, the subject will be illuminated more brightly. It doesn't matter if it's flash or continuous light, and it doesn't matter if it's one big flash burst or a lot of little ones.