420EX in full manual mode

How do I make my 420EX operate in totally manual mode, no auto setting, no E-TTL, in other words, flash output is constant no matter what camera settings are changed..

I set my 10D in full manual but noticed flash output adjusted as I adjusted exposure setting on the 10D..

thanks..

There is no way to use the 420EX on camera in Manual Mode. You can:
1. set up a wireless ETTL with a 420EX(slave) and a 550EX(master) and control the 420 Manually with the 550.
or
2.Buy a Canon Hot shoe to PC Cord adapter from www.paramountcords.com and attach the PC end to a digital slave(ignores the preflash) and slave the 420 to another flash. The 420 will fire at maximum each time.

Regards,
Scott

You know what I find interesting...
The G series cameras, like the G3, actually allow full manual operation of the 420EX. I wonder why that ability isn't on the DSLR's?

It's not really full manual operation. I believe it only fires at full strength like it does on my G2. You can't dial in 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, etc. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Scott

It's been a while since I sold my G3, but yes, you could program the flash output in 1/16 increments as far as I can remember.

To make your 420EX operate in manual mode cover the two left hot shoe contacts. To make your 420 operate in TTL mode cover the left rear contact.

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Thanks Wolf, but what will happen if you do this? Does the flash fire at full power all the time?

Yes, with the manual hack you will get full flash all the time. With the TTL you can use a slave flash without it prematurely firing.

The answer to your question is yes and no.

Yes if you put your Camera on manual mode the flash will operate but the flash will calculate the exposure time only. Thus if you select 1/250 sec at F 8 it will stay on longer to properly expose the picture

The 550 Ex and 420 EZ and the new 580 have manual adjustment like studio strobes so you can get different effects.

In program TV or AV mode the Camera almost always selects 1/60 of sec at F4 , so in manual you get more latittude and all you have to do is use exposure compensation and you have a simulation of a manual mode.

The no is that the flash can not be set manually.

No, atleast on the G3, you could set full manual power on camera for both the internal and external flash, in 1/16 increments as Jesper mentioned.
So, obviously this isn't included in the DSLR's so that you are forced to buy a more expensive flash to get that feature.

wolf wrote:
To make your 420EX operate in manual mode cover the two left hot shoe contacts. To make your 420 operate in TTL mode cover the left rear contact.

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You can make an insulator out of a piece of film negative to slip in between your flash and hot shoe to cover the appropriate contacts.

planning to grab a flash unit... the choice was between the 420ex and 580ex. factors that come to my mind is the price and using manual mode. since the 580ex can rock in manual mode, i like it for that; but kinda steering away from it b/c of the price. but the 420ex comes short in the manual department, but succeeds in the price range.

so, i was searching if there maybe a hack or something that can make the 420ex shoot in manual--and this is the thread i came upon. however, its a year old...so, can anyone tell me if the hack above still works? being used by people? side-effects?

TIA

A 550EX will save you about $90 over the 580EX.

granted... so, can anyone tell me if the hack above still works? being used by people? side-effects?

wolf wrote:
To make your 420EX operate in manual mode cover the two left hot shoe contacts. To make your 420 operate in TTL mode cover the left rear contact.

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You can make an insulator out of a piece of film negative to slip in between your flash and hot shoe to cover the appropriate contacts.

Does this really work ?