Do you use alot of manual for flashes?

Hi guys,

I just got a 420ez flash and i found out that it only does manual with my 20D cause they dont speak the same ETTL language


My question is, do u guys use alot of manual flash? I am no advance photographer myself, but I get the feeling t hat from alot of people that tehy use manual flash more so then auto flash. I guess that may also be the case for certain types of photography.

Shooting a flash in manual is more than just setting the camera to Manual and shooting away. You have to control the output from the flash by using the appropriate aperture. And that is determined by the distance the subject is from the flash. So, unless the flash has a little distance/aperture guide table pasted on the back of it, you're going to be doing a lot of calculations (in your head) to determine the aperture you need everytime you shoot a subject. Or, you can print up a table ahead of time so you won't have to worry about the math when you are shooting.

Need a little more adventure? Try determining the aperture needed when you want to use the flash in bounce mode.

I use my flash in manual mode in a studio setting usually. How?.... trial and error. In any other instance, ETTL is my choice

An automatic flash that actually works is very useful since you have to do a minimum of adjustments to the flash and can spend more time thinking about the image. Manual is good from the perspective that the exposure can be controlled with a flashmeter (or the camera's histogram) to a very great degree. I use a flash meter and studio strobes when I'm doing on location portraiture since ever flash exposure is the same which results in identical exposures. Identical exposures mean that I don't have colour or density changes to tens of exposures that require shot by shot manipulation in Photoshop otherwise.

Having said all of that the E-TTL II of the 20D works 1000% better than the older E-TTL so I'd suggest that you get an EX flash (420/550/580) as soon as you can afford one. Why pass up one of your camera's best features? And of course you DO have an E-TTL II flash buiinto your camera already!

If you are going to be shooting from a fixed distance, Manual or Auto Thyristor(not on Canon Flashes) is fine and gives consistent results. For moving around and taking spontaneous pictures it can be a pain in the rear. I use mostly ETTL or ETTL II on the flash and Manual on the camera.In the studio with 2-5 monolights/strobes, Manual with a flash meter is the only way to go.
Scott

How come 420 won't work with 20D... u sure?

EZ series flashes are not ETTL compatible. Only the Canon EX series or aftermarket flashes designed to be ETTL/II compatible are.
Scott

AHh icic! Thanks for the informative and helpful responses.

As soon as i can sell the 420EZ, i think im gonna purchase 420EX. Or maybe i might go the Sigma 500 DG super route. DOes that suport E-TTL II?

Thanks in adanvce,
Henry

It will support ETTL and work with ETTLII but it may not have all the features of ETTLII like adjusting the WB and calculating the zoom to include the crop factor. You need a 580EX to get all the features of ETTLII.

Scott

Doh... I knew that