Does anybody else think that... (about the 580ex II)

it's annoying that the amount of power isn't displayed regardless of shooting mode? Flash Exposure Compensation DOESN'T hold if you review your image for more than a quick glance, which is basically pointless. I know you have the distance scale in ETTL, but getting that to match up with manual power sometimes takes a minute or so. I think it might be really convenient if you bounce flash or want to keep exposures. Why does the FEP button work like this anyways?

edit: Yes, I meant FEL. LOCK.

The idea of the auto flash is to change the flash output dynamically so we don't have to worry about metering for it. If you want complete control over the exposure, set the both the camera and flash to manual mode.

blinded wrote in post #5787777
it's annoying that the amount of power isn't displayed regardless of shooting mode?

Fire an ETTL shot and want to know what Canon just did? Yeah it is very disappointing that it does not do this.

blinded wrote in post #5787777
it's annoying that the amount of power isn't displayed regardless of shooting mode? Flash Exposure Compensation DOESN'T hold if you review your image for more than a quick glance, which is basically pointless. I know you have the distance scale in ETTL, but getting that to match up with manual power sometimes takes a minute or so. I think it might be really convenient if you bounce flash or want to keep exposures. Why does the FEP button work like this anyways?

I agree with Lotto. The point of shooting in Auto (ETTL) is to let the camera determines how much power it needs so you won't have to worry about it. Otherwise, you'd be shooting in manual mode and in that mode, you'll know exactly what the flash is putting out.

What you're complaining about is like complaining that your auto transmission car is not telling you what gear it's in at any given point in time.

blinded wrote in post #5787777
Flash Exposure Compensation DOESN'T hold if you review your image for more than a quick glance, which is basically pointless.

I don't understand the statement above. Also, I have never heard of an FEP button.

Curtis N wrote in post #5789213
I don't understand the statement above.

Neither do I.

Curtis N wrote in post #5789213
Also, I have never heard of an FEP button.

Probably a case of the "P" and "L" being close together on the keyboard

However, IMO there is a point to what the OP is saying.
I strugle with ETTL sometimes, and I for one would like an option like (IIRC) Quantum offers, where you can set a certain maximum output.
I mainly use ETTL for fill, and sometimes it decides to put out maximum power where about 1/4 is needed....

PacAce wrote in post #5789103
What you're complaining about is like complaining that your auto transmission car is not telling you what gear it's in at any given point in time.

Don't some vehicles do this?

pcunite wrote in post #5789362
Don't some vehicles do this?

None that I'm aware of but you could be right. But I'm sure your average Joe automatic transmission car does not do that.

René Damkot wrote in post #5789349
Neither do I.

Probably a case of the "P" and "L" being close together on the keyboard

However, IMO there is a point to what the OP is saying.
I strugle with ETTL sometimes, and I for one would like an option like (IIRC) Quantum offers, where you can set a certain maximum output.
I mainly use ETTL for fill, and sometimes it decides to put out maximum power where about 1/4 is needed....

Yes, I agree. Being able to set the max output (or rather, the max distance) would be a good feature.

Actually what I mean is lets say you take pictures in an environment where the meteting is tricked. If you took a test shot and ETTL it actually nailed it, you could really quickly get the same exposure if you saw how much power it used. It doesn't have to be anything advanced, just show 1/1, 1/2 etc somewheres in the screen. If you try to FEL button, it will only hold (without telling you how much too) if you don't review any images you take after using it. It also goes off if you decide to change any settings or even just not look in the viewfinder long enough.

blinded wrote in post #5790633
If you try to FEL button, it will only hold (without telling you how much too) if you don't review any images you take after using it. It also goes off if you decide to change any settings or even just not look in the viewfinder long enough.

What camera?

I have a 1D2, and there are a few things you should know / can serve as workaround:

Set the review to come up automatically after you've taken a shot. I have mine set to 2 seconds, and I can see whether or not flash exposure is about right or not. If it's about right (which I would suppose it to be when using FEL; I'm doing the thinking in that case), I can keep on shooting with the same FEL.

FEL values are stored for 16 seconds by default (At least in a 1D series).
I have my "16 sec timer" set to 30 sec. (And my "6 sec timer" (AEL, VF info on in other situations) to 2 sec.) This is PFn 23.

So an FEL is held for 30 sec. In which time I can adjust aperture and shutterspeed to whatever I might want. (VF info on flash level even gets update if I stop the aperture down too far for correct exposure with a full flash: It'll indicate underexposure, and the flash icon will blink.)

Obviously, I cannot change shooting mode or ISO, but I cannot think of a reason why I would do that *and* need to keep the FEL locked

What if you don't have a 1D series?
CFn4 cannot be used, except on a 10D (and 40D?). This is a drawback IMO.

But again: (AFAIK) FEL values will be stored for either 16 or 6 seconds (not sure), and at least as long as shutter button is half-pressed.

If you don't want, or for some reason cannot keep the shutter button half pressed (for instance because you are changing shutterspeed or aperture), simpley press the DoF preview button (be sure to set the flashes CFn so that the modelling flash doesn't fire then!)
For as long as you keep the DoF button pressed, all timers are locked.

Oh that's why. I only have an XTi, but even still. That's rediculous. Mine is only like 3 or 4 seconds. Why don't they just hold FEL for a custom amount of time? It could be like hold for 5-30 seconds, with an indefinite option, where you have to turn off the flash or change modes for it to come back. Or even more conveniently, you could just press and hold the FEL button to turn it off.