Just got a 430ex, newbie questions inside!

Thanks for looking. After about a year of shooting, I picked up a 430ex. After reading the manual, and the stickeies on here, as well as viewing a DVD about flashes (understanding the 430/580ex) I have some quick quesitons.

-Will ETTL mode take care of most of my needs (fill flash mostly) or should I learn manual mode (*gulp*)?

- I noticed I get different results of the same scene when I use FEL, and not use FEL. Should I always use FEL to get more accurate results? This seems especially true when I angle/bounce the flash off of something else, or use a diffuser.

-Is there such thing as a wireless off-shoe cord mechanism for the 430ex?

-Is there a way to use the flash multiple times in sucsession quickly so I don't have to let it recharge? I want to take some water drop pictures with the flash, but it will only go off once before it has to recharge

- Is there a way to use the 430ex as a strobe, or do I need something else entirely for it?

That is all I have for now. There is so much more to flash photography, it is overwhelming! The more I know, the more I don't know. Thanks for your help.

Coppatop85 wrote in post #5908462
Thanks for looking. After about a year of shooting, I picked up a 430ex. After reading the manual, and the stickeies on here, as well as viewing a DVD about flashes (understanding the 430/580ex) I have some quick quesitons.

-Will ETTL mode take care of most of my needs (fill flash mostly) or should I learn manual mode (*gulp*)?

Unless you know the effect you want, stick with ETTL it's pretty automatic. If you need a specific timing or power than you can go manual.

Coppatop85 wrote in post #5908462
- I noticed I get different results of the same scene when I use FEL, and not use FEL. Should I always use FEL to get more accurate results? This seems especially true when I angle/bounce the flash off of something else, or use a diffuser.

Flash exposure lock is very limited with ETTL II metering so depends on your setup and what you want. If you're using the flash as fill light or using it as your main light, will require different setups.

Coppatop85 wrote in post #5908462
-Is there such thing as a wireless off-shoe cord mechanism for the 430ex?

Yes, its call a 580EX. Although I'm sure someone makes a OEM master. In most cases, you use the 580 as the master remote and set off your 480.

Coppatop85 wrote in post #5908462
-Is there a way to use the flash multiple times in sucsession quickly so I don't have to let it recharge? I want to take some water drop pictures with the flash, but it will only go off once before it has to recharge.

I don't believe so. The only way possible would be to have a external power source rather than the batteries.

Coppatop85 wrote in post #5908462
- Is there a way to use the 430ex as a strobe, or do I need something else entirely for it?

Are you looking for a bigger bang? If so look at AlienBee strobes.

Coppatop85 wrote in post #5908462
Thanks for looking. After about a year of shooting, I picked up a 430ex. After reading the manual, and the stickeies on here, as well as viewing a DVD about flashes (understanding the 430/580ex) I have some quick quesitons.

-Will ETTL mode take care of most of my needs (fill flash mostly) or should I learn manual mode (*gulp*)?

I'd say about 90% to 99% of your day-to-day flash photography can be done exclusively in ETTL mode so you probably could get away with not knowing how to work the flash in manual mode. But it never hurts to know about something even if you don't think you'll ever use it since you never know when that knowledge just might come in handy.

Coppatop85 wrote in post #5908462
- I noticed I get different results of the same scene when I use FEL, and not use FEL. Should I always use FEL to get more accurate results? This seems especially true when I angle/bounce the flash off of something else, or use a diffuser.

FEL is like spot metering for the flash. As long as the area within the circle on the viewfinder is neutral or close to neutral in tone, you're flash exposure will be more accurate. But it may not be practical to use FEL all the time.

Coppatop85 wrote in post #5908462
-Is there such thing as a wireless off-shoe cord mechanism for the 430ex?

Sort of. It's called the Canon ST-E2.

Coppatop85 wrote in post #5908462
-Is there a way to use the flash multiple times in sucsession quickly so I don't have to let it recharge? I want to take some water drop pictures with the flash, but it will only go off once before it has to recharge

This is where knowing how to use the flash in manual mode comes in really handy. If you set the flash, in manual mode, to a fraction of the full power output, you'll be able to fire the flash multiple times in rapid succession.

You could do the same thing with the flash in ETTL mode, too, if the flash does not fire at more than 1/4 power but it's harder to control the flash output when it's in ETTL mode.

Coppatop85 wrote in post #5908462
- Is there a way to use the 430ex as a strobe, or do I need something else entirely for it?

That is all I have for now. There is so much more to flash photography, it is overwhelming! The more I know, the more I don't know. Thanks for your help.

Yes. You'll need a hotshot adapter so that you can connect the 430EX to either a sync cable or an RF or IR remote trigger.

PacAce wrote in post #5908626
Sort of. It's called the Canon ST-E2.

so is that just a wireless shoe cord type thing? Does it work with the 430ex?

Coppatop85 wrote in post #5909454
so is that just a wireless shoe cord type thing? Does it work with the 430ex?

It's actually an IR transmitter that can control Canon EX flashes, including the 430EX, which have been set to slave mode. The transmitter sits on top of the camera in the hotshoe and sends out ETTL wireless commands to the off-camera slaves.

http://www.usa.canon.c​om …tegoryid=141&mo​delid=8304

the strobist thing.... isn't that using your flash as a strobe?

if you are using manual you can use any of the wireless triggers from pocket wizzards down to ebay v2s triggers (dont think they support the ETTL


IF you use the IR trigger from canon how does it know where the flash is? does it give a preflash for metering?

crazyseany wrote in post #5909765
the strobist thing.... isn't that using your flash as a strobe?

if you are using manual you can use any of the wireless triggers from pocket wizzards down to ebay v2s triggers (dont think they support the ETTL


IF you use the IR trigger from canon how does it know where the flash is? does it give a preflash for metering?

Yes, it does if the master is set to ETTL mode.

sorry to jump on the bandwagon on this...but apart from a 250$+ ST-E2 and also cheap eBay flash triggers, what is considered a GOOD generic flash trigger? I've got a 430EX and I would like to do some outdoor portraits...I just need a change in flash angles so i'm in the market for a good transmitter.

keegsmeister wrote in post #5921854
sorry to jump on the bandwagon on this...but apart from a 250$+ ST-E2 and also cheap eBay flash triggers, what is considered a GOOD generic flash trigger? I've got a 430EX and I would like to do some outdoor portraits...I just need a change in flash angles so i'm in the market for a good transmitter.

If you eliminate the eBay stuff, that pretty much eliminates the generic stuff, I think. Other remotes that come to mind are the Elinchrom SkyPorts and the Pocket Wizard Plus II units but they're far from being generic, though.

hmm alot (of the cheap ebay triggers) i've read on this forum seem to have a problem with firing (either misfiring or rapid fires) when attached to the 430EX? true or hoax?

Coppatop85 wrote in post #5908462
-Is there a way to use the flash multiple times in sucsession quickly so I don't have to let it recharge? I want to take some water drop pictures with the flash, but it will only go off once before it has to recharge

What you want is Stroboscopic flash. The 550EX, 580EX and 580EXII will all do strob flash. Not sure the 430EX will. I don't own one, but the manual mentions stroboscopic flash, but it doesn't say how to get it into that mode.

dbdors wrote in post #5922066
What you want is Stroboscopic flash. The 550EX, 580EX and 580EXII will all do strob flash. Not sure the 430EX will. I don't own one, but the manual mentions stroboscopic flash, but it doesn't say how to get it into that mode.

I had a 430EX for about a week before I returned it, went through the manual and I, too, remember seeing something about stroboscopic flash. I'm pretty sure if it mentions it, the 430EX should be able to do that. The only doubt I would have on that is if the manual specifically says the 430EX is not capable.

PS - I didn't get rid of the 430EX because of anything wrong with the flash, I wish I kept it... but I got it for an event that I ended up not going to. With that, I ordered a Vegabond II for my strobe kit