550EX manual setting - 420EX slave question

PacAce wrote:
Just tried the 550EX/420EX in manual setting and sure enough, the 420EX did not fire no matter how I putz around with the settings (RATIO, Power, etc.). Now we know for sure.

I should have added to my last post that I tried it and it didn't work. Sorry!
By the way, I got surprisingly few responses to my post at Robgalbraith.com about Cfn.17 and low light AF.
Regards,
Scott

If you ask me, I think after all the stink they made about it, they must be a little embarrassed to admit that CFn17 was the culprit after all, something that they could have figured out on their own if they had done some scientific and control testing. I mean, how much effort does it take for them to just come back and say yay or nay on whether CFn17 was the problem or not?

I was very greatful when you suggested it. Hey, who knew?
Regards,
Scott

OK.... I know what all the post and replies say about opitcal slave and the 420. Granted I am novice, but I just mounted my 420 with wein opitical slave to a light stand. Popped the built in flash on my 300D. Did 20 test shots. Out 20 shots the 420 fired flawlessly on 17 of them. The other 3 fired prematurely during the preflash. However, the flash didn't lock up. Its just recharged and was ready for the next shot. (note.. only on those 3 shots did my camera emit a pre flash. the other 17 it did not)

I can't even get my 420 or 550 to fit on a Wein Hot Shoe Slave. I've read that you need to modify the flash foot or slave to get it to fit. I just don't know! I'm going to send an e mail to Wein.
Scott

Scott,

FYI this is the slave that I am using http://www.penncamera.​com/store/item.asp?ITE​M_ID=1510 I guess I have baffled the photographic minds on this forum. Sorry. LOL

Stoneh,

I cannot answer the 550/420EX questions but as I have some portaflash units I can advise you that if you want to use the 550/420EX with the stobes then you will need to cover the optical slave sensor on the strobes otherwise they will fire on the pre-flash. You will then need to connect the stobes to your camera via the sync connection. This way they will all fire at the same time.

Apologies if I have just stated the obvious.

Mark.

Thanks for the reply

The idea i got is that most slave units are triggered by a flash. Will the 550EX fire as a slave if I use the studio strobes as the main flash (via sync lead?)

Apologies for sounding silly, I dont have a 550EX or a 420EX as yet - Just trying to see if its worthwhile investing in them. Looks like the 420 is not that useful for this type of use. I have a Studio flash unit and a 380EX at the moment

Thanks to all who replied.

I just got this reply from omegasatter.com, a supplier of Wein products:
"The hot shoe slave is a standard size. However, Canon flashes very in
size from very thin foot (the flash will actually wobbles in the shoe)
to very thick as you have experienced. If the slave is new, you may try
getting a replacement slave, but this will probably yield the same
result."

Regards,
Scott

Were the camera settings any different on those 3 shots than the other 17 when you didn't get a pre-flash? Or did you maybe need a pre-flash for focussing?

It's possible that the battery type makes a difference in slave performance. When I was first trying my 550EX and 420EX, the 420EX wouldn't fire as a slave (Canon wireless) unless I used alkaline batteries. Even freshly-charged NiMH cells wouldn't do it.

it seemed that the flash was needed for focusing.

Can that be disabled on the DR? I don't recall if it's a CF or regular menu item (but seem to recall it's a CF, so you'd need the hack).

Errr. . . .something sounds odd.

First, the 300D built in flash works with ETTL metering, and has no "manual" setting for the flash. Therefore, it will ALWAYS fire a preflash a small moment before the full flash.

You can seperate the preflash from the main flash a few seconds by using FEL.

You can tell this behaviour by watching the viewfinder as you hit the shutter. Do you see the flash in the viewfinder? no -> you don't, because the flash only fires when the shutter is open. What you see is the preflash. You won't notice the flash when you fire the shutter if you do FEL. . .because the FEL *is* the preflash and the camera won't fire a second preflash pulse when you click the shutte.

Stoneh,

The 550EX will fire as a slave if you can find a slave unit to drive it properly (see Scotts posts re Wein slave units). I may be wrong here but I assume that the 550EX would fire at full power if slaved like this (my 420EX does this as it does not have a exposure feedback sensor). I tend not to use the 420EX when using stobes as I really do not need it (plus I cannot control the power if it is off camera), the 420EX is used only on camera when out and about.

Mark

Spatch:

I have the Portaflash 336VM flash with the appropriate sync cable. These work fine, If I buy the 550EX will that work as a slave with my unit? You mentioned that you have some portaflash eqipment. Have you had a chance to test these, im really interested in the 550EX.

Thanks for the info friend.