32. Trigger Options For A New Speedliter
By Syl Arena On January 12, 2015 · Leave a Comment
“OK, so I’m battling with flash … challenge accepted. My 2015 project is to make inroads towards understanding it! I just watched your YouTube lecture which really made a lot of things click with respect to balancing ambient light and the strobe … great video, thank you … I have a lot of experimentation ahead of me, I have a 1st gen Canon 7D and a 580EXII. I am about to buy 2 x Pocket Wizard IIIs and some diffusers (shoot through umbrella, maybe a softball of some sort) an umbrella stand, possibly a 2nd strobe of some sort). One thing I am keen to do now I have seen your video, is buy your speed light book … should I wait for the 2nd edition? It’s not clear what the additional material is … Does it just cover the new Canon 600 EX RT flash, (in which case the 1st edition is probably fine). OR should I wait till the April release of the new book? Any guidance on which book would be much appreciated.” Tim, UK
Since you are just starting out with flash, my first suggestion is to not buy the PocketWizards. They will be overkill for your current needs and, in some ways, make it harder for you to learn flash. Don’t get me wrong — PocketWizard is a great brand. But, you will not be able to access your camera’s External Speedlite Control menu (a feature unique to the Canon Speedlite system). For me, this is very important part of my workflow. I make all of the setting changes to my Speedlites (other than zoom) on the back of my camera. With a manual radio trigger, like the PocketWizard Plus IIIs, you have no access to the menu and you have to walk over to your Speedlite every time that you want to make a change.
My suggestion is to use the pop-up flash on your 7D as an optical transmitter and your 580EX II as an optical slave. This will give you a wide range of options and the ability to control the settings via your camera’s LCD.
As for which edition of the Speedliter’s Handbook to buy…consider buying a used copy of the 1st edition now and the new edition when it comes out. You will be able to learn a lot in the months to come from the first edition and then build on that experience with the new material in the second edition. Thanks for your question.
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31. Black Backgrounds In Flash Photos
By Syl Arena On December 31, 2014 · 3 Comments
“Why if I shoot with 600EX in E-TTL attached to my 5D Mark III, do I always have black backgrounds? I tried Aperture-Priority and Manual modes on my camera, changed ISO, but nothing helps. I’m shooting with evaluative mode and syncro 1/60″ to 1/200″.” Andrea, Italy
[This answer applies to all form of flash, not just the 600EX-RT.] In a flash photo, there are actually two exposures: the flash exposure and the ambient exposure. When the ambient light is low, your subject is lit by the flash exposure and your background is lit by the ambient exposure. If your subject is leaning against the background, then the flash will light both. If there is a separation between your subject and background, then you need to think about them separately.
Canon’s automatic flash mode, E-TTL, is programmed to change the role of the flash based on the amount of ambient light. When the ambient light is bright, the Speedlite’s role is that of fill flash–the ambient light illuminates the subject/background and the Speedlite fills the shadows on the subject. When the ambient light is dim, the Speedlite’s role changes so that it is the main light on the subject. In this case, when there is a separation between subject and background, the background is lit by ambient light only. This background light may or may not be captured — depending upon the shutter speed.
When you limit the shutter speed on your camera to a maximum of 1/60″ (seems like a good idea if you always handhold your camera), then the ambient exposure may be too short to record any significant details in a dark background.
One way to understand this is to set your camera to Av (Aperture-Priority) mode and keep your Speedlite turned off. Then see what shutter speed your camera wants to use. If it is significantly less than 1/60″, say 1/15″ or below, you should expect your background to be dark in your flash photos. To offset this, you can raise your ISO until the camera indicates that the shutter speed is 1/60″. In Av mode, you will have to keep an eye on the shutter speed.
I prefer Manual mode on my camera when shooting in low light. I use the aperture setting to control the depth of field, the shutter speed/ISO settings to control the background (ambient light) and the flash power to control the light on the subject.
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30. Firing Speedlites and Strobes Together: Optical Wireless Vs. Optical Slave Eye
By Syl Arena On December 30, 2014 · 2 Comments
“I have a Canon 7D, 430EX II, and an Impact strobe. I can fire either light using the built-in optical feature. When I try to fire the two lights together, the camera does not capture the flash. Both lights appear to fire. I also fire the 430EX II using an off-camera cord and the strobe will fire, again the flash is not being captured. I need help.” Dave, California
With the introduction of the radio-enabled 600EX-RT Speedlite, Canon distinguished this new system from the previous wireless system with the terms “radio wireless” and “optical wireless.” These are important concepts for Speedliters. All Canon Speedlites prior to the 600EX-RT that can work as a master or slave use the optical wireless system. The 600EX-RT can work in either radio or optical wireless (but not both at the same time).
When set to radio wireless, communications between the master and slave(s) in the 600EX-RT system are invisible. In optical wireless, the instructions are sent from the master to the slave as a code via a super-fast series of pulsed flashes. Then, at the final instant, the shutter opens and the Speedlite fires. This pre-flash code happens in both E-TTL and Manual mode.
Sometimes the term “optical wireless” is confused with “optical slave eye.” The latter is the sensor and circuity in some flashes and strobes that will fire the unit when it senses a bright burst of light coming from another flash.
Your Impact strobe has an optical slave eye. So, when you are using the 7D to control your 430EX II as an optical slave, the Impact strobe fires prematurely when it sees the pre-flash instructions from the master.
When you use the 430EX II on an extra-long E-TTL cord, be sure that you set the Speedlite to Manual mode rather than to E-TTL mode. E-TTL fires a pre-flash (different from the optical wireless pre-flash) so that the camera can measure the amount of light coming back from the subject and set the flash power accordingly. This E-TTL pre-flash will also trip the optical slave eye in your strobe prematurely. When you use your Speedlite in Manual mode, there is no pre-flash. When the Speedlite fires, the optical slave eye on the strobe will fire.
You could also use an inexpensive radio trigger system, like the Cactus V5 or Cactus V6. You will need one unit in your camera’s hotshoe as the transmitter and one unit for your Speedlite (connected by the hotshoe on the receiver) and one unit for your strobe (connected by the included cord).
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29. Mounting Speedlite In Apollo Orb Softbox
By Syl Arena On December 28, 2014 · Leave a Comment
“I was wondering how to fit a Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT to a Westcott 43″ Apollo Orb Speedlite Kit shoe mount. Would this be directly? Just read your “Lighting for Digital Photography” and learned a lot. Can’t wait for the updated Speedliter’s Handbook to come!” Christopher, Switzerland