Canon Flash users. HELP please.

[Don Hoey]

I would be greatful if you could help answer my question posed in post 3 of Brians 'Three Flashgun set up advice'

Thanks in advance

Don

[Don Hoey]

Looks like I have found the answer.

An extract from this link : In manual mode (M), Canon compacts such as the Powershot G5 switches off the pre-flash (and thereby E-TTL). This makes it feasible to use plain optical slaves, that otherwise are disturbed by the pre-flash. This has the unfortunate side effect that E-TTL can not be used to control the power of the flash in manual mode (see p. 101 in the Powershot G5 manual for details)

Link
http://dpanswers.com/canon_flash.html#nettl

Yeah ........ spent most of today on this one.

Don

[yelvertoft]

Don, I think the pre-flash is a common problem with most digital cameras and flash. I found that even if I switched to fully manual mode on the camera, the built in pop-up flash would still give a pre-flash, which, as you say, precludes the use of cheap optical peanut triggers on remte guns.

With my "Yellow plus Blue" shots, I found my synch lead wasn't long enough and had to use my Metz 58 on the hotshoe, set to fully manual mode (this turns off the pre-flash trigger), triggering a simple "peanut" on a very cheap/old flash in full power manual mode. Power output from the remote gun was fixed at full - the only setting available. Light output to the scene was varied by changing flash to subject distance.

Hope this helps someone.

[Don Hoey]

Duncan,

I have posted a new thread so it can be easily found for the future, on Wein optical slaves that will work with pre-flash.

Re your set up then I do similar when using slaves - camera on manual and flash on manual. Not a prob for me as I am ancient enough to automatically calculate manual power settings. Brought up in the world of flash before i-TTL, ETTL etc

Don