[Loafer]

Ordered a 580ex II from Kerso on Sunday night.

Should be getting delivered in next couple of days.

Anyone else hate this side of ordering online.. THE WAITING!!!!

Suppose I could decide what i will do with the money saved!

Anyone got any links on the flash like tutorial or anything????

K

[Sonsey]

Just had one of these arrive on the doorstep myself (different seller though) and would also be interested in some tutorials so I can work out how to use the damn thing!

[silkstone]

What bits of it would you like to get to know better?

I have the (ancient!) 550EX, but it's mostly similar. And harmless.

[stepheno]

Flash manuals are useless, a foreign language, so I just started pushing a few buttons and bingo it works. 1/60 @ f4 on manual will get you going and make sure you are in ETTL.

[stevegreen]

I waited over two weeks for my 5D and am still waiting for the grip I ordered at the same time

Best to check his stock levels before ordering methinks!

[Sonsey]

Originally Posted by silkstone

What bits of it would you like to get to know better?

Erm all of it, I'm starting at the begining here in regards to using flash

Originally Posted by stepheno

Flash manuals are useless, a foreign language, so I just started pushing a few buttons and bingo it works. 1/60 @ f4 on manual will get you going and make sure you are in ETTL.

Cheers mate, I rarely shoot in full manual (prefer AV mode), add in that this is my first external flash and I think I'll need to find some complete beginner info on the subject.

[JMitchell]

The nice thing is - at least with the SB800, I'm sure it's similar - that when you adjust the aperture to something much smaller, or larger or w/e, if you're using i/eTTL then the flash will adjust itself, and rarely not have the power to light whatever DOF you want


[EDIT: was saying that in response to Sons saying about using Av / A mode, cos that's what I use too ]

[silkstone]

The thing about flash is that, even with the camera on Manual, the flash exposure is still automatic (unless you turn the flash itself to manual). The two exposure systems are independent.

So you can set the shutter speed to anything up to the X-sync speed (normally about 1/250) and then choose a suitable aperture and ISO. With the flash set to ETTL, exposure is set by a brief pre-flash (which you hardly see) and is automatic.

The shutter speed does not affect the flash exposure at all. The flash duration is extremely short. It does affect the amount of ambient light that contributes to the exposure.

The aperture affects both the flash and ambient light contributions. If the aperture is too small, the flash won't have enough power even if it (automatically) gives everything it has.

You can apply Flash Exposure Compensation (FEC) using the camera buttons or the controls on the flashgun itself. If you want to do everything manually, the flash can be set to various outputs from full down to 1/16th power.

There is also high speed sync flash (aka focal plane flash) which allows you to use shutter speeds faster than the standard X-sync, but flash output is reduced considerably. (The term 'high speed' is a bit misleading because it actually increases the flash duration by pulsing it, so the whole image gets exposed as the shutter curtains move across.)

There's also second curtain flash where the flash fires at the end of the exposure rather than at the beginning which is the default mode. That's useful if you want to photograph, say, a moving car so the light trails are behind the vehicle. The flash needs to fire at the end. If it fires at the beginning, the light trails are in front of the car!

Phew.... I've bored you enough for now.

[Loafer]

Originally Posted by silkstone

The thing about flash is that, even with the camera on Manual, the flash exposure is still automatic (unless you turn the flash itself to manual). The two exposure systems are independent.

So you can set the shutter speed to anything up to the X-sync speed (normally about 1/250) and then choose a suitable aperture and ISO. With the flash set to ETTL, exposure is set by a brief pre-flash (which you hardly see) and is automatic.

The shutter speed does not affect the flash exposure at all. The flash duration is extremely short. It does affect the amount of ambient light that contributes to the exposure.

The aperture affects both the flash and ambient light contributions. If the aperture is too small, the flash won't have enough power even if it (automatically) gives everything it has.

You can apply Flash Exposure Compensation (FEC) using the camera buttons or the controls on the flashgun itself. If you want to do everything manually, the flash can be set to various outputs from full down to 1/16th power.

There is also high speed sync flash (aka focal plane flash) which allows you to use shutter speeds faster than the standard X-sync, but flash output is reduced considerably. (The term 'high speed' is a bit misleading because it actually increases the flash duration by pulsing it, so the whole image gets exposed as the shutter curtains move across.)

There's also second curtain flash where the flash fires at the end of the exposure rather than at the beginning which is the default mode. That's useful if you want to photograph, say, a moving car so the light trails are behind the vehicle. The flash needs to fire at the end. If it fires at the beginning, the light trails are in front of the car!

Phew.... I've bored you enough for now.

Was that english?? Cos all your post made me understand is that I have SOOOOOO much to learn!!
Looks like alot of trial and error for me when it comes!
I still haven't mastered all the controls on my camera itself yet!!
Thank god for forums for information!!!! And if I still dont get it, I can sell my stuff here!!!

[silkstone]

If you take it one step at a time, it's English.

[Loafer]

Originally Posted by silkstone

If you take it one step at a time, it's English.

you are obviously over-estimating me!!!