Canon Extenal Flash

[nuxnewbie]

if i am not wrong, there is no way to disable the flash from firing esp when the AF assist comes on. the beam comes on automatically during low light condition unless disabled beforehand. the flash will trigger by itself. of cos u can choose to lower the power and bounce it elsewhere but then u gonna capture darkness. :bsmilie:

the st-e2 will be more useful if u only want the af assist.

You can disable the external flash via the camera's custom functions. AF assist is retained on the external flash.

Can't help you with whether to get a 430EX or 580EX, but if you're getting more than one flash then not advisable to get the 430EX as one of your choices.

Your off-camera (slave) flash should preferably be of the same power (or more powerful) than your on-camera (master) flash.

 

[GavinTing]

Maybe its me but i keep getting the feeling that with the red beam my camera can determine the focus much better compare to without.

Yar.. Called the Infra red assistance or something liddat.

 

[flipfreak]

You can disable the external flash via the camera's custom functions. AF assist is retained on the external flash.

Can't help you with whether to get a 430EX or 580EX, but if you're getting more than one flash then not advisable to get the 430EX as one of your choices.

Your off-camera (slave) flash should preferably be of the same power (or more powerful) than your on-camera (master) flash.

oic. i couldn't find the function to switch it off. can tell me how to do it? thanks!

 

[blurry80]

oic. i couldn't find the function to switch it off. can tell me how to do it? thanks!

its in one of the custom function. you can choose do not fire flash

 

[flipfreak]

its in one of the custom function. you can choose do not fire flash

i can't locate the c.fn that disables the flash from firing. which feature is it? thanks!

580 online manual

 

[nuxnewbie]

i can't locate the c.fn that disables the flash from firing. which feature is it? thanks!

580 online manual

The custom function to disable the flash from firing is in the camera, not the flash. Nonetheless, a quick glance at the 40D manual doesn't seem to indicate a custom function that can disable the flash. On the 30D it's C.Fn-7.

Disable the flash from firing via your camera, point the lens at some low contrast object (say a featureless wall) and take a shot. The AF assist on the external flash should kick in (unless it has been disabled via the flash's custom function).

By the way, the red light emitting from the AF assist is not infra-red. No humans, to-date, can see infra-red. It's just simply red light.

 

[flipfreak]

ahhh ... that clears it up. i thought there was a function to disable it from the flash. i know abt disabling from camera. thanks anyway!

 

[kurtlim]

Can 30D control 380EX from the body itself?

according to Image Resource review on 40D, it can control 380EX.

 

[calebk]

Can 30D control 380EX from the body itself?

nope.

in the 40D, 1D/1Ds MkIII (not sure abt the other 1D/1Ds series), they have a new menu selection called "flash control" which can control the built-in flash and a compatible ext hot-shoe flash attached to it.

Actually, yes. I'd suggest you check up on it before jumping the gun. The 30D also has a C.Fn. called "Flash firing".

It is C.Fn. 07, and you can change it to "1 - Does not fire". This means you'll have AF assist from your Speedlite, but it won't fire. Tried and tested. I've done this with the 430EX and 580EX (mk I).