Speeddlite 430EX, now what?

Question

I got a Speedlite 430EX that came with my Canon Rebel xti and I don't have a clue as to how to use the thing or why I should use it over the regular built in flash. I did read the manual but i don't know how to apply what it said to my camera. For example.. what is flash exposure lock? What is high speed sync good for? Why would i need a "trail" in Second Curtain Sync? I semi understand bounce flash althogh it doesn't ever seem to do what i think it will. Any tips with that? And why is there a zoom option on the flash? And what wide panel are they referring to? Any help would be godsend, thanks lol. Oh and what is a slave? And while i have a whole stream of questions, why even with the flash on in my house can i not get a even semi decent speed in AP mode. It won't even go over 1/50 ever. Usually it stays alot lower than that, sometimes in the 0'' range.

Answer 1

I also own an XTI and about a month later bought a book by J. Dennis Thomas "Canon Speedlite System Digital Field Guide". The book covers both the 480EX & 580EX, three parts and some 14 chapters and 215 pages of great detailed information that is easy for anyone to understand. I got my copy at Barns and Noble but, you could even get one at Borders if you prefur. A month later the book perchase I bought the NEW 580EX II but, not only do I always go back to review stuff in my XTi manual I do the same with my 580 manual but I always have my nose in that book.



Just keep on reading and do some trail n error. Best of luck fellow Canon owner.

Answer 2

The E-TTL (computer interface between your flash, camera, and lens) only works with the camera in full auto (green zone) and Program (P). You should see it work alot more in sync with your camera in this mode. You will want to set your flash to TTL, not M.



Flash exposure comensation will make the flash fire brighter or darker depending on if you go with a + or a -.



High speed sync will override your cameras maximum flash sync of 1/200th of a second. Your flash will fire faster than the shutter can operate in most cases. This is good for stopping VERY fast things. In fact I dont know why they even include it. The drawback is that it also decreases the amount of flash since it is so quick. (The last part I could be wrong on).



A trail in Second curtain sync is good for when you want to show movement. It will flash when you are done with a longer exposure (say 2 seconds or so). If you fired your flash at the beginning of that shot you would have a backwords light trail. Imagine a car streaking by at night and you took a shot (2 seconds because its dark). If you fired the flash at first curtain you would show a car (stopped because of the flash) and the tail lights would streak through the car unnaturally. Now if you had fired the flash second curtain you would record the tail lights streaking up to a moving car, but it would look like you had a car with tail lights streaking out from behind. Try it, the subject wouldnt even need to be moving that fast.



The zoom option is more for manual control of how far you are trying to send the light. Your flash can throw the light 100 feet.



The wide panel is located just above the flashes window (where the light comes out), it is tucked out of the way right now. Pull it out. Its hard to explain. Its just a difuser for the center of the shot so that the sides are just as exposed as the center. You would only need this with your kit lens when its zoomed furthest back (the 18-55 kit lens).



Your flash has the ability to be a slave to a 550ex or 580ex or a ST-E2. You dont have these, I presume, and they are kinda spendy in my opinion. Basically you could set your flash someplace and a master could fire it remotely (line of sight, its infrared).



To set a decent speed in Av mode, go into your custom functions (the fifth menu) and go to custom function number 3. Select option "1:1/200sec. (fixed)". This will automatically set the speed to 1/200th of a second when in Av mode. Depending on the amount of available light, the ISO, and the aperture you choose this may be over or under exposed.



Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Congratulations on your new flash- as you learn to use it, you will begin to realize how useful it is and how superior to the built-in flash. You are less likely to get red eye in flash photos with your new flash, especially if you bounce it off the wall or ceiling. I recently watched a pro shoot a wedding and reception and she never once took a direct flash photo- always bouncing it, usually straight up at the ceiling.

Your new flash has a higher guide number, meaning its effective reach is greater than the pop up flash.

In green mode the shutter speed is 60th of a second but can be set to 200th of a sec in manual mode, which can help stop action when using flash. Second curtain sync is way cool- you drag the shutter, meaning select a slower shutter speed with flash. You will get multiple images and it will look like the secondary exposures are trailing the image that was frozen with flash. You want your flash to cover the zoom area of your lens and it can do this automatically or you can set it to manual zoom. If you have more than one flash or an infrared transmitter on your Rebel (or the more sophisticated Pocket Wizards) , you can set the flash to fire off camera if it is set to slave, or if you have a multiple flash setup, one set on master and one one slave you can fire multiple strobes (flashes). Many pros hate direct flash and hold the flash up high at an angle to produce more dramatic lighting- experiment, it's how you learn and it costs next to nothing with digital images. High speed sync has two purposes- one to better freeze action, the other to allow fill flash when taking a portrait outside and a larger aperture is desired to blur the background. A slower shutter speed would let in too much light. I think the panel might be a diffuser that slides out from the top of the flash head- it softens the light. Keep in mind my experience is with a different flash model by Canon, but they have many similarities. Good luck and keep shooting.

Answer 4

First you have to decide what you want to DO with the flash, before you can figure out how to do it.



I think the most useful flash tool is a diffuser or bounce card. You can buy them or make one out of white cardboard and rubber band it on. Set the flash at a 45-60 degree bounce angle. Tape the card on top so that it reflects some of the light forward. This way, the flash illuminates the whole room, as well as the subject's face- giving broad, soft lighting for a nicer looking portrait.