Canon 40D popup flash Commander ?

elrafo · Apr 26, 2008

Hello!

My brother bought a 40D and seems like there are no options to use the Popup flash as commander for Wireless flash...
I think it is a bit strange for this kind of semi-pro camera, would you be able to give us some advice on this option ? does he have to buy a wireless trigger additional? what are the Canon flashs that can be used as slave with the camera?

thanks!

JIP · Apr 27, 2008

I thought Comandermode was a Nikon feature.

Mike_E · Apr 27, 2008

DOH, and he could have had a V8 too!

JerryPH · Apr 28, 2008

Commander mode is a Nikon terminology, let's not get stuck on them too much.

All the OP is looking for is if his 40D can have the built-in flash preset to a manual mode so that it can serve as the trigger for an off camera flash via optical trigger.

I don't know the answer, since I am one of those Nikon people... lol.

Did you check your camera manual and see if you can set your flash to manual or not?

JerryPH · Apr 28, 2008

Mike_E said:
DOH, and he could have had a V8 too!

I prefer 600HP twin-turbocharged V-6's that can do 35 MPG myself... lol

yeti · Apr 28, 2008

elrafo,

I have some bad news for you:

There is no such thing as commander mode built into a Canon camera. Not even the Canon 1Ds Mark III (an $8000 camera) have that! Someday maybe, but not today.

Unlike all the Nikons you have seen, with Canon the built-in flash cannot act as either master or slave for anything. It is just a flash, nothing else, and many (all?) high-end Canons don't even have one! Within the Canon system, the wireless flash is achieved either with an external on-camera flash capable of being a master (e.g. the 580EX) for ANOTHER off-camera flash capable of being a slave (e.g. the 480EX), or with a dedicated wireless transmitter, the ST-E2, which then drives an off-camera flash set as slave. These are the only Canon options, and needless to say, they all require you to buy something extra.

Apart from that you can just have a wireless trigger (no E-TTL) for an off-camera flash using gadgets like Pocket Wizards and such. There is tons out there, I will let you figure out the one that best suits you.

I hope this helps.

Big Mike · Apr 28, 2008

That's correct. Canon doens't have any 'built-in' master flash capabilities.

There are plenty of threads around here about 'off camera flash' and you should also check out http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/