Flash Help!

[Clawed]

Hello out there! This is my first post as a brand new member, so any help is going to be sincerely appreciated.

I have a Canon 40D & 450D and I just purchased an external flash (Speedlite 430EX). This is definitely going to sound foolish, but I have no idea how to use the flash, even after consulting the manual. Essentially, I do not even know how to make the flash fire. Part of me thinks there is a problem with the flash unit itself, but the rest of me knows its the users problem. If I turn on the unit, does it automatically fire with each shot until I turn it off? Or, do I need to physically hit a button in order to make it fire before each shot?

Anyway, please help me out! I am new to using an external flash since I try to always use a fast enough lens. THANK YOU in advance!
-Canaan

 

[Ptyler22]

Yes, it will fire for each shot, you don't need to do anything to make it fire besides turn it on. Did you put batteries in it?

 

[Overread]

the only times it won't fire are if you set the camera to no flash mode - or if the flash is recharging (tends to happen if your firing fullpower a lot or if the batteries are starting to drain) - then you can get it missfireing

 

[Clawed]

Yes, I do have batteries in it... yet, it seems to fire at very random intervals (maybe once in every dozen shots or so). I helped shoot a wedding last year and had a third party flash attached to my Canon 450D with full battery power (or so I thought) and had this issue. Then, just recently, I purchased the Speedlite and tested it with my 40D and had the same issue, so obviously, this is user error. It might be the batteries this time though, so I will give them a full charge and I will let you guys know.

This brings me to another question:

Can anyone give me some pointers when using the flash (any tips at all WILL help)? The tips can cover any range of topics, including tips to effictively use the external flash / how to operate this specific flash / when to use fill flash / other flash accessories... anything at all.

Thank you!

 

[Overread]

This website should help:
Strobist: Lighting 101

myself I use fill when I can as I need it - typically its when you have a bright background and a darker (shadowed possibly) subject - so you expose for the background areas and then use flash to give more light to the shadowed areas so that they don't come out too dark.

Also a point that I have noted with rechargables and flash - if the batteries are left to stand for more than a day they start to lose their charge quickly and if your using flash a lot they will die rapidly - there are newer batteries that retain their charge but I can't recally the make.

 

[tsaraleksi]

If you are shooting in a scene mode the camera will only fire the flash when it sees fit. How do you have the camera set (ie M, Av, or a "scene" mode)

 

[Samanax]

Yes, I do have batteries in it... yet, it seems to fire at very random intervals (maybe once in every dozen shots or so). I helped shoot a wedding last year and had a third party flash attached to my Canon 450D with full battery power (or so I thought) and had this issue. Then, just recently, I purchased the Speedlite and tested it with my 40D and had the same issue, so obviously, this is user error. It might be the batteries this time though, so I will give them a full charge and I will let you guys know.

Do you know what camera and flash setting you're using? What shooting mode are you using on the camera? And what flash settings are you using on the flash?

This brings me to another question:

Can anyone give me some pointers when using the flash (any tips at all WILL help)? The tips can cover any range of topics, including tips to effictively use the external flash / how to operate this specific flash / when to use fill flash / other flash accessories... anything at all.

Flash Photography Techniques

dg28.com - photographer education

Photoflex Lighting School

Lighting Essentials: For Photographers

 

[William Petruzzo]

If you are shooting in a scene mode the camera will only fire the flash when it sees fit. How do you have the camera set (ie M, Av, or a "scene" mode)

Without being able to look at the actual camera, I would bet this is probably you're issue here. Try setting the flash to Manual and the camera to Manual Mode. Theoretically, the flash should always fire under that setting. If it fires every time, then you know you've got setting issues somewhere. If it doesn't, there's a good chance there's something else wrong.

 

[linpelk]

Thanks Clawed for posting these questions. I JUST got a speedlite 580 EX two days ago and don't have the slightest idea how to use it. I've even read the manual..twice.. and I'm still confused. Hopefully some of the articles posted will help us!!

 

[Clawed]

Okay, I finally got my Speedlite to fire (although my old 3rd party flash is not firing properly still). It must have been the batteries as Overread pointed out. I was shooting in Av so I figured that was not it. Also, I made sure the camera settings were set properly to utilize that flash.

Well, now that it works I better learn how to use it.

 

[bdavis]

Heres a tip when using the flash: Aperture controls flash exposure, shutter speed controls ambient exposure.

When the flash fires, you can control its power by adjusting the aperture on your camera up and down or by dialing the settings on the flash itself.

The shutter will control the ambient light. For example, if you are taking photos of people and the background becomes dark, slow down the shutter speed to bring in more light. It wont mess with the exposure of your people, but will brighten up the background.

 

[Clawed]

When the flash fires, you can control its power by adjusting the aperture on your camera up and down or by dialing the settings on the flash itself.

Great tips, thank you!

However, can you expand upon what you said above about Aperture controlling flash exposure? I am assuming this means a larger aperture opening would allow more flash to reach the sensor? Also, with a flash unit is the flash output the only thing you can control? Or are there other manual controls worth using?

I think what I am having a hard time understanding is metering and then knowing how to adjust my settings (on the flash or camera) to achieve the results I am looking for.

 

[Montana]

I have the 40D and 400D and the 580 EX II. I 90% of the time use ETTL. Are you? THen I usually shoot, and then chimp (look at histogram/LCD view) and then dial in flash exposure compensation on the camera body.

A good place to start is in manual mode because if you are in aperture priority, and the camera meters a scene requiring a shutter of more then 1/250 of a second, then your flash won't sync. Shoot manual and start around 1/125 of a second. Use ISO 100-200 and set aperture aroun 5.6-8. These of course are just suggestive settings and a place to start from.

 

[Clawed]

Lol, at the risk of sounding like a complete noob... I have no idea what ETTL is
I have heard of TTL and know what it stands for, but thats about it.

However, I just started shooting in manual as I learn how to control exposure. Ahh, maybe you can help me with something. I was practicing shooting with the 430EX (with camera in manual) and I noticed that my cameras exposure compensation was moving by itself as I moved the camera (but mostly stuck at -2). What is that all about? In Av, I used to set that myself.

Thank you kindly for the tips thus far!

 

[Overread]

In the more auto modes the meter (the bar you are looking at) is the point which you want the settings to meet - so you set it to either standard or dail in exposure compensation to adjust it up or down and the camera selects the setting that it as (based on the other settings you set) to meet that exposure.
In manual mode you have all 3 settings (ISO aperture and shutter speed) under your direct control - thus the meter is no longer the exposure your trying to meet, but the exposure your going to get from the settings you have.

You can see this for yourself - pick an aperture and ISO (lets say f5.6 and ISO 200) and then set the shutter speed so that the meter shows overexposure and take the shot - the shot will be overexposed - do the same for underexposure and it will be under exposed - set the shutter speed so that the meter is in the middle and it should be correctly exposed.

Thus in manual mode you have to think about the settings and put them into a rough order of importance for the shot your taking - if shutter speed is key then adjust your ISO and aperture around that for example.

edit - ETTL is auto flash metering - the flash will auto meter the scene with a preflash (taken right before the shot but after you press the shutter) and then adjusts the power to meet a correct exposure based on the settings dialed into the camera.