7D 550EX wireless

Used it for first time on a shoot. Could not get second flash to fire.Since I have PWs went with them rest of shoot. Is anybody using 7d

popup flash wireless on a regular basis? Any reports

Ink to image

<p>A photoshoot is not the best way to check this system. Try it at home where you can easily check all settings, have the manual at hand, etc. I don't but have this combo I think it should work.</p>

<p>I've heard quite a few people who use it on occasion. but nobody who relies on it professionally. Given the amount of ambient light in the image, I'm not surprised it failed to trigger the 550ex, given the much lower available power the 7D's popup has (vs. the 550 and 580 - since even they fail occasionally in such a situation to trigger slaves).</p>

<p>Disclaimer: I don't own and have not used a 550EX although I would expect it to behave similarly. I have "played" with the wireless flash features on the 7D a bit; mostly for situations where the flash (either 580EXII or 430EXII) was close to the 7D (less than 10 feet away). And these were all indoor shots, none outside. Under those conditions, I had no problem triggering either flash from the 7D's popup, even when the flash was slightly behind camera position. I suspect I was receiving some benefit from the triggering pulse bouncing off of walls/ceiling. I know some here have had good luck triggering flashes in bright outdoor conditions, I've just never tried it. I use the PW's for that.</p>

<p>I've used the 7D "wireless" with a 550EX. I don't do it on a regular basis, but it worked fine when I tried it. It's optical of course, not radio, so the slave has to physically see the optical control pulses from the 7D's popup flash. either directly or via a reflection.</p>

<p>I used the 550EX, 420EX and ST-E2 with my 7D and they worked great. I was shooting macro and small products both inside and outside and they never failed to trigger. I think the problems arise when people shoot in bright light near the extreme of the trigger range and/or don't have line-of-sight between trigger pulse and sensor. The near IR system would be my last choice for group shots but is ideal for macro.</p>

<p>I've triggered both a 420EX and a 580EX II (both individually and both together) from my 7D's pop-up flash and have not had problems. I've never used a 550EX but I don't recall having read any comments suggesting that it is harder to trigger wirelessly than either of the above.</p>

 

<p>As others have pointed out, the remote triggering in this case is done via light, so the slave has to be able to see the light from the master's flash signals well enough to distinguish them from ambient light. Lots of ambient light will reduce range and/or reliability (particularly if there's no direct line of sight from the master to the slave's sensor and you're relying on the signal bouncing off things). If feasible, use the slave's tilt/swivel feature so that its body faces the master.</p>

<p>I use a 550EX in wireless mode, whenever I use flash. Works flawlessly.<br>

Generally use it for macro work, with the flash mounted near the front of the lens. I use the Wimberley flash bracket to hold the flash.</p>

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