Why is the 550EX doing this with the Canon 10D?

[timothy_pastore]

If I put the flash on manual mode so I can set the distance away the

subject is, but want the camera to be in aperture priority - it locks

the shutter speed at 1/200th of a second. I did this same procedure

with film cameras and the 540ex. AND i borrowed a 550ex once and did

the same thing, but the one I bought must have some sort of function

set that I'm not aware of. How do I change this so it will make the

exposure that is correct in aperture priority, and let me shoot as

much manual controlled flash in that I want?

 

Thanks

[Greg M]

Check your custom functions. One of them locks the shutter setting at 1/200 sec. The other allows for the correct shutter speed for the aperture set. You've obviosly somehow set that custom function for 1/200 sec.

[steve_rutledge]

Just to add to what Greg said, its a custom function on the CAMERA, not the flash.

 

-Steve R

[h.l.]

The 1/200s is probably the flash sync speed of the camera. The camera won't like you setting the shutter speed faster than that in normal flash mode. If you switch the flash to High Speed Sync, you can use the faster shutter speed. You'll loose a lot of power above the flash sync speed though.

[beauh44]

Hi Timothy, I believe that's CF 14 - auto reduction of fill flash. Once you turn that off, it'll select different shutter speeds while in Av mode. I'd remember it though; it seems to make the 550ex behave a little better than it sometimes can. Good luck!

[jamiew]

Timothy.

 

It is not CF14. CF14 controls if you want the camera to control fill flash or if you want to do it yourself. That is nolt useful with the flash set to manual mode. What you are looking for is to have the camera set shutter speed for ambiant light, and not fixed at 200. This is controled with CF2. Set it to auto and you have sometimes called slow sync.

[beauh44]

<I>It is not CF14. CF14 controls if you want the camera to control fill flash or if you want to do it yourself. <snip> This is controled with CF2. Set it to auto and you have sometimes called slow sync.</i><BR><BR> Sorry Jamie, On my 10D, CF2 controls whether I can take a picture without a compact flash card in the camera. I suspect that Timothy's 10D is the same.<BR><BR>As I said before CF14 is indeed what you want if you're stuck with a shutter speed of 1/200th of a second. See: http://www.cps.canon-europe.com/articles/products/eos10D/settings.jsp and scroll about half way down for an explanation of all of the 10D's custom functions.

[beauh44]

D'oh! We're both wrong! Try CF3 "Flash Sync Speed in Av Mode" - Page 146 in the 10D manual. That ought to take care of it. My apologies.

[timothy_pastore]

Hey Guys, thanks for all the replies. I"m glad it's not as no brainer as I expected it to be. I"m not sure I understand the purpose of that particular custom function, but you guys gave me a good starting point. I'll dig around in the CF's till I figure it out.

 

Thanks

 

Tim

[jamiew]

Funny. I was looking at CF3 on my camera and I described CF2 but I wrote CF2.

 

Timothy. I am not sure what you mean by you are not sure what that function does, so here is a summary. CF3 has two options. Fixing the shutter at max sync speed, or setting the shutter speed based on aperature and light levels (in other words your shutter speed will be the same wheater or not you are using a flash).

[jamiew]

man I can;t type.... I meant to say I described CF3 haha

[matthew_la_rochelle1]

Tim,

 

To clarify a bit on what Jamie posted, locking shutter speed at maximum sync

prevents the EOS flash programming from selecting a slow shutter speed in

very low light conditions. The camera does this in the hopes of balancing

foreground/subject and background exposure, but it can result in ghosting or

blurry images. With this CF (it's number varies by model) enabled, the camera

properly exposes AND freezes your subject, and pretty much ignores

everything else.

 

Hope that helps,

Matthew