Flash for EOS 1N?

[jennea]

I am beginning my professional photography career (I was an

assistant/second shooter for 1.5 years) and am in need of help

choosing a flash (as an assistant I primarily shot with a light meter

and ambient light). I currently have an EOS 1N and shoot

photojournalistic-style wedding/other photography. Here's what I need

to know: 1) What flash would work best with my equipment and for my

purposes? and, 2) Can you give me any books and/or websites to help

me learn the technical aspects to flash photography? I'd appreciate

any help you can provide me and if you think of any other knowledge

that I might benefit from please feel free to mentor me. Thanks in

advance!

[mike_hodson]

The Canon 580ex or the 550ex would be the best choices.

 

Here is a site with a great article about Canon EOS flash photography.

 

http://photonotes.org/

[PuppyDigs]

Some places still have the 540EZ, the matching flash for the 1N. It usually goes for much

cheaper than the 550EX but with most of the same features and power (you can't use E-

TTL so that's a moot point).

[steve_dunn2]

<p>One thing to keep in mind, if you do go for the 540EZ (which was, at one time, the top of the line flash and definitely a professional unit), is that if/when you move up from a 1N, you may have to upgrade to a different flash as well.</p>

 

<p>The 540EZ supports TTL and A-TTL but not E-TTL. The 1N supports TTL and A-TTL but not E-TTL, so it's a good match. Most people figure that A-TTL isn't much use, but it's there if you want it, and you also get TTL metering.</p>

 

<p>Most of the more recent film bodies (including the 3 and the 1V) support TTL, A-TTL, and E-TTL; you'll still get TTL and A-TTL, since your flash supports those, but you won't get E-TTL. E-TTL is generally superior to either TTL or A-TTL. All of the EX flash units, including the two mentioned above, support TTL and E-TTL (but not A-TTL), so if you got one of those, you'd get TTL today with your 1N, and E-TTL if you upgrade to a newer body.</p>

 

<p>And if you move up to a digital body, which only supports E-TTL (i.e. does not support TTL or A-TTL; only the primitive EOS digital bodies from the 1990s support TTL), you'll have no flash metering at all; you'll either need to buy a new flash unit, or you'll have to step back to the flash technology of the 1970s, doing guide number calculations and setting your aperture and/or flash output level manually. If you had an EX flash, you'd be all set for a digital body.</p>

[rwbowman]

If you can find a copy of the Canon Speedlite Reference Guide, now out of print, you would

probably find it invaluable. It was written by Chuck Westfall of Canon USA's technical

department. Although it was published in 1991 and so doesn't cover the EOS 1N (only up

through the EOS 1) or Canon flash units later than the 430EZ, much of the material would

be relevant.

 

Here also are some links that might be useful:

 

http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/index.html

 

http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/index2.html

 

http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/index3.html

 

I'm sure others on the list will have suggestions as well.

 

Cheers!

[steve_dunn2]

<p>I have a copy of that guide; I never knew it was Chuck's work. Interesting.</p>

 

<p>Given how far out of date it's become, though, I wouldn't suggest going out of your way looking for it. I found the guide quite informative when I first got it several years ago, but time has passed it by. The photonotes EOS flash bible is much more extensive and up-to-date.</p>