Off camera operation 550EX flash

[simon_arnold]

Hi,

 

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I about to use my 550EX gun off camera with the aid of the remote transmitter (STE2 i think)..my question is:

 

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does it matter how far the camera is from the subject?..and will the ETTL metering work accurately if I bounce the flash into an umbrella .

 

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Thanks

 

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Simon

[steve_dunn3]

<cite>does it matter how far the camera is from the

subject?</cite>

 

<p>Yes and no. Remember that wireless E-TTL signalling is optical,

and has a limited range. The slave must be within the range of the

master and pointed so that it can see the master (or see a reflection

of the master, but just as bouncing a flash reduces its range, so does

bouncing the optical signalling). As long as your slave is within

range, you're OK.</p>

 

<cite>..and will the ETTL metering work accurately if I bounce the

flash into an umbrella</cite>

 

<p>It should be fine. E-TTL metering is done using a preflash. The

flash unit emits the preflash at a known intensity; the camera body

measures how much light reflects back from the subject. If you do

something that (for example) cuts the flash intensity by one stop, it

will also cut the preflash intensity by one stop, meaning that E-TTL

will know it needs a higher flash output. It doesn't know <u>why</u>

it needs that intensity - it doesn't know whether the subject is far

away or whether you're bouncing the light or what you're doing; it

just knows how much light to tell the flash to emit in order to get a

"correct" exposure.</p>

[oliver_kurzemann]

hello

i would recommend not to use that combination. i did for a

couple of time and i´m going to buy a radio transmitter. move

your camera for 2 inches and the flash doesn´t fire (with wide

angle lens and flash on the far right or left). you always need

someone who tells you. no 1 fired, same with flash no 2..

annoying + you can´t put the flash behind you.

also my ettl metering was more than 2 stops wrong (too dark).

invest the money in radio transmitters+ recievers and a light

meter.

 

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oliver