Best way to use a 420ex with a 580ex and a 430ex for Formal Portraits

[tom moore]

For various reasons my flash inventory has expanded to now include a 580ex and

430ex plus my existing 420ex. I have an okay understanding (ie: I've read a bit

but have little practice) of studio lighting techniques. But am struggling with

the best way to incorporate the 420ex into a portrait situation. Obviously the

580ex will serve as the master and fill, I would likely then use one light to

shoot into an umbrella or a the subject from the side. The third light I

imagine I will use to light the background.

 

The major question (however all input is appreciated) is where best to

incorporate the 420ex since it does not have a manual function and has to be

shot with ETTL wireless.

 

Thanks

Tom

[eosdoc]

Consult eosdoc for some recipes:<BR>

<a target=loser href=

http://eosdoc.com/manuals?q=ETTLRx

>http://eosdoc.com/manuals?q=ETTLRx</a>

[5d_user]

Tom,

 

I would use the 420ex as a hair light, background light or main flash booster.

 

Here is what I have learned from Canons wireless flash experimentation so far:

 

1. You can set lighting ratios between groups A and B Speedlites, the third group C is always at full power. Groups A and B will be using ETTL flash control and the group C will have no ETTL control.

 

2. You can set lighting ratios between all three groups (A:B:C) manually with a lot of button pushing on the 580 master.

 

3. You can have an infinite number of flash units in any group. If you need extra power to help your 580, position the 420 next to the 580 and slave it to the same group and blast away. I mount a cold shoe next to my Off Camera Cord/580 combo on my flash bracket for that added boost.

 

4. All ETTL flash exposure compensation can be done in the master camera with one setting, easily. Meaning, if I have a ratio that looks good in terms of balance between flash units, but overall is under or overexposed, all I have to do is crank in a plus or minus flash exposure compensation on the master camera and all lighting will increase or decrease light power while still maintaining all ratios between all groups.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Myron

[5d_user]

Tom,

 

I have discovered this weekend that the 420ex cannot be used as a slave in the manual mode, only ETTL. I scratched my head for about 2 hours before reading the fine print in the 420 manual. I have not tried the A:B:C ratio mode with the 420 as group C yet but I did have a chance to visit my friends studio and play wireless with the 580 as master, the 550 as either fill or key and the 420 as background using ETTL ratios between groups A and B. I bounced the background 420 up and it became a hairlight from the ceiling and illuminated the background nicely. This was great, and I have learned a lot.

 

Cheers.

 

Myron

[tom moore]

I spent the weekend shooting with this combo and found the 420 is best as background or hair. You can dial in a a +/- 3 EC on the 580ex for group C so it gives you a bit of control. The wireless is working great even outside in the sun, but would still love to go manual with the 420.