Elan 7 and 550ex...FEL not working?

[photoneophyte]

I have an Elan7e and a 550ex. When I am using the flash, however, I

cannot get the Flash Exposure Lock to work. Am I doing something

wrong, or is my camera? the AEL works fine when the flash is not

mounted, but when it is, and I half click the shutter, nothing

happens. (by the way, I use the custom function to place af start on

the ae lock button, and place ae lock on the shutter half click.)

Anyone else have trouble with this, or have the same equip. could you

maybe see if this is something I should take up with canon.

Thanks a lot.

Pete

[eosdoc]

<a href=mailto:uce@ftc.gov></a>

We discussed this (and other problems) at the <a href=

http://yahoogroups.com/group/elan7e

>Elan 7E group</a>.

<P>

The problem is that you have set CF4=1. FEL only works if CF4=0.

So, clear CF4 and try again.

[omar_torres]

Do you have CF8 enabled? I don't think FE lock works if you have it enabled since it automatically links Flash Exposure to the active focusing point.

[eosdoc]

<a href=mailto:uce@ftc.gov></a>

Setting CF8 on my <a href=

http://yahoogroups.com/group/elan7e

>Elan 7E</a>

only affects FEL insofar as the metering segment that is used

for the preflash metering. For CF8=0, the centre AF point is

metered (even if another AF point is being selected), while

for CF8=1, the active AF point is used for FEL metering.

<P>

Perhaps Omar could check his sister's Elan 7 to verify this

firsthand.

[gary voth]

The lack of a dedicated FEL button (along with the inability to disable auto fill flash reduction) has to be the most annoying thing about Canon's prosumer bodies (Elan 7, D30/D60). As an inveterate CF4-1 user, I find this an annoying problem.

[eosdoc]

<a href=mailto:uce@ftc.gov></a>

I find loss of FEL to be crippling, particularly when using a

wireless E-TTL multiple flash setup. Since I do not admit to

being an invertebrate CF4 user, I simply disable CF4 when

using flash on my <a href=

http://yahoogroups.com/group/elan7e

>Elan 7E</a>.

<P>

Even with a dedicated custom funciton, flash exposure reduction

in bright light can be overcome very easily by use of Flash

Exposure Compensation. I would be more concerned about the

insidious and undocumented Flash Negative Evaluative Exposure

Compensation. NEVEC can be disabled on the Elan 7E by switching

out of evaluative metering, but surprisingly, Flash NEVEC cannot

be disabled on the EOS 3 nor on the EOS 1V. See:<BR>

 <a href=

http://eosdoc.com/manuals.asp?q=NEVEC

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

[omar_torres]

Hi Julian, I only referred to a technicality. That since FE is locked automatically to the active focusing point, you wouldn't need to do FEL if you chose your focus point correctly. Anyway, I've got my sister's camera now for a while, I'm hoping to convince her to sell it to me since she doesn't ever use it anymore, I just love it :D

[photoneophyte]

So, from my tests, cf 8 has nothing to do with the presence/absence of FE lock. that is, FEL does not work with either cf8-0, or cf8-1 IF cf4 is on 1. So, the only way to get FEL is to have the autofocus on the shutter button...does that sound right?

Pete

[eosdoc]

<a href=mailto:uce@ftc.gov></a>

Hi Omar,

<P>

My understanding is that even with CF8=0, simply pushing the

shutter release results in ambient and preflash metering at the

active AF point a split second before the mirror flips up and

the shutter opens.

<P>

CF8 accomodates different methods of using partial metering and

FEL metering. If you focus/exposure-lock on the central sensor

then recompose, CF8=0 is for you. If instead you focus-lock with

a peripheral sensor, then CF8=1 works better. The good thing

about combining CF8=1 with ECF is that if you have not yet

activated autofocus, you can still use the central sensor for metering.

[omar_torres]

Niiice, I hadn't thought about it that way.

[eosdoc]

<a href=mailto:uce@ftc.gov></a>

Pete is right. With CF4=1 or CF4=2, there is no FEL on my <a href=

http://yahoogroups.com/group/elan7e/

>Elan 7E</a>