420EX as Slave and 550EX as Master. Help.

[chito_baclig]

Greetings to all. I have both the 550 and 420, and ESO 3. I would

like to play around the Master/Slave setup. My objective is to use

this as the main light in portrait shots at night both indoor and

outdoors. I have read through the older posts but I was not able to

get the settings I am about to test. Hope none one my questions is

just a repeat.

 

 

1.) The 420EX automatically set to 24mm only in ETTL and I cannot

chang manually. What if I use the 420 as my main light for

directional effect and the 550 disabled to fire. How far do I

position the 420 from the subject? Or does coevrage automatically

follows the master? ie, 550ex coverage set to 105mm, 420EX even if

set to 24, once it fires, it fires at 105mm?

 

2.) 550EX as master and main light. The coverage can only be set

manually. Is this correct? ie, if the lens is set to 135mm, I also

set the 550 to 135mm.

 

 

Appreciate your feedback.

[warren_x]

In wireless mode, both master and slaves are automatically set to the widest zoom setting (24mm). You can override either or both of them as you please, but having too narrow a master flash zoom could block the wireless communication between the master and slaves. There is no automatic 'link' between the zoom amount of the master and slaves.

 

See pages 52 and 53 of your 550EX manual.

 

Place the 420 at a distance from the subject that, if you were photographing the subject from that distance with a 24mm lens, would not crop the 'frame' at all.

[eosdoc]

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

Since you are shooting film and not digital, be sure that you have

set the 420EX and 550EX to the same channel, but different slave

groups. Otherwise, you might not get the results you desire when

your film is processed :-(

[chito_baclig]

Thats the beauty of digital. Thats is why I need to test before an actual application.

 

As for the 550ex manual, the setup is all 550EX. The 550 slaves can be set manually to achieve the desired zoom setting, easily changing the distance of the slave and subject depending on the zoom setting.

 

 

The 420ex is set to its widest 24mm. If the answer is that the slave 420EX does not follow the master zoom settings upon firing, then if the 420EX is the main light, it is stuck to the distance to illuminate the subject at 24mm, which eliminate its use as main light if I am to widen the scene.

 

 

Another question please since I am not using Pro digital, to lessen the number of film test: for 420ex at 24mm, slave, full body shot of 2 persons. How far should I set the flash?

[eosdoc]

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

You can minimize the number of test frames by intelligent use

of FEL and modelling flash to preview the effect of the flash.

For instance, if you use FEL and the camera indicates underexposure,

you need to move the flash closer, use faster film, open up

your aperture, or use multiple flash exposures. And you can use

modelling flash to check where the shadows lie to ensure

adequate coverage on FOV.

<P>

Of course, it would be a lot easier to preview lighting angle

and ratios if you use an E-TTL capable digicam, such as the

G3.

[chito_baclig]

Thanks, Julian and all. I never knew "modelling flash" until you mentioned it. I am at the office right now and don't have any manuals. I will surely look into this but if you find time, please kindly post additional information.

 

Regards to all.

[robert hague]

I've also found the 550ex's manual somewhat unhepful. Have you tried out ratio's yet? I would set the 420 (slave) to B (main flash - 550 - is automatically set to A) and then set the ratio in favour of the 420. ie turn up the 420 and turn down the 550.