mick johnson

Miguel,

I took my manual apart and scanned the pages for someone else who could'nt find one.

So, if you want, I can email you all the pages.

Jessops are also giving an extra 10% discount on any price you can find whether internet or high street shop so long as it is in stock.

Think this is on up to Xmas.

On their site it says 'excludes DSLR's but I went into the Buxton branch and was told it includes absolutley everything including the 1D MKII I was after. I did'nt buy one but was assured it would apply if I wanted one.

Got to be worth a try anyway.

Whether or not it enters SE mode is controlled by custom function 1.

Thank's Alistair, so I can have it turned on when used as slave and never go into 'SE' mode.

I am using 3 550ex guns and an STE-2 for wireless bird photography and am

thinking of swapping one of them for a 430ex so I have a smaller, lighter gun

for other uses.

But, after looking at the reviews etc I see there is only 2 positions for the

on/off switch, not 3 like my 550's.

Does this mean you cannot override the 'SE' mode. If so, how long is it before

it goes into 'SE' mode and can it be changed via a custom function like the 550

which is 10 min's or 60 min's.

I ask all this because sometimes I use a long shutter cable to a hide so cannot

activate the guns if they go into 'SE' mode as the STE-2 is on the camera.

I have just had a go at this.

Connect the camera to pc, open Canon DPP and click tools/open Eos utility.

That's it really and as you shoot the images come up full screen.

I had an old version and it would'nt work properly until I downloaded the latest updates from Canon.

Thank's Alistair, the camera is not mine btw, that's why I'm asking.

Do you know if it has flash compensation via the body as I've read it does not but see on the link you gave it does in the compatibility chart, I think......

Can someone tell me for sure that the ST-E2 will work ok with the 500n

body.

I have searched but can't find what I'm looking for.

I think it does work as it's an ETTL capable body.

As a matter of interest where did you get the estimate from.

Was it Canon uk in Elstree, or one of their repair centres, like Lehmans.

Reason I ask is, I sent one of my 550's to Lehmans for an estimate as I blew it using a homemade Battery pack. They wanted ﾣ184 so obviously I did'nt bother.

But, as a last resort I sent it direct to Canon uk and they did it for ﾣ72 which is a standard price for this flash no matter what's wrong with it.

So, I would imagine there is a standard (fixed) price for the Eos3 and it certainly won't be ﾣ600 or even ﾣ300, I think.

The number is 08702412161.

Mick.......

Having just got this lens and testing it against my 28-135 IS at 28

and 40mm and different apertures I find it is about the same,

definatley not sharper.

I did think it would be a bit sharper, so am I expecting too much or

have I got a bad one. I have always been very happy with the results

from my 28-135 on slide and digital.

I did test it with my 50mm 1.8 thinking the 50mm would be better and

it is, but by miles.

All my shot's were of the same subject and framed the same.

If you make your own as Jim describes make sure you have a connector permanently connected to the battery terminals.

I made my own battery pack to power 3, 550's and while testing it on one of them connected the battery terminals the wrong way round.

There was a flash but not from the flashhead and then a smell of 'sh!t I've knackered it'

I was lucky in a way because a few seconds before I had all three connected.

Cost me ?72 to have it repaired.

I just got one about 3weeks ago from t4cameras.co.uk for ?469.

Don't forget there is ?70 cashback on this lens from Canon so I paid the same as 7day.

Thinking about it, that's why there's no L lenses about so they don't have to give any cash back.

Mick......

My mate has just returned the same lens because it had 1, yes 1, speck of dust in it.

The second one had what looked like a bubble in one of the elements inside the lens.

He is just about to get his 3rd one and I've told him if it has any dust in it and he won't accept it to ring me and I will go get it for myself as I'm about to get this lens anyway.

I believe this lens is completely sealed and won't suck in dust as it does'nt change length when zoomed so it should be clean inside.

Mick.......

Bill, I find this very interesting and did'nt know you could do this.

I have been photographing Kingfishers in flight and have been using 2 550's on the bird (ettl) and 1 550 (ettl)for the background. I also have been using the ste2 and ratio to dim the background flash but keep forgeting to adjust the ste2.

So I take it I can use the background flash on manual to adjust the power, something I would have preferred to do in the first place. Is this correct.

Mick.......

I remember posting here a while ago when I could'nt get mine to work over 10ft outdoors. Thing was I had the guns facing the wrong way.

Anyway I use mine outdoors all the time and it will work up to 25 yards away on my back lawn with no obstuctions. I have just been outside to make sure it does before I wrote this and it fires every time.

Mick........

I'm photographing birds in flight using 3 550's and STE2 and have

been using ETTL.

I have also been using manual, which I prefer, so as not to have the

preflash which I sometimes find slower, and harder to judge when to

press the shutter with fast birds.

My question is should I have flash compensation via the body using a

20d and Eos3 with the guns on manual. I thought I remembered using it

a while ago but noticed today it does nothing on my 20d. I know I

have it with ETTL.

I'm using manual on the camera of course.

Thank's, Mick.........

Thank's guys.

It looks like dummy batteries then but I don't fancy cutting a notch in the battery door of my 3 guns so I'll try the rubber band method first as in the site Kenneth gave.

Can anyone tell me if it's possible to buy a seperate plug (non

Canon) to go into the 550ex external power socket. I ask this as I

want to make my own power pack (cheap) from a 6v alarm type battery

for my bird photography. I'm using rechargeables atm but you don't

know when they are going to die and I can't keep up with continually

recharging them.

I had the same problem with one of my Eos 3's but only when using a Sigma lens and only then @ about f10 or smaller. Turned out to be the lens aperture blades sticking or so Sigma said.

It work perfect with Canon lenses.

If you send an Eos3 to be repaired it's a fixed price of ?184, or was last year, for a service and most repairs are done within this price.

I have to agree with Johnathon that the grip is Junk. It also looks like it was made for another make of camera or something other than a camera. It ain't comfortable either.

I had to take my first one back as when I tightened it up the gears stripped inside the grip and I could'nt get it off the camera. It also shuts off with the slightest pull on the battery compartment end and shows 1/2 empty battery after a few shots. Taking the battery out and putting it back in shows full power again. Other than these flaws it's still, crap, but I don't like a camera without a grip so what do you do.

The one I have now does the same thing but I'm using it for now with a piece of card to the left of the screw to tighten up the end that goes into the batt compartment which works but does'nt look too good Mr Canon.

Personally I find the 20d too small without the grip as I am used to Eos 3 with grip.

Mark Ryan , mar 14, 2005; 12:17 a.m.

Is there anymode where the 20D won't fire the preflash?

Only in Manual mode.

I use a 20D and the 50-500 and see no problems at all. Viewfinders a bit dim though cos it's f6.3

Mick.......

Thank's for the replies.

I think Grant has hit the nail on the head.

I am actually photographing birds in flight using 2 550's and the STE2. I am sitting in a hide so don't want to get out for an hour or two

I wanted to know this as I'm finding -2/3 underexposure set with body is giving me the results I want but wanted to make the left flash less bright without loosing the compensation.

Thank's again, Mick........

When using flash ratio with the STE2 & 550's does it override any

flash compensation you've made with the body or do you still have any

compensation you've set as well as the Ratio.

Hope that makes sense.

Mick........