bill_goldman

Quantum has other models which use a cable that will connect to the external power connector on your 580EX. The problem is that this is a high voltage connection and your Quantum battery is a 6 volt model which simply is a direct replacement for the batteries in the 580EX. That's why it must connect via the battery compartment.

 

I think you would have been better off buying the Canon CP-E2 battery pack and using rechargeable NiMH batteries in both the 580EX and the battery pack. I have this combination and it recycles very fast.

It appears that you are confusing extension tubes with extenders. They are two different things.

 

Extension tubes are simple devices, without any optics, which allow you to focus closer, thus getting a larger image, but with some exposure loss. The longer the extension tube, the greater the effect. They can also be combined for maximum effect with a given lens.

 

Extenders, on the other hand, include optics which do not affect the focusing distance of the lens, but magnify the image. They are intended for use with telephoto lenses and are generally available in 1.4x and 2x magnifications. The 1.4x results in a 1 stop loss and the 2x in a 2 stop loss.

If you intend to use the CP-E2 external power pack with your Speedlite, you might want to get the 580EX instead of the 550EX. That is because the 580EX has more custom functions (14, I believe), one of which allows you to use the external batteries only or both the internal and external batteries to charge the capacitor.

 

That way you can have the fastest possible recycling or the longest life for the internal batteries, depending what your shooting requirements are.

There is an optional data back for the EOS-3/EOS-1v which will record the date on your slides or negatives. I don't know whether you can record any other type data. However, the EOS-3 is not set up to use the 1v data interface and software.

Av mode is normally a fill-flash mode only. I.e., the camera sets a shutter speed appropriate for your selected aperture to provide proper exposure for the ambient light level.

 

However, if the light level is low, the camera will choose a very slow shutter speed. The custom function you refer to allows you to override the camera setting, which will prevent blurring of the picture but will result in a dark background.

 

It is up to you in any given situation whether you want to set this custom function. To me, it makes little sense, since you can use manual mode instead and set both the shutter speed and aperture you desire which will provide the background illumination you desire and the flash will automatically provide the proper exposure for your subject.

Canon specifies that a front filter should be kept on the 16-35 and the 17-40, to complete the weather resistance of these lenses, since the front element moves fore and aft when zooming.

For outdoor portraits with flash, you can achieve very pleasing results with an ST-E2 and one Speedlite (580EX, 550EX, 420EX) or alternately, with two Speedlites (a master in the hotshoe, with output set to OFF, and one slave).

 

Simply pose your subject in the shade (with a pleasant background) and position your slave on a lightstand, preferably with an umbrella, high and about 45 degrees from your subject (to simulate the sun). Use Av mode and E-TTL will do the rest.

Before you prejudge the effect, I suggest you shoot a few test frames in Av or Tv mode (with the NEVEC effect) and then in manual mode and evaluate the exposures including the subject and background appearance. You may be surprised.

http://www.markinsamerica.com

I have Hoya Pro 1 Skylight filters on each of my lenses. They indeed have front threads and the Canon lens caps fit securely on them. I recommend them highly.

It depends what mode you are and in some cases the ambient light levels when you turn on the flash.

 

In Program mode, the flash will choose a shutter speed and aperture depending on whether flash is needed as the primary source of illumination or just fill. This is the basic automatic mode.

 

In Av or Tv mode, the camera will always set exposure for the ambient light conditions and the flash will provide fill.

 

In Manual mode, you can choose any reasonable shutter speed and aperture and the flash will provide correct exposure for those settings.

I believe it is similar to my EOS-1v. Custom function 13 has options to limit the MANUALLY SELECTABLE focusing points to 11 or 9. Set this C.Fn to 0 to enable manual selection of all 45 points.

Putting a protective filter on the front of this lens is not an option, as there are no front filter threads. It uses drop-in, rear filters only.

 

However, the optical system includes a plain glass, protective element at the front. Should this element become damaged, it can be replaced for a nominal fee.

Mick; The answer is YES. See page 74 of the 550EX instructions.

A 550EX or 580EX in slave mode is set as a MANUAL slave by holding down the MODE button for 2 seconds, after which the M will flash to show the Speedlite is in the Manual Slave mode. A proportional power setting can be set on individual Manual Slaves.

 

A Manual Slave, set as noted above, WILL NOT emit a preflash, but WILL fire from a Master set in either E-TTL mode or Manual mode.

 

As long as you use Canon Speedlites, you can have a fully automatic multiple flash system or one that operates just like a studio flash system or a mixture of both.

The system can indeed be used in a wireless manual mode. In this mode, a ratio can also be set for slave(s), with all settings made on the master. A flash meter is recommended.

 

With the master in E-TTL auto mode, a slave can also be set as a manual slave. In this mode, its contribution will not be part of the E-TTL exposure determination, but it will fire.

It also depends whether you are shooting portraits/head shots or full figure shots. It also depends on whether you are shooting indoors or out of doors and what type of backgrounds you have.

 

One famous glamour photographer was known to favor the use of a 200mm f/1.8L (on full frame 35mm) for bathing suit shots at the beach. Great for blurring the background.

To add to my previous response: If you use the ST-E2 strictly as a focus assist light, your best bet is to set your camera for manual exposure mode, although you can use your in-camera meter to set the exposure properly according to the ambient light. In that way, the ST-E2 will not alter either your shutter speed or aperture in any way.

The problem with using the ST-E2 strictly for use as a focus assist light is that the ST-E2 will set the camera for flash, which means you will be limited in setting your camera for ambient exposure.

17th Street Photo in New York has a good reputation and low prices as does Canoga Camera in California.

According to Canon's original press release for the EF=S 60mm f/2.8 USM Macro lens, it features a ring-type USM.

I have not used the ST-E2 outdoors but Canon states that the range outdoors is approximately 8 to 10 meters (or 26.2 to 32.8 feet).

 

Unlike when using the system indoors, where there are many reflective surfaces, you will need to set up your Speedlite(s) so that there is a direct line of sight between each Speedlite's sensor and the ST-E2, unless there are some reflective surfaces, such as white walls involved.

 

8 meters/26 feet should allow use in most outdoor applications, if the specifications are correct.

This one is very active with different forums for different cameras and even camera models:

 

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1032

Yes.

Yes, any Canon external battery pack will work with any Canon Speedlite with the requisite high voltage connector; e.g., 580EX, 550EX, 540EZ, etc.

 

Remarkebly though, you will get better performance with the CP-E3 batttery pack than you will with the much larger and bulkier Transistor Pack E.