Post on 19-Jul-2018
A T H E N S P H O T O G R A P H Y G U I L D - J U N E 2 0 1 6
B Y W A D E S H E L D O N
CANON OFF-CAMERA FLASH
WHY OFF-CAMERA FLASH?
• On-camera flash useful for fill, but unnatural when main light
• “Snapshot” look
• Flat/featureless light
• Hard shadows
• Reflections, red-eye
• Light fall-off with over-bright foreground, dark background
• Bounce/tilt and diffusers help, but limited flexibility
• Off-camera flash lets you control direction and quality of light
• Easier to use modifiers
Syl Arena (Speedliter's Handbook: Learning to
Craft Light with Canon Speedlites)
OFF-CAMERA FLASH OPTIONS
• Wired flash cords
• Wireless flash
• Non-dedicated triggers
• Dedicated transceivers
• Dedicated controllers
• Built-in flash controller
• Accessory flash with controller
• Accessory controller (without flash)
• Combinations
• Wired connection to transmitter plus wireless receivers
WIRED FLASH CORDS
• Benefits
• Easy to use
• Dedicated models work like
attached flash
• Cheap ($15-$45 3rd party)
• Various lengths (3’-33’)
• Downsides
• Camera brand-specific
• Limited distance from camera
• Clumsy (tripping/knocking over)
• Best uses
• Flash brackets
• Studio (softboxes/umbrellas) Vello OCS-C33
(image: www.amazon.com)
WIRELESS TRIGGERS
• Transmitter on camera, receiver on flash
• Benefits • Generic - not brand specific
• CHEAP! (<$30)
• Simple
• Can use for flash, strobe, accessories
• Downsides • No camera communication
except “FIRE”
• Manual settings everywhere
• No HHS - stay under sync speed
• Best uses • Tabletop, white-box
• Studio lighting (set once) CowboyStudio NPT-04 (image: www.amazon.com)
WIRELESS TRANSCEIVERS
• Transceiver on camera, transceiver on flash
• Benefits
• Dedicated flash communication
with camera (auto/manual)
• Work like wireless cord
• Affordable (<$100/pr)
• Fairly simple
• Can mix flash, strobes, accessories
• Downsides
• Brand-specific
• Fiddly button settings
Yongnuo YN-622C II (image: www.amazon.com)
BUILT-IN WIRELESS CONTROLLERS
• Controller on camera (“master”)
• Receiver on flash (“slave”)
• Benefits
• Dedicated flash communication
with camera (auto/manual)
• Works like wireless cord
• Control with camera menus
• Multiple flashes, groups
• FREE (2007+ models with popup flash)
• Downsides (Canon)
• Need 90EX flash for 5D, 6D, 1D series
• Optical wireless (LOS limits placement)
• Limited range (~30’)
Canon Pop-up Flash
(image: www.imaging-resource.com)
ACCESSORY WIRELESS CONTROLLERS
• Master flash or dedicated controller unit
• Receiver on flash (“slave”)
• Benefits • Dedicated flash communication
with camera (auto/manual)
• Settings from master flash or
controller AND camera menus
• Multiple independent flashes,
groups
• Optical and Radio options
• Long distance radio (~100’)
• Downsides • Line-of-sight (optical wireless)
• Expensive ($200+ for controller)
• Complex (lots of options)
Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT and ST-E3-RT
(http://www.bhphotovideo.com)
CANON FLASH SYSTEM
90EX (optical
controller) 270EX II (optical receiver)
320EX (optical receiver)
430EX II
(optical receiver), 430EX III-RT
(optical+radio controller/receiver)
600EX-RT, 600EX II-RT (optical+radio
controller/receiver)
ST-E3-RT (radio controller only)
(Note: Yongnuo has cheaper knock-offs)
CANON FLASH AND TRIGGERS
• 90EX/270EX/320EX lack manual on-flash settings
• Need 430EX/600EX for
non-dedicated triggers
• Can use older models
with manual controls
(very cheap used!)
• 420EX, 430EX I
• 580 EX, 580 EX II
• Can use cheaper Canon knock-offs (Yongnuo)
430EX II (optical receiver),
430EX III-RT (optical+radio
controller/receiver)
600EX-RT (optical+radio
controller/receiver)
ON-FLASH MENU
430EX II 600EX-RT
ON-CAMERA FLASH MENU
Cameras WITH flash transmitter
(7D, 60D, 70D, 80D, Rebels)
Cameras WITHOUT flash transmitter
(5D, 6D, 1D)
(Syl Arena’s “Speedliter's Handbook: Learning to Craft Light with Canon Speedlites (2nd Edition)”)
ON-CAMERA FLASH MENU
• External Flash Menu Changes with Flash Mode
• Varies a little by camera & flash model (RTM)
(Syl Arena’s “Speedliter's Handbook: Learning to Craft Light with Canon Speedlites (2nd Edition)”)
ON-FLASH MENU – GROUP MODE
• Group Mode (Gr) ideal for multiple speedlite setups
• Assign each flash to a group (A-F; set in flash menu)
• Can control flash mode and power independently
• Can turn individual flashes on/off
• Can change settings from controller/master or camera menus
• Great for setting levels of each flash one at a time in M mode
600EX-RT / ST-E3-RT
GETTING STARTED
• Start simple and cheap
• Use built-in wireless (or cheap transceiver pair)
• Start with 1 flash with manual controls
(buy used/older model or borrow to save $$)
• Buy/borrow an inexpensive flash stand umbrella kit
• Add a 5-in-1 reflector or foamcore board to
bounce light for fill
• Watch online tutorials or buy a book and
try out the basic lessons with your set up
• Practice shooting in M mode and using FEC
• Experiment with umbrella (shoot-through, bounce, positioning, feathering)
• Add additional speedlites, modifiers as you
advance (and need them) Westcott 43" Umbrella Flash Kit
($72 at www.bhphotovideo.com)
LEARNING RESOURCES
• Camera and speedlite manuals!
• Canon Digital Learning Center Quickguides • http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2011/quick_guides.shtml
• Strobist Lighting 101 • http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html
• Syl Arena tutorials and books • Website: http://pixsylated.com/blog/
• Books:
• Speedliter's Handbook: Learning to Craft Light with Canon Speedlites (2nd Edition, 2016)
• Lighting for Digital Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots (2013)
• Youtube:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5byuHJ9uBns
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gmgN8l7UFg
• YouTube tutorials
USES - PORTRAITS
USES – MACRO WHITE-BOX