# Canon Speedlite 580EX



## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

My niece is getting married in June and I was asked to take some photos by my brother and sister in law. I suggested professional but they don't want to spend the money on a pro and wanted some to send to my nephew in Iraq. So, to help with my poor indoor shooting history, I ordered a Canon Speedlite 580EX to help save a few memories. Anybody have much history with one of these flashes? Are they complicated or fairly easy to use? Hope it comes in handy otherwise also as most indoor photos are poor and have wanted to improve them some if possible.


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

Well, it's the cat's meow as far as Canon goes.
What camera will you be using it on?
MIke


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## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

I'm real happy with mine, and it has somewhere between 15000 and 20000 flash shots under its' belt. IF the Camera it will be use on is a 40D, you need the 580 EXII and not the original version in order to take advantage of features like 2nd curtain sync. The 580 is fully compatible with all the other EOS cameras before the 40D.


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

Actually, I got the 580 EX II and it will go on a Canon XTi or 400D (think they are same?). I ordered from Amazon today and should get it early next week and guess the learning curve will come next. Are they difficult. I shoot mostly aperature priority and shoot raw all the time. I hope tp practice enough to be able to get a few good photos for my nieces memory book. Still a mistake not getting a pro, but if that is out, I hope to be able to take some decent pics anyway. Been wanting one of these flashes anyway and is a good excuse to go ahead and get it.


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

Also, I did not get the bracket and cord for mounting the flash to the side of the camera, is that a mistake or should I get one?


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## Capt Rick Hiott (Dec 14, 2007)

http://www.photozo.com/ 
You will be fine without the bracket.
If the room has regular white ceiling, point the flash straight up and bounce it.
Here is another good idea for you. You can make one of these out of paper http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/1427850

There is also a ton of photography information on this site and a lot of good people. www.photozo.com


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

The flash has a bounce panel that will redirect some of the light towards the subject when you have the flash head aimed at the ceiling. Bounce flash does work pretty well.

Indoors with bounce flash, set your ISO on 400. Set the camera on M - manual. Set your shutter speed at about 125 or 160. The synch is 1/200, but the slower your shutter speed is, the more ambient light will be let in.

Set your aperature on f/4 or 5.6.
With your flash on automatic, take a shot or two and see how they look. The flash should make the exposure correct for you. However, most likely, you will need to add some FEC (flash exposure control)...say +2/3 or 1 stop. Your resulting pics should come out pretty good.

So, read the manual on flash exposure control and how to set it. Practice so it will become second nature.

I know it sounds funny, but you don't need the camera on auto anything to get good flash pictures.

Good luck. Ask questions. We'll be around.
Mike


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## QBall (Jun 27, 2004)

My wife loves hers on a 40D. If you take horizontal shots, you'll want to get a bracket to avoid shadows on one side of the subject's face.

Q


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

Thanks for the help. Anxious to start experimenting with it. Never really did any full manual yet, but will give it a try with suggestions on settings mentioned.


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## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

There's a very nice fairly inexpensive flash diffuser you can buy from Lumiquest (Pro Max System) that does a great job for portraits. It sticks on with velcro, and fold up into a flat package that will stow easily in a camera bag.

The flash is very easy to use because of the way it integrates with the camera. But, there are some idiosynchrasies in the way Canons ETTL exposure handles flash in that it uses the autofocus point to determine the flash exposure. This can play havoc shooting things like a wedding where one shot will meter the grooms black tux, and the next on the bride's white dress. For that reason, I've had much better luck shooting events and sports with flash using the averaging setting for flash metering versus evaluative.


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## Capt Rick Hiott (Dec 14, 2007)

With the XTI you might have to add more FEC than +1. I think on mine I have to go up to +1-1/3


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## stargazer (May 24, 2004)

Heres some more info

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=138907


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

Thanks again for all the help. I got my flash in by UPS today and just bought some new batteries and are charging at this time. Looked at the book and, well, Wow. Going to start with all the suggestions and will also play to see what else this thing does, but sounds like everyones suggestions about match, but still want to play a little to see what all it does. I also got a difuser cover for the flash separate, is this used by most? Guess tomorrow will start playing when batteries are fully charged.


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

Question on the new flash. I took quite a few indoor pics with the flash today and tried a few things. I bought one of those plastic difusers and took a photo, took one with the pull out difuser built in to flash with the white card that stands up, put white card down with built in difuser being used and without any difuser. The best of all that I did so far, seems to be the ones with the built in difuser and white bounce card in up position. Anybody else notice same?
Also, I put the flash in the auto zoom setting and it doesn't show any zoom number setting. Should it?


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## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

The white pull up card is to add catch light to eyes when shooting portraits. It is usually used with the flash pointing straight up. The build in pull out diffuser panel is for using wide angle lenses to spread the light out. Great for shooting team or group photos with lenses 17-28mm (1.6 crop body). Snap on diffusers Are used to reduce harsh flash shadows and are used with the flash in a bounce position, say 45-90 degrees off horizontal. They really cut down on the range of the flash, but do help a lot with harsh shadows and cutting down blown highlights. If you're camera has a highlight tone priority custom function, it will also help a lot with flash portraits.


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## madf1man (Jan 28, 2005)

Should show and or change zoom settings as you change zoom or lens although this feature does not work when flash head is tilted up if I remember correctly. In general I think you'll find pictures more appealing when using bounce flash or diffusors but they will all decrease flash range also. Sometimes you may have to compensate camera or flash settings to make it up


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

Pocketfisherman said:


> The white pull up card is to add catch light to eyes when shooting portraits. It is usually used with the flash pointing straight up. The build in pull out diffuser panel is for using wide angle lenses to spread the light out. Great for shooting team or group photos with lenses 17-28mm (1.6 crop body). Snap on diffusers Are used to reduce harsh flash shadows and are used with the flash in a bounce position, say 45-90 degrees off horizontal. They really cut down on the range of the flash, but do help a lot with harsh shadows and cutting down blown highlights. If you're camera has a highlight tone priority custom function, it will also help a lot with flash portraits.


Thanks, I just took some pics in my house of a fireplace and noticed difference, but need more with an object in front of something to see how shadows play into the same tests. All the pics I took include the flash straight up and look pretty good that way as suggested. I used the camera in Manual mode with several suggested settings and landed best on the 1-1/3 flash compensation and 5.0 aperature at 125 speed and 400 ISO. Will play more this weekend.

As for the zoom reading on the flash, it didn't show a reading but as stated by madf1man, the flash was straight up and didn't try it pointing forward. Just wondering.

Thanks to all for help, you peeps have are really helping me and hope I don't wear out my welcome, but you everyone here is great. The little book helps a little but doesn't explain much and this thing has as much settings as the camera itself almost.


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## stargazer (May 24, 2004)

Congrats on the new flash. If ya wanna play got to apollo design (google) and they have a freebie gels that work great on them flashes. Its under marketing kits i think.

I played with mine. this is just fooling around


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

stargazer said:


> Congrats on the new flash. If ya wanna play got to apollo design (google) and they have a freebie gels that work great on them flashes. Its under marketing kits i think.
> 
> I played with mine. this is just fooling around


I found them and ordered the gel pack. Thanks for the tip.


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## Capt Rick Hiott (Dec 14, 2007)

Slip Knot,,,What camera did you say you had?

I have to increase mine also to 1-1/3 on my XTI


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

I also have the XTi and followed your lead on the 1-1/3 and so far, that looks good. I will keep testing but so far, that has been a good number to use. I hope to know more about this thing before the wedding so that the pics are at least decent.


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## Capt Rick Hiott (Dec 14, 2007)

Take a LOT of pictures!!!

I think you said you had rechargeable batteries in the flash? If not you need to get some. Two or three sets.


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

Thanks, yea, I bought 3 sets. 2650 mh also. Guess that is good.


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