How do I use a Canon 580EX II in Av mode without E-TTL on a 5D Mark II?
Asked 4/1/2011
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I use a Canon 5D Mark II and a Canon Speedlite 580EX II. I usually shoot in Av mode and would like to understand how to get good flash exposure without relying on E-TTL. In particular, how does flash behave in Av mode, and what settings should I use if I want more control over the balance between ambient light and flash?
Originally by user4560. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4560
15y ago
2 Answers
14
Canon flash is a bit convoluted. Exactly how the flash behaves varies by camera mode, in some modes the flash will try to act as main light, in other modes it will try to act as fill flash.
Unless I misremember, in AV mode the flash will automatically, always, try to behave as a fill flash; the photo will be pretty correcly exposed per the light-meter without flash and then the flash will try to fill out the foreground only. If this means a three-second shutter speed then so be it.
I prefer to use M mode when flashing, in this mode the flash will be the main light and I have explicit control of the natural-light exposure.
Oh, and "right exposure" with a Canon flash means ETTL. By definition, pretty much. I can't rememeber if the 580 series have their own independent light-sensor on the front, as Nikons have had for a couple of decades now, but if so they are the first Canon ones to have it. Lacking this, a flash has no way of measuring the light emitted without resorting to TTL.
Originally by user3458. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user3458
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
On Canon bodies, Av mode with flash is typically designed around ambient exposure first, with the flash acting as fill. That means the camera may choose a slow shutter speed in low light, which can cause blur.
On the 5D Mark II, check the Custom Function for flash sync in Av mode. You can set it to:
- Auto
- 1/60 to 1/200
- 1/200 fixed
Using 1/60 to 1/200 is often a practical compromise. Auto can let shutter speeds get very slow; 1/200 fixed reduces ambient contribution indoors.
If you do not want to use E-TTL, manual flash is the straightforward option. Then you balance two exposures:
- Ambient/background: controlled by shutter speed, aperture, and ISO
- Flash-lit subject: controlled by flash power, aperture, and ISO
A common workflow is:
- Set aperture/ISO for the look you want.
- Set shutter speed for the background brightness (often near sync speed, up to 1/200 s on the 5D II).
- Adjust flash power for the subject.
- Take a test shot and refine.
If you want consistent, deliberate control, Manual exposure mode on the camera is usually easier than Av when using flash.
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