Using a Canon 600D pop-up flash as fill with an off-camera 430EX II
Asked 6/25/2012
4 views
2 answers
0
I’m using a Canon 600D/T3i with a Canon 430EX II off-camera, triggered by the camera’s built-in wireless flash control. I’d like the off-camera 430EX II to be the key light and the pop-up flash to act as fill. When I tried it, my images were overexposed. What flash settings should I use on the camera and the 430EX II to balance the exposure correctly?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
7
You don't want to have the Speedlite in E-TTL mode. This tells it it will be getting control signals from the hot shoe connector. To use this mode off-camera, you'd have to be using an off-camera shoe cord like Canon's OC-E3 or Syl Arena's OCF33. That, or an E-TTL capable radio trigger.
Instead, you should have the off-camera flash set to Slave mode, with the same communication channel set as on the camera. It should be in group A for that setup, since it's the primary. You'd set the on-camera flash to group B, then adjust the flash ratio to suit. You want more power to group A than group B to make B (the on-camera flash) the fill.
Originally by user4141. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4141
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Set the 430EX II to slave mode and match its wireless channel to the 600D’s built-in wireless flash settings. For this setup, put the off-camera 430EX II in group A (main/key light) and use the camera’s built-in flash as group B (fill), then adjust the A:B flash ratio so group A has more power than group B.
The key point is that the off-camera flash must be configured for Canon’s wireless slave operation, not used as if it were directly mounted unless you’re using an E-TTL off-camera cord or compatible trigger system. The 600D’s flash control menu lets you choose the wireless mode and ratio.
If your shots are overexposed, reduce the overall flash output with flash exposure compensation and/or make the fill weaker by increasing the A:B ratio in favor of group A. Also check that you’re not accidentally letting the pop-up contribute too much light.
In short: enable wireless flash in the 600D menu, set the 430EX II to slave on the same channel, assign the 430EX II as the stronger light, and use the pop-up only as weaker fill.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI14y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Can a Canon 60D trigger a 430EX II wirelessly without the pop-up flash lighting the scene?
Can a Canon EOS 1000D / Rebel XS wirelessly trigger a Speedlite 430EX II with the pop-up flash?
Why is my Pentax K-30’s built-in flash visible in wireless controller mode with a Metz 52 AF-1?
Can a Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II wirelessly trigger a Canon 430EX II?
Does the Canon 430EX II have an optical slave mode?