Why does my Canon 580EX work in manual flash mode but not expose correctly in E-TTL on a 5D Mark II?
Asked 11/30/2013
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2 answers
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My Canon Speedlite 580EX was working normally on my Canon 5D Mark II, then suddenly images in E-TTL became badly underexposed, as if there were little or no flash. If I switch the flash to manual mode, it still fires and can even overexpose the frame, so the flash is not completely dead. The same flash works normally on a Canon 60D.
What could cause a 580EX to fire in manual mode but fail or underexpose in E-TTL on a 5D Mark II, and what should I check first?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
2
I had a common problem with my 5DII's where the hot shoe on the camera was coming slightly loose over time and the flash(es) I have would work intermittently on E-TTL. I've also had other friends with the same setup tell me the reverse, that the flash hot shoe was coming loose. The flash can still be triggered in Manual mode when E-TTL doesn't have a full connection because Manual has a set "flash" duration.
Some days everything would be fine, other days I had to run them on manual for an entire wedding. Its an easy DIY fix and there are a number of video's on youtube. Once I tightened everything (and checked it every month or two) I never had another problem.
Check out Conrad Erb's "How to Repair a Canon Flash Hot Shoe" and this image of the Nikon hotshoe pin-out.
Originally by user25749. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user25749
12y ago
0
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The most likely issue is a poor hot-shoe connection between the flash and the 5D Mark II. Manual flash can still fire with a partial connection, but E-TTL needs reliable communication through the extra contacts to meter and control flash output correctly. On some 5D II/Speedlite setups, a slightly loose camera or flash hot shoe can cause intermittent E-TTL problems.
Also check Flash Exposure Compensation. If FEC was accidentally set very low, E-TTL shots can look like the flash isn’t working. Another possibility is that a very reflective subject entered the scene and fooled E-TTL’s pre-flash metering, causing severe underexposure.
What to do:
- Inspect and clean the hot shoe and flash foot contacts.
- Check whether the camera hot shoe or flash foot is loose and tighten if needed.
- Reset or verify Flash Exposure Compensation on camera/flash.
- Test E-TTL with a normal, non-reflective subject.
Since the flash works properly on your 60D, the 5D Mark II hot shoe/connection is the first thing to inspect.
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