580EX temperature?

Sam

I'm constantly amazed at what Canon knows, and doesn't know. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
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I am in the process of getting some Alien Bees B800 strobes, and am planning to fire them with my 580EX, at least to start with. So the questions pops into my normally dormant brain cells, what the heck is the temp of the 580Ex versus the B800?<o:p></o:p>
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Easy, so me thinks. Get out my 580EX manual, and check out the specs. Ah, here it is “color temperature information transmission” Flash color temperature information transmitted to camera.<o:p></o:p>
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Say what? The flash, and the camera apparently think this is a state secret. <o:p></o:p>
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I know. I’ll call Canon. I think you already know the answer to this one. “Just set the WB to flash and take the picture. No I don’t know what the actual temp is, we don’t get asked that question.”<o:p></o:p>
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It’s not really that big a deal, I’ll work out the issues. My gut feel is the temps will be pretty close. Besides my first plan was to use the 580EX in a very low power output mode. Enough to optically fire the strobes but not enough to affect the subject., but if the temps are close enough I was thinking I might be able to use the 580EX as a third light source.<o:p></o:p>
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Sam<o:p></o:p>
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hgernhardtjr

Color temp varies with flash output. Here is a chart for the 550EX, which should give you some idea of the complexity. In short, today there is no specific answer like there was on my 30 year old Vivitar 283 and its various predecessors! http://doug.kerr.home.att.net/pumpkin/images/550EX_color_A.jpg

Here is the column it came from along with Doug Kerr's narrative: http://www.prophotohome.com/forum/canon-eos-digital-slr-1-6x-sensors/55259-580ex-transmission-color-temperature-data.html

Sam

hgernhardtjr wrote:

Color temp varies with flash output. Here is a chart for the 550EX, which should give you some idea of the complexity. In short, today there is no specific answer like there was on my 30 year old Vivitar 283 and its various predecessors! http://doug.kerr.home.att.net/pumpkin/images/550EX_color_A.jpg

Here is the column it came from along with Doug Kerr's narrative: http://www.prophotohome.com/forum/canon-eos-digital-slr-1-6x-sensors/55259-580ex-transmission-color-temperature-data.html

Thanks!

This answers my question.

Again, I am amazed that Canon did not just provide this chart.

Not knocking Canon, seems the company may be so large they are having difficulty in finding customer service reps that have an interest in photography, or have the tenacity, interest to continue to search out the data.

Sam