Using Quantary's MS-1 slave flash...Question

jbswear

I was given a Quantary MS-1 slave flash as a gift some time back, but never learned to use it, because every time I do, all of my shots come out underexposed with it.



When I use it, I have my 430EX attached to my XTi.

Can anybody offer me some advice?

ziggy53

jbswear wrote:

I was given a Quantaray MS-1 slave flash as a gift some time back, but never learned to use it, because every time I do, all of my shots come out underexposed with it.

When I use it, I have my 430EX attached to my XTi.

Can anybody offer me some advice?

The "Quantaray MS-1" is a simple optical slaved flash that emits when it senses a flash pulse. If you use an E-TTL II flash, like the Canon 430EX, it emits a "preflash" pulse as part of its exposure calibration. Unfortunately, the Quantaray unit senses that first flash, triggers, and that adds flash to the preflash of the 430EX. Now the 430EX thinks there is much more light that there really is and it throttles the "main" flash pulse down to compensate for the actual exposure.

The short form is that you can't use the Quantaray MS-1 with an E-TTL or E-TTL II flash.

You are somewhat in luck since the Canon 430EX has a "Manual Mode" and the Quantaray would work properly in that mode since the flash emits only once.

BTW, the built-in flash of the XTi also has a pre-flash, but I don't believe you can turn it off.

If you want a little more automation in flash output, an "auto" type flash, like the Sunpak 383 Super or the Vivitar 285HV, should work fine with the Quantaray MS-1.

jbswear

ziggy53 wrote:

The "Quantaray MS-1" is a simple optical slaved flash that emits when it senses a flash pulse. If you use an E-TTL II flash, like the Canon 430EX, it emits a "preflash" pulse as part of its exposure calibration. Unfortunately, the Quantaray unit senses that first flash, triggers, and that adds flash to the preflash of the 430EX. Now the 430EX thinks there is much more light that there really is and it throttles the "main" flash pulse down to compensate for the actual exposure.

The short form is that you can't use the Quantaray MS-1 with an E-TTL or E-TTL II flash.

You are somewhat in luck since the Canon 430EX has a "Manual Mode" and the Quantaray would work properly in that mode since the flash emits only once.

BTW, the built-in flash of the XTi also has a pre-flash, but I don't believe you can turn it off.

If you want a little more automation in flash output, an "auto" type flash, like the Sunpak 383 Super or the Vivitar 285HV, should work fine with the Quantaray MS-1.

Thanks, as always, Ziggy!

I guess it's time to break out the manuals for both my EX and the Quantaray and learn to use them both properly!