How hot is the 580E

Aaron Wilson · May 27, 2005

I have had 2 photographers say that the 590E for the 20d is so good to use with the camera they never take it off and shoot with it 100% of the time. That it makes a big diffrence on the color cones and so on... even in high sun light. Any feed back on this? I personally hate using a flash.. always to much white wash. I will do what ever it takes not to use a flash... but after hearing this from these two guys.. Hmmm. makes me wonder.

Khaos · May 27, 2005

Have you ever used a professional flash?

Have you read up on the proper way to use a flash?

I ask because I felt basicly the same way as you before I bought the 580 and learned how to use it.

It's an awesome piece of equipment, though some will argue the Sigma 500 is just as good at less cost.

However, I do prefer natural light and will use that first before grabbing the flash. It's a personal preference. I've not been dissappointed with the 580 since I bought it.

mercphoto · May 31, 2005

Sometimes bright sunlight is the best time to use a flash. It depends on the type of photography you are doing. For photographing people outdoors, for example, some fill-flash in the bright sun can do wonders for a photo.

I like the 580EX myself quite a bit, though I have found that I needed to actually LEARN how to use flash properly. This shouldn't be surprising, however. Had to learn how to properly use the camera as well. Once I learned how to use the flash I am quite happy with the results.

Its to the point that I use the flash during outdoor kart and motocross racing as well. Even have a Canon battery pack for the flash unit. There are times I contract out for a local race photog as well, and he insists I use a flash on every shot I take.

Bodley · May 31, 2005

mercphoto wrote:

I have found that I needed to actually LEARN how to use flash properly.

Flash use is my main weakness. I'm shooting youth sporting events and haven't bothered to get proficient with a flash. I can envision "Little Johnny's" mom in my face - "Little Johnny would have made the play if you hadn't BLINDED him with that flash!" Yes, i admit it, I scared of "Little Johnny's" MOM. I have talked with several other photogs and officials which said no problem with the flash - except gymnastics & diving where a flash is FORBIDDEN.

I know I need to learn more. Any good resources on the proper use of the flash - preferably Canon 580ex and canon 1DmkII?

mercphoto · May 31, 2005

Bodley wrote:

"Little Johnny would have made the play if you hadn't BLINDED him with that flash!" Yes, i admit it, I scared of "Little Johnny's" MOM.

I had the same worries about my racing photography. Here I was worried about blinding a driver and sending him off the course. But after talking to many drivers they say it doesn't bother them at all. Some don't even notice it. Night racing is a bit different. I'll only take profile shots with the flash, not head-on. Even then, they say the flash isn't bothering them. My biggest problem with night racing, interestingly enough, isn't the power of the 580EX. It will properly illuminate a 50mph racing kart at distances of 100 feet. The problem is the camera not being able to auto-focus in light that low, even with a 2.8 telephoto.

Oh, to have a 1dMkII.

I've read books and web pages about the use of flash. They were of minimal value to me. I just had to use it and experiment. I've found that for indoor, or for close-up flash photography, I get far better results with the flash up 45 degrees, bounce shield extended, and -2/3 a stop of FEC dialed in. This works even without a ceiling to bounce off of (such as outdoors) because the bounce shield is rather effective. For outdoor racing, where the distances are greater, I put the flash unit straigh ahead and again -2/3 stop of FEC. Sometimes, under extreme backlighting situations I need positive FEC.

Also, if you have the time to do so, making use of FEL can be a big help in flash metering as well.

If my only complaint was about the system is that there is no one setting that makes flash work for all situations. Then again, I haven't played around with the exposure modes either, which might make a difference in how the flash works too.

Aaron Wilson · May 31, 2005

thank you
What is the best way on how to use a flash..

... just trial and error or is there a good book? Maybe thats why I hate flashes...

DavidTO · May 31, 2005

Bodley wrote:

Flash use is my main weakness. I'm shooting youth sporting events and haven't bothered to get proficient with a flash. I can envision "Little Johnny's" mom in my face - "Little Johnny would have made the play if you hadn't BLINDED him with that flash!" Yes, i admit it, I scared of "Little Johnny's" MOM. I have talked with several other photogs and officials which said no problem with the flash - except gymnastics & diving where a flash is FORBIDDEN.

I know I need to learn more. Any good resources on the proper use of the flash - preferably Canon 580ex and canon 1DmkII?

Not sure how much good a flash would do from the distance necessary in gymnastics or diving, anyway.

I've been playing with my flash and the new diffuser I got, the Lightsphere II, and it made a huge difference this weekend at the bbqs that I went to. It made a nice, even and pleasing fill for the harsh sunlight. The big knob on the end of my flash was both a little intimidating and a great conversation piece.

I did mention in another thread that you have to be clear on how to set your camera to use the flash as fill, instead of as the primary light source. If you are in bright daylight following young kids around, the shutter speed will be 1/60 if you are shooting flash in program on my 20D. That means that your action will be blurred. Using shutter priority forces the flash to act merely as fill, and yields much better results.

Bodley · May 31, 2005

DavidTO wrote:

I've been playing with my flash and the new diffuser I got, the Lightsphere II, and it made a huge difference

How does this compare to the Sto-fen Omni Bounce?

DavidTO wrote:

I did mention in another thread that you have to be clear on how to set your camera to use the flash as fill, instead of as the primary light source...... Using shutter priority forces the flash to act merely as fill, and yields much better results.

Will using my camera in SP mode make the 580ex automatically adjust to fill flash?

DavidTO · May 31, 2005

Bodley wrote:

How does this compare to the Sto-fen Omni Bounce?

I don't know. But it works well. A little cumbersome to put on, though.

Will using my camera in SP mode make the 580ex automatically adjust to fill flash?

I don't know. I am just learning how to wrangle it on my 20D. I found that shutter priority worked great (Tv). Is SP shutter priority? If so, that's the ticket.

Bodley · May 31, 2005

DavidTO wrote:

I don't know. I am just learning how to wrangle it on my 20D. I found that shutter priority worked great (Tv). Is SP shutter priority? If so, that's the ticket.

SP=Tv oops, is my ignorance showing?

Thank you Sir, may I have another?:whip

pathfinder · May 31, 2005

DavidTO wrote:

Not sure how much good a flash would do from the distance necessary in gymnastics or diving, anyway.

I've been playing with my flash and the new diffuser I got, the Lightsphere II, and it made a huge difference this weekend at the bbqs that I went to. It made a nice, even and pleasing fill for the harsh sunlight. The big knob on the end of my flash was both a little intimidating and a great conversation piece.

I did mention in another thread that you have to be clear on how to set your camera to use the flash as fill, instead of as the primary light source. If you are in bright daylight following young kids around, the shutter speed will be 1/60 if you are shooting flash in program on my 20D. That means that your action will be blurred. Using shutter priority forces the flash to act merely as fill, and yields much better results.

I tend to shoot fill flash in Av mode quite a bit. As to reach with the 580ex, using it for fill, shooting birds, works fine out to about 15-20 feet without a Beemer. For longer distances >20 feet, a Beemer is the way to go.
I prefer to avoid P mode for flash unless there is no availble light to be had. Maybe P with a Lightsphere might work, I have not played with my LSII much yet. It does look wierd.

Here is a shot with Av mode and fill flash without a Beemer, at about 25 feet or more.

I know no one wants to look at feed bags, but this is a nice demonstration of fill flash without a Beemer in Av mode. I usually use -2/3 EC also. Sometimes -1, and sometimes -1/3. I kinda eyeball it - depends on the level of ambient illumination too.

mercphoto · May 31, 2005

pathfinder wrote:

Here is a shot with Av mode and fill flash without a Beemer, at about 25 feet or more.

I really like how the flash adds a sparkle to the bird's eyes.

How hot is the 580E

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