Flash triggers no exposure control?

BlastedGlute

So I have cheap enough fm flash triggers for my 60D and 550ex flash(the following issue is the same with my friends 580exII)

Mounted on a flash stand and using the receiver, I don't seem to have any control over the flash exposure compensation. I know that it won't work from my camera settings and I understand wwphy. The wireless in my camera works from a beam sent from the inboard flash to the wireless flashgun. So with the transmitter fixed to my camera not allowing the inboard flash to pop up, it can't tell the flash what info it needs to alter compensation. But when I go to my flash gun, on ettl mode, and hit "set" once, I get the option to change what looks to be compensation on the flashgun. But this doesn't change anything? At all settings it's the same exposure?


Any suggestions?

Effects

Use the flash in manual mode and dial in the power there.

Cosmo K

Well, if you want exposure control, try

http://www.pocketwizard.com/

but there are not exactly cheap.......

richardbradley

Yep, when you attach your cheap trigger you completely lose ttl control and effectively have manual flash - requiring trial and error to get right.

To use ttl wirelessly you either need your pop up flash and line of sight to the flash, or if you want to trigger it (to remove line of sight requirement) you will need a few hundred quids worth of pocketwizard type trigger and receiver.

Effects

Pop up flash won't transmit ttl information.

.Longshanks.

Effects wrote: »

Pop up flash won't transmit ttl information.

It will on my canon 7d - and I think the 60D as well

The pop-up already emits both white light (that you can see) and infrared light (that you can't see). The infrared light light contains the ttl info needed - it just so happens to be putting out white light at the same time.......I think!

There is a setting to tell the pop-up flash to only trigger the off camera flash (a 430ex in my case).....some white light still comes out, but not enough to be picked up in the exposure.

OP - have you set your off-camera flash to slave mode?

Effects

I meant the flash itself wouldn't transmit the info. I should have gone into the IR transmitter part. Friend of mine has that in his 7D but doesn't really use it. He saw myself and a friend using wireless triggers though and ordered them instead. Didn't know the 60D had the same feature as the 7D. Maybe the light that comes out of the pop up flash is for metering? A bit like the first flash fire when shooting 2nd curtain sync with the 580.
Word is the new Canon flash will have a rf transmitter built in with a newer version of the ST-E2 working with it.

kev88

nope 7D is canons first camera to have a wireless chip. I find it easier just manually adjusting it after metering