Speedlite/flash issue

[paulheath]

Ok dont know if im just missing something or im a complete bafoon....I have one 600ex-rt and two 600 exII-rt , now the issue im having is that when the flash is connected to camera , all is well, HSS works like a charm, ETTL all good ...its when i Turn the Flash off ,my camera ( 7D ) goes to max 1/250 , turn on flash..any shutter speed i like ( with HSS that is ) the only way i can get shutter speed back to "normal " ie any speed is by removing the flash....so recap... Flash on camera , turned on all is good... flash on camera, turned OFF ...shutter speed max 1/250.... take flash off camera and all good again... this issue is only with the 600exII-rt not the 600ex-rt....any ideas

[nardes]

I suspect that when the Speedlite is mounted on the camera and powered on, it is communicating with the 7D that there is an external Speedlite mounted and set to HSS.

When you power off the Speedlite, then maybe the 7D thinks, uh oh, no external HSS Speedlite mounted, I' better default to 1/250 sec now for the built in flash to operate correctly?

Cheers

Dennis

[paulheath]

I suspect that when the Speedlite is mounted on the camera and powered on, it is communicating with the 7D that there is an external Speedlite mounted and set to HSS.

When you power off the Speedlite, then maybe the 7D thinks, uh oh, no external HSS Speedlite mounted, I' better default to 1/250 sec now for the built in flash to operate correctly?

Cheers

Dennis

im baffled with it .......call myself advanced...

[Tannin]

Is this with your external flashes switched on?

If not, then it is a clear fault with the hardware and should be fixed under warranty. (Assuming that warranty applies.)

("Should" <> "will be".)

[paulheath]

Is this with your external flashes switched on?

If not, then it is a clear fault with the hardware and should be fixed under warranty. (Assuming that warranty applies.)

("Should" <> "will be".)

Switchd on, everything works fine, switched off and shutter speed maxed at 1/250... remove flash..shutter speed back to normal

[Tannin]

So this is with the connected internal flash and the external flashes switched all OFF? (Just to confirm.)

If so, then the camera is detecting the flash where it should not. When you attach an external flash to any Canon camera (within), if it is switched off, the camera normally detects nothing (which is correct) and functions exactly the same way as it does with no flash connected at all. This has been true of however many different Canon DSLRs I have used with external flash, maybe six or eight models, certainly including 7D and 7D II, 1D III and 1D IV, 5D II and 5D IV, and probably one or more of 20D, 40D, and 50D as well. (The flashes have all been 580EX II or 600EX some model I forget. Does 600EX II RT sound right? Doesn't matter, in this regard they are all the same.)

Just one thought - OK, it's a really stupid question but not as stupid as not asking it - you are physically switching both the camera and the flash off and then restarting them in the correct order whenever you change your gear around? 1: switch everything off; 2: add or remove flash; 3: switch on flash(s); 4: switch on camera. If you fail to do this, things quite often work anyway, but you tend to get particular niggles. The one I usually get is the camera not recognising the flash correctly and thinking it is a dumb flash not capable of HSS.

From memory, this happens more often with some bodies than others. I think the 1 Series ones are less fussy than the old 5D II, but I can't remember exactly.

Another thing to try to troubleshoot: borrow different Canon flashes to test with. Confirm that the problem is still there. And what happens if you remove the batteries from your flash? Does the camera still go to 1/250th? Have tried cleaning the contacts?

Sorry for so many different, disjointed points all jumbled together Paul. It's late and my brain has turned into jelly. Bedtime!

[paulheath]

So this is with the connected internal flash and the external flashes switched all OFF? (Just to confirm.)

If so, then the camera is detecting the flash where it should not. When you attach an external flash to any Canon camera (within), if it is switched off, the camera normally detects nothing (which is correct) and functions exactly the same way as it does with no flash connected at all. This has been true of however many different Canon DSLRs I have used with external flash, maybe six or eight models, certainly including 7D and 7D II, 1D III and 1D IV, 5D II and 5D IV, and probably one or more of 20D, 40D, and 50D as well. (The flashes have all been 580EX II or 600EX some model I forget. Does 600EX II RT sound right? Doesn't matter, in this regard they are all the same.)

Just one thought - OK, it's a really stupid question but not as stupid as not asking it - you are physically switching both the camera and the flash off and then restarting them in the correct order whenever you change your gear around? 1: switch everything off; 2: add or remove flash; 3: switch on flash(s); 4: switch on camera. If you fail to do this, things quite often work anyway, but you tend to get particular niggles. The one I usually get is the camera not recognising the flash correctly and thinking it is a dumb flash not capable of HSS.

From memory, this happens more often with some bodies than others. I think the 1 Series ones are less fussy than the old 5D II, but I can't remember exactly.

Another thing to try to troubleshoot: borrow different Canon flashes to test with. Confirm that the problem is still there. And what happens if you remove the batteries from your flash? Does the camera still go to 1/250th? Have tried cleaning the contacts?

Sorry for so many different, disjointed points all jumbled together Paul. It's late and my brain has turned into jelly. Bedtime!

thanks for the input .... and yes i always use correct " turn off/on" sequence.. batteries out..same issue 1/250.. cleaned contacts, nothing..... and works fine with the 600ex-rt just not the mark II's
..... looks like i will just have to use the off camera as slaves....

cheers mate

[Tannin]

This is starting to look like a firmware issue, Paul. I suggest posting on one of the big US fora with it, either Fred Miranda or DPR. That might tell you whether anyone else has the same problem. After that, it's the sort of thing Canon should fix (assuming that it is indeed a firmware issue, which seems likely as it's difficult to account for otherwise). If it's a weird fault with camera or flash, well, you are stuck with it.

OK, I just tested using my own 7D Mark 1 and 600EX-II RT. No problem. High shutter speeds available with flash on or off. Just to confirm, it is the Mark 1 7D you have?

[paulheath]

This is starting to look like a firmware issue, Paul. I suggest posting on one of the big US fora with it, either Fred Miranda or DPR. That might tell you whether anyone else has the same problem. After that, it's the sort of thing Canon should fix (assuming that it is indeed a firmware issue, which seems likely as it's difficult to account for otherwise). If it's a weird fault with camera or flash, well, you are stuck with it.

OK, I just tested using my own 7D Mark 1 and 600EX-II RT. No problem. High shutter speeds available with flash on or off. Just to confirm, it is the Mark 1 7D you have?

thanks for your help..i shall investigate further... and yes 7D mrk1... unfortunatley out of warranty....

[nardes]

Clutching at straws now, but you haven't accidentally invoked a Custom Function (CF) somewhere, whilst scrolling through the Menus like I do when I get new gear or when just idly exploring?

I wonder if a reset to Default might help?

Cheers

Dennis

[Tannin]

I'd had te sam thought, Dennis, but getting a camera back to just the way you like it after a reset to factory defaults is such a pain I was hesitant to suggest it until we know that it is the camera and not the flash which is the problem child. If Paul lived a bit closer I'd suggest he try mix and match with my 7D 1 and 500EX-II RT. But there is bound to be someone with those items closer to him.

Only then would I try a factory reset.

(It is very difficult to imagine a camera hardware fault leading to these symptoms. Hardware faults tend to be more dramatic. At least, that is the case with computers, and cameras these days are just very expensive little computers.)

[arthurking83]

... and yes 7D mrk1... unfortunatley out of warranty....

Question has to be asked ... what firmware is the camera running.
I know zero about Canon produts, but I was curious as to why you have the issue.

Had a quick search and the latest firmware is 2.0.3 or something.
There have been a few updates since the original firmware.

if you have an older version, may be worthwhile trying the update.