Need help with Speedlite 580 EX II/50D combo

[gunna64]

Just got a Speedlite 580 EX II and am having some issues with it on my Canon 50D. It worked fine for about the first 60-70 shots but now just gives me black pictures instead of nice flash illuminated ones.

The flash is set to ETTL and recognises/displays all the camera/lens parameters. If the camera is set to P or (box) it recognises that an external flash is attached and sets the shutter speed to 1/60 .. but the resultant picture is almost jet black with only a couple of highlights visible.

If I now set the camera to M with a shutter speed of 1/125 and f4.5 and the flash to M, I get a nice picture and well illuminated.

Does anyone have any ideas? I've gone through the manual and am at a loss as to what suddenly went wrong.

[Art Vandelay]

Battteries ?

Is it actually flashing ?

Maybe check the exposure compensation hasn't been adjusted way down ?

[gunna64]

Battteries ?

Is it actually flashing ?

Maybe check the exposure compensation hasn't been adjusted way down ?

Art,

Batteries are fresh and pilot light is lit.
Flash is going off when it is supposed to (almost burnt my retinas out checking that one )
FEC is set to zero.

[Gremlin]

I have no clue as to the possible cause/fault but two things Id check
are the contacts clean
if you set the camera to sync speed (tv mode)which is usually around 1/200-1/250(i think) and shoot do you still get the same thing?

[Art Vandelay]

I see you added the bit of working Ok in Manual mode (both camera & flash).

Are you shooting in the dark or using it for fill ?

[gunna64]

Thanks for all the replies for far ....

The plot however thickens ... I get a black screen in E-TTL mode but if I go into the flash settings and override this and make it only TTL ...the flash works fine and I get a well illuminated picture!

E-TTL is definately the problem - however, I wonder what is causing that.

I have cleaned and checked the contacts but it doesn't make a difference.

[gunna64]

....also in addition to the above - I also find that the modelling flash functionality is not working ... I have it set up for the DOF button and when I hit that I "m supposed to get a 1 second pulsing flash.. instead all I'm getting is one big flash and that's it .......hmmmmmm!

[Art Vandelay]

hmm. Try a different lens. Maybe it's not registering focal distance or something wierd.

[Gremlin]

hope you figure this one cos Im picking up a 50 tomorrow!

[pmack]

worse was the problem with the 40D where it would loose ETTL and change to TTL, where the flash would default to full power, and blow out all your shots.

[gunna64]

Yeah, I had that problem too initally but after some messing with the contacts, it righted itself ....now this ... I still can not for the life of me figure out what has happened. I've been through both the 50D manual and the 580 manual and there are no clues in there.

About the 50D, I've had it now just over 20 months and its a solid camera - bit noisy above 400 ISO but good in reasonable light with a decent lens on the front.

[ZedEx]

What shutter speed are you using?

[gunna64]

ZedEx,

The E-TTL automatically sets the shutter speed at 1/250 sec.

I know that the flash worked earlier in the piece with exactly the same settings so I don't think its setup related , more hardware related.

[Roosta]

Stupid question time, have you tried Canon tech Support ???

[MarkChap]

ZedEx,

The E-TTL automatically sets the shutter speed at 1/250 sec.

I know that the flash worked earlier in the piece with exactly the same settings so I don't think its setup related , more hardware related.

Are you sure - that is a function that is enabled through the menu, it only applies in Av(aperture priority mode) the default for that menu item lets the camera choose what ever shutter speed is needed for exposure although it sounds like you are shooting in lower light situations anyway.

Have you got a sample pic or 2 you could post with the exif data intact ?

[MarkChap]

How far away are you ?? from the subject ?? at f4.5 you need to be about 12-13 meters any further and the flash won't reach your subject.

Have you set the flash to manual zoom and therefore the flash head is not zooming to match your focal length which in turn gives you a lower power flash, which would cause under exposure.
Guide Number at 24mm - 28mt so at f4.5 you would need to be with in about 6mtrs
Guide Number at 105mm (full zoom) - 58mt
So you can see that the flash head zoom will have a big impact on exposure

To check attach flash and lens, set flash to E-TTL and try zooming the lens in and out, if you can't hear the flash head zoom that could be your trouble