Canon EOS-D400 and non-Canon flash?

On Sun, 8 Apr 2007 08:17:22 +0200, "OldBoy" wrote:
: "Skip" wrote in message
:
: > I just tried my old 540EZ and my daughter's Rebel Xt, and it does not
: > fire. It is a Canon dedicated flash, just not for the ETTL enabled
: > cameras.
:
: From http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/#faq4
: "Canon digital cameras can only use Canon Speedlite flash models with names
: ending in EX. If your Canon flash unit has a model name which ends with E or
: EZ or anything else then it will not work with any Canon digital EOS
: camera."

Well, here's what the 400D manual itself says on the subject:

"Canon Speedlites other than the EX-series
The flash cannot be fired with an EZ/E/EG/ML/TL-series Speedlite set in the
TTL or A-TTL autoflash mode. Use the Speedlite's manual flash mode instead if
provided."

Bob
 >> Stay informed about: Canon EOS-D400 and non-Canon flash? 

Rudy Lacchin wrote:

-8<-

> Anyone here use an EOS with an external, non-Speedlite? What am I doing
> wrong?!
>
I own an EOS400d and have a non canon speedlite alike flash (luxon
powerzoom 360AFC). That one used to work flawlessly on my canon eos-IX slr.

It seemed logical to me it would work the same way on my EOS 400D. I did
revert to manual mode on the flash to get some use out of it, since I
had problems with it as well. It did fire, but that was about it.

My EOS 400D came with firmware 1.0.4. This morning I have downloaded
firmware version 1.0.5. Things that were fixed in the firmware:

This firmware update (Version 1.0.5) incorporates the following fixes
and improvement.:

1. Fixes the printing of lens names when using PictBridge.
2. [Redeye 1] can now be selected when connecting with specific printers.
3. Improves the reliability of communication with the Speedlite 380EX.

After the update I hooked up my flash, and it does work like normal again.

So I would suggest checking what firmware your EOS-400D runs, and if it
does not run 1.0.5 update yours.

Here's the link for the download and the steps to take:

http://www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/eosdigital3/e4kr3_firmware-e.html

Hope this helps.

Oz
 >> Stay informed about: Canon EOS-D400 and non-Canon flash? 

On Mon, 30 Apr 2007 11:33:42 +0200, oz wrote:
: Rudy Lacchin wrote:
:
: -8<-
:
: > Anyone here use an EOS with an external, non-Speedlite? What am I doing
: > wrong?!
: >
: I own an EOS400d and have a non canon speedlite alike flash (luxon
: powerzoom 360AFC). That one used to work flawlessly on my canon eos-IX slr.
:
: It seemed logical to me it would work the same way on my EOS 400D. I did
: revert to manual mode on the flash to get some use out of it, since I
: had problems with it as well. It did fire, but that was about it.
:
: My EOS 400D came with firmware 1.0.4. This morning I have downloaded
: firmware version 1.0.5. Things that were fixed in the firmware:
:
: This firmware update (Version 1.0.5) incorporates the following fixes
: and improvement.:
:
: 1. Fixes the printing of lens names when using PictBridge.
: 2. [Redeye 1] can now be selected when connecting with specific printers.
: 3. Improves the reliability of communication with the Speedlite 380EX.
:
: After the update I hooked up my flash, and it does work like normal again.
:
: So I would suggest checking what firmware your EOS-400D runs, and if it
: does not run 1.0.5 update yours.
:
: Here's the link for the download and the steps to take:
:
: http://www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/eosdigital3/e4kr3_firmware-e.html
:
: Hope this helps.
:
: Oz

I wonder if "improvement" no. 3 applies also to the 580EX. What I do know is
that I've been unhappy with the performance of the 580EX I bought for my XTi.
Sometimes I get excellent results, but frequently the combination underexposes
by a stop or two. And once in a while I'll get a truly bizarre overexposure
that results in a totally unrecoverable picture. I guess I'll just do the
upgrade and hope for the best.

Bob
 >> Stay informed about: Canon EOS-D400 and non-Canon flash? 

On Thu, 10 May 2007 22:00:07 -0400, I wrote:
: On Mon, 30 Apr 2007 11:33:42 +0200, oz wrote:
: : Rudy Lacchin wrote:
: :
: : -8<-
: :
: : > Anyone here use an EOS with an external, non-Speedlite? What am I doing
: : > wrong?!
: : >
: : I own an EOS400d and have a non canon speedlite alike flash (luxon
: : powerzoom 360AFC). That one used to work flawlessly on my canon eos-IX slr.
: :
: : It seemed logical to me it would work the same way on my EOS 400D. I did
: : revert to manual mode on the flash to get some use out of it, since I
: : had problems with it as well. It did fire, but that was about it.
: :
: : My EOS 400D came with firmware 1.0.4. This morning I have downloaded
: : firmware version 1.0.5. Things that were fixed in the firmware:
: :
: : This firmware update (Version 1.0.5) incorporates the following fixes
: : and improvement.:
: :
: : 1. Fixes the printing of lens names when using PictBridge.
: : 2. [Redeye 1] can now be selected when connecting with specific printers.
: : 3. Improves the reliability of communication with the Speedlite 380EX.
: :
: : After the update I hooked up my flash, and it does work like normal again.
: :
: : So I would suggest checking what firmware your EOS-400D runs, and if it
: : does not run 1.0.5 update yours.
: :
: : Here's the link for the download and the steps to take:
: :
: : http://www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/eosdigital3/e4kr3_firmware-e.html
: :
: : Hope this helps.
: :
: : Oz
:
: I wonder if "improvement" no. 3 applies also to the 580EX. What I do know
: is that I've been unhappy with the performance of the 580EX I bought for
: my XTi. Sometimes I get excellent results, but frequently the combination
: underexposes by a stop or two. And once in a while I'll get a truly bizarre
: overexposure that results in a totally unrecoverable picture. I guess I'll
: just do the upgrade and hope for the best.

I've only very recently observed the cause of that "truly bizarre
overexposure": The flash unit spontaneously shifts into "TTL" mode, and
therefore fires only at full power on any E-TTL ("Type A") Canon DSLR. I've
had it happen during recent photo shoots on both a 7D and a 50D. The most
recent time (on the 50D), I was able to get it back into E-TTL mode only by
removing the batteries and letting it sit for a few minutes unpowered.
(Cycling the power switch and/or pushing the "Mode" button had no effect.) Has
anyone else seen anything similar? Is there a fix, or is my 580EX circling the
drain? My wife and I each have a 580EX II, and I haven't seen the problem on
either of those units.

Bob
 >> Stay informed about: Canon EOS-D400 and non-Canon flash?