5d Mk iv metering problems & TTL flash over exposing.

[Jonnyboyb79]

Hi All

I’m a newbie to the mkiv. I have a mkiii and have owned a mkii.

Im on a fast shoot in Orlando with a loan iv (new) and my iii. Im having some real inconsistencies with my iv metering and 580 ex ii flash exposure.

I’ve never had a problem with 580 and mkiii. With flash in ttl and either direct or bounced with a wing type modifier. Always fairly spot on.

The IV is really throwing me. Usually over exposed or too hot. I don’t adjusting using flash compensation but surely I’m doing something wrong? Surely a newer ‘better ‘ camera can’t be throwing me off so much more than iii. I even tested, same flash, same settings and same 24-105 lens. Still firing over and too punchy. I’m baffled. Usually pretty manic so not masses of time to fault find but at this rate I’ll have to resort to one camera! I’m a director of photography first and foremost in uk, but I trained in stills and have done this same kids charity shoot lots. With no problems before.

Any help would be amazing grateful.

I’m often shooting TTL. Shutter priority, evaluative metering but vary it sometimes. Have also tried my speedite 600ex ii. Same problem? I can’t believe it’s a camera fault but something I’m doing wrong!!!

Thanks all in advance.

[RobertTheFat]

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Jonnyboyb79 wrote:
Hi All

I’m a newbie to the mkiv. I have a mkiii and have owned a mkii.

Im on a fast shoot in Orlando with a loan iv (new) and my iii. Im having some real inconsistencies with my iv metering and 580 ex ii flash exposure.

I’ve never had a problem with 580 and mkiii. With flash in ttl and either direct or bounced with a wing type modifier. Always fairly spot on.

The IV is really throwing me. Usually over exposed or too hot. I don’t adjusting using flash compensation but surely I’m doing something wrong? Surely a newer ‘better ‘ camera can’t be throwing me off so much more than iii. I even tested, same flash, same settings and same 24-105 lens. Still firing over and too punchy. I’m baffled. Usually pretty manic so not masses of time to fault find but at this rate I’ll have to resort to one camera! I’m a director of photography first and foremost in uk, but I trained in stills and have done this same kids charity shoot lots. With no problems before.

Any help would be amazing grateful.

I’m often shooting TTL. Shutter priority, evaluative metering but vary it sometimes. Have also tried my speedite 600ex ii. Same problem? I can’t believe it’s a camera fault but something I’m doing wrong!!!

Thanks all in advance.

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If you use a TTL flash on an E-TTL camera, it will invariably cause gross overexposure. Since the 5D4 is an E-TTL camera, set your flash to E-TTL.

The 5D3 is also an E-TTL camera, so I don't know why you didn't have the same problem with it. Did you possibly have the flash set to E-TTL for the 5D3?

[Jonnyboyb79]

Hi Bob in Boston! I meant ETTL mode, my apologises for that.

[TCampbell]

What mode are you using?  

For example, when I use flash, I often use Av mode... with the flash in E-TTL II (I use 600EX-RT speedlites) and in the caemra's "External Speedlite control" menu, I've set the "Flash sync. speed in Av mode" to the 1/200-1/60A mode -- which means that while the camera can pick the shutter speed (as per usual in Av mode) it is not allowed to pick a speed faster than 1/200th, nor slower than 1/60th.

This allows the camera to meter for ambient light, take a flash exposure (to use the flash as fill light) ... but if the ambient light is dim enough that the camera would have wanted a speed slower than 1/60th, it will still cut off the shot (to avoid motion blur). 

I've set that in both my 5D III and my 5D IV.

I'm wondering if one of your cameras is configured different than the other.

[Joana]

Hi! Have you sorted out your problem yet?

I've got the exact same problem!

Canon 5D MkIV + canon speedlite on ettl (any speedlite, i've tested 2).

It's super inconsistent. 

😞