topic Re: Canon EOS R100 and 550EX wireless settings in Speedlite Flashes

Help with EOS R100 and 550EX wireless settings

shopstefanov89 — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 13:28:00 GMT

Hi everyone,

Could you please assist with wireless settings step by step for Canon EOS R100 as I can't find anything in google for it?
Thank you

Re: Canon EOS R100 and 550EX wireless settings

deebatman316 — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 22:55:39 GMT

Wireless Flash settings must be set on the Flash unit itself. The 550EX IS NOT COMPATIBLE with the Speedlite Control Menu. The 550EX must be in the hot shoe and set to "Master" mode on the mode switch below the LCD screen. Then the off camera speedlite(s) must be set to "Slave" mode. Some will have a physical switch others will have an LCD screen to set the flash to "Slave" Mode depending on the off camera speedlite(s) being used. We need to know what model speedlite(s) are being used off camera. With your 550EX mounted on the camera the Flash Functions Menu will show items grayed out or missing. That is the picture I have posted below.

Re: Canon EOS R100 and 550EX wireless settings

shopstefanov89 — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:06:01 GMT

Thank you for your reply 🙂 Would you please explain it me step step?
Thank you

Re: Canon EOS R100 and 550EX wireless settings

deebatman316 — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:19:29 GMT

The next step would be to ensure that the off camera speedlite is compatible with Canon's older Optical Wireless Flash System. We need to know what the FULL NAME of the off camera speedlite(s) are. If they're Canon they could support 2 different INCOMPATIBLE systems. So we need to know what the model is. Some support BOTH optical and radio. Some only support Optical only or radio only. So we need to know to know the off camera speedlite(s) being used. Speedlites that support BOTH systems we must set it to Optical Slave. It can easily be set to the wrong mode. Also some only support Radio which is INCOMPATIBLE with the older Optical System. Look at pages 52-76 of the 550EX Manual for setting up wireless flash.

Re: Canon EOS R100 and 550EX wireless settings

shopstefanov89 — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:19:56 GMT

The full name is Canon speedlite 550EX.
Would you tell me how to set it up to my camera please step by step, please?
So
1 - put the speedlite on to the camera
2- turn the speedlite on
3- turn the camera on
4- switch speedlite to "master"
etc
Thank you very much for your help

Re: Canon EOS R100 and 550EX wireless settings

deebatman316 — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:31:21 GMT

If you’re using the 550EX alone off camera then it would be a slave then. You need another flash or optical master to make the 550EX work off camera.

Re: Canon EOS R100 and 550EX wireless settings

shopstefanov89 — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:39:52 GMT

So I can't use wireless option for my camera?

Re: Canon EOS R100 and 550EX wireless settings

deebatman316 — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:45:21 GMT

The camera itself cannot fire off camera speedlites alone. It requires another flash in the hot shoe capable of using the older optical wireless system. Or a transmitter in the hot shoe such as the Canon ST-E2 to fire off camera speedlites.

Re: Canon EOS R100 and 550EX wireless settings

shopstefanov89 — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:56:45 GMT

So I need this one installed onto the camera:

Canon Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2

and then to connect to the 550EX?

Re: Canon EOS R100 and 550EX wireless settings

deebatman316 — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 00:16:13 GMT

Yes or another speedlite such as another 550EX, 580EX (Classic), 580EX II, 600EX-RT, 600EX II-RT, EL-100 & EL-1. Can be used as a Master or Sender Flash to fire off camera speedlites.

Re: Canon EOS R100 and 550EX wireless settings

shopstefanov89 — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:57:33 GMT

ok, thank you for your help 🙂

Re: Canon EOS R100 and 550EX wireless settings

deebatman316 — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 00:04:03 GMT

If you do go the route of another speedlite with “RT” or EL-1 these speedlites support BOTH optical and Radio. If you do get those speedlites make sure they’re set to Optical Wireless instead of Radio Wireless. The newer Radio/ RT system is INCOMPATIBLE with the older Optical system. Also the ST-E2 is an older transmitter and IS NOT COMPATIBLE with the camera’s flash menu. All settings must be set on the transmitter itself. Settings are grayed out or missing. Newer Speedlites such as the 600EX II-RT will be compatible with the camera’s flash menu.

Re: Canon EOS R100 and 550EX wireless settings

deebatman316 — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 00:34:16 GMT

For my off camera flash work I don't use the ST-E2 transmitter instead I use the 600EX II-RT on the camera. Then off camera I use the old 550EX & 420EX on the left and right sides. The main flash is the 600EX II-RT which is on camera that send the signal out. The bottom portion of the speedlite where the Red "IR AF Assist Beam" is needs to be pointed back towards the camera. But the flash head itself can be repositioned to face the subject. The on speedlite or transmitter sends out a modulated pre-flash that the off camera speedlite(s) sees. This is what makes the off camera speedlite(s) fire. The 550EX needs to be set to Slave Mode for this to work. The ST-E2 can only be a master. All you have to do is make sure the 550EX & ST-E2 are set to the same channel and the same group. Flash Groups can only be "Group A" and "Group B" with the ST-E2. But if a speedlite is being used on camera and set to wireless mode "Group C" can be added in. Also Flash Ratios can be used. You can set one flash to fire more power or less if you use more than one off camera speedlite. The ST-E2 uses special batteries not regular AA Batteries like flash units. Instead it uses a special 2CR5 battery which isn't a typical battery that you see in stores. Another speedlite mounted on the camera may be a better choice because those use the normal AA batteries.

Re: Canon EOS R100 and 550EX wireless settings

shopstefanov89 — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 20:30:59 GMT

Thank you mate! That's realy helpful.