External Flash

[LiamDriscoll]

Canon T5i Users manual makes reference only to speedlite external flash.  Is Vivitar SF3000 external flash compatible with T5i - camera says not compatible.  

[RobertTheFat]

There are two kinds of incompatibility. One occurs when there's a significant voltage mismatch between the camera and the flash, which can result in damage to one device or the other. I believe that's pretty rare these days.

The other incompatibility is that many 3rd-party flash units don't support Canon's ETTL ("Enhanced Through-The-Lens") metering technology. In those cases you can often make it work, but only with manual settings on the camera and the flash. Some users don't mind that; others do.

[LiamDriscoll]

Thank you for your response.  The external flash in question was purchased as part of a deluxe bundle on Amazon.  I just received it yesterday with all parts being brand new.  With the external flash in the hot shoe, the camera will not allow any adjustments to the flash settings because it presumably recognizes that it is incompatible.  I guess my question is - is it possible that a bundle package like this could include non-compatible hardware.  thanks for your time.

[RobertTheFat]

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@LiamDriscoll wrote:

Thank you for your response.  The external flash in question was purchased as part of a deluxe bundle on Amazon.  I just received it yesterday with all parts being brand new.  With the external flash in the hot shoe, the camera will not allow any adjustments to the flash settings because it presumably recognizes that it is incompatible.

Before you give up, make sure the flash unit doesn't have an "ETTL" setting that would presumably make it compatible. It may be there, but just not set.

I guess my question is - is it possible that a bundle package like this could include non-compatible hardware.  thanks for your time.

That I couldn't tell you. If the bundle were put together by one of the reputable New York stores, I'd say it's pretty unlikely they'd get it wrong. I haven't bought enough from Amazon to have an opinion.

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[TCampbell]

The bundles are generally a bad idea because the vendor throws in several "junk" grade components to pump up the perceived value of the bundle.  A $10 flash, a $100 flash, and a $500 flash have vast differences.

In order for the camera to communicate with and control the flash, it must be an E-TTL compatible flash.   All the current Canon flash models are E-TTL, and there are a few third party options as well.

The flash you have can only do basic manual firing.  It simply closes the circuit between the center pin and ground pin and the flash fires.  The camera has no control over how the flash fires because it's not an E-TTL flash.

[ebiggs1]

I would return the "delux bundle" today.  It is junk.  Sorry to be so blunt but it is the truth.

Buy the camera from B&H Photo or Adorama or a local Best Buy.  You may have a local true camera store, too.  Make sure any store is a Canon USA retailer.

[MikeSowsun · Accepted solution]

The SF3000 only costs $14 and is really supposed to be used as a slave flash on Point and Shoot cameras with no hotshoe. It can be used in the hotshoe of your T5i but has no compatibility with any Canon camera or any other camera.  It will just pop some light and it will be up to you to try and adjust the aperture or ISO so that you can get proper exposure. 

B&H Photo $14 Vivitar SF-3000 Digital Slave Flash

[LiamDriscoll]

Thank you Mike