600 EX 2 Diffuser and Zoom Control!

[photopro]

Canon you blew it on 3 things on the RT EX2!  

• I thought you would revise the custom function to have the flash coverage (wider than normal, narrower than normal) to a menu item so it could be readily accessed.  There are many times I could have used the function changed to wider than normal, like when the bride and groom are at the front of the church and you want to capture the congregation behind them with some fill.  If one could switch to wide quickly it would solve it.
• The biggest snafu is the new diffuser.  When the diffuser is attached the zoom function is disabled and the automatic zooming to match focal length is not operable.  WHY?  Why did you change this from the previous model?  I notice when i shot with the diffuser in a church there is a hotspot in middle because the zoom function is disabled.  Just because the diffuser is on doesnt mean zoom function isnt needed. Actually its needed just as much as without it to produce the illumination coverage needed.
• The other thing you cant seem to solve is getting the slave flash in auto zoom mode.  If you use the on camera flash as a controller and its set to auto zoom (w/o the diffuser of course!) the slave flash is not in auto zoom.  That doesnt make sense to me because if you forget and leave the slave on 28mm, and you are shooting at 170mm the slave is going to either act as too much fill, or use too much power which reduces recycling times.  

I can live with the zoom issue on the slave but the diffuser setting is useless.  I will look for a diffuser that DOES NOT COMMUNICATE THAT IT IS ON THE CAMERA, THUS ALLOWING THE AUTO ZOOM FUNCTION.  I dont know if its the same for the $1000 el model, and i aint spending $1000 to find out!

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

Issues like these.  I would suggest engaging Canon Support.  They might have a tip or suggestion for you.  There might also be a specific reason this "function" does not exist or work like you might expect.  You might be surprised.

[photopro]

thanks, but i am versed in canon speedlites, studio lights, and specifically  Canon speedlites having used them for a long time.  The stofen adapter, or whatever nomenclature used, when used on the previous model did not communicate with the flash as the ex2 does.  The adapter did not affectt the zoom function.  Canon says the adapter is for bounce which is true but the adapter is used for direct flash to the subject, spreading the light, which also softens it, which Canon does not state, only spread.  i understand their explanation for bounce but we used the old stofens on the ex model for all flash used INSIDE, and removed it for outside use to maximize output.  All i am saying is the zoom feature should not be disabled because an adapter as they call it, is used...

thanks

[jrhoffman75]

Canon refers to the device you are calling a diffuser as a "bounce adapter" and discusses it being used to bounce of the ceilis and walls. See page 36 of the manual. For bounce you would want maximum light spread thus widest zoom.

Sto-fen sells diffusers.

[photopro]

thanks for the reply.  yes i understand Canons explanation of the adapter, but the zoom feature should not be disabled because of the adapter.  When using the stofens we used them for direct flash also without disabling the zoom feature.  Although they dont specifically state that it softens the light, it does.  Shoot 2 shots one with the stofen and one without (non bounce) and the shadows will be softer.  The spread causes light loss which is why the state the power may  have to be adjusted.  I just use the Canon "bounce adapter" and the ex2 for a wedding in a church, as i have done with the ex and the stofen.  It resulted in a hot spot when i zoomed out because the zoom is disabled.  the stofen didnt do this as it didnt interfere with the zoom feature and spread the light more, but resulted in even light across the frame.  When light is bounced it still spread naturally depending on the bounce material; ceiling, walls, umbrella.  I am not so concerned about the light loss and spread as i am the hotspots as i use the adapter to soften shadows.  I will check but i dont  know if stofen makes an "adapter" for the ex2, and if they do hopefully  it doesnt trigger the sensor on the flash to disable the zoom.  I will let you know.

thanks,

[photopro]

also if  i wanted to spread the light in bounce mode i could set the zoom to the focal length i wanted manually and use the flash off the ceiling.  my goal with the stofen was softer light, and the zoom handled the spread...