600 rt flash question!!

[johnnyfinley]

Friends:
Can anyone help me figure something out with my Canon 600rt flash? With one 600rt on the camera, while I am walking around with another 600rt flash in a room, I want to control the output of the flash I am carrying, but cannot find a way to do it other than going back to the Master flash on the camera to change the output. No way to control a remote flash output from itself? Thanks! Johnny

[Mykolas]

Hi johnnyfinley!

Thanks for posting.

When the flash is set for E-TTL Autoflash, it receives the output settings from the master unit.  To manually set the output of the remote unit, you will need to set the mode on the flash to Manual.

[johnnyfinley]

Thanks Mike but still even if the Master flash and the Slave Flash is in Manual, on the slave flash the exposure +/- button goes away and is not available. I seems not possible to adjust my output for the Slave on the Slave itself. I always have to go back to the Master to do it. Any thoughts? Johnny

[Skirball]

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@johnnyfinley wrote:

Thanks Mike but still even if the Master flash and the Slave Flash is in Manual, on the slave flash the exposure +/- button goes away and is not available. I seems not possible to adjust my output for the Slave on the Slave itself. I always have to go back to the Master to do it. Any thoughts? Johnny

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I don't think you can do what you're trying to do, with the 600ex-RT.  I don't own them, so I'm no expert, but they come up frequently in threads and I'm pretty sure I've read of this complaint before.  It's just not how the Canon master-slave setup works. 

Are you using the on-camera flash, or just the remote one?  On a stand, or in hand?  I asked because most the time I've seen a question like this come up it's for people using a flash in-hand (e.g. for real estate "light painting". 

Edit: Some more information here.  This is for in-hand use, but the issue sounds the same as yours.  There's a couple of work-arounds provided.  Not sure if they'd help.

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=19406.msg365037#msg365037

[RobertTheFat]

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@Skirball wrote:

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@johnnyfinley wrote:

Thanks Mike but still even if the Master flash and the Slave Flash is in Manual, on the slave flash the exposure +/- button goes away and is not available. I seems not possible to adjust my output for the Slave on the Slave itself. I always have to go back to the Master to do it. Any thoughts? Johnny

---

I don't think you can do what you're trying to do, with the 600ex-RT.  I don't own them, so I'm no expert, but they come up frequently in threads and I'm pretty sure I've read of this complaint before.  It's just not how the Canon master-slave setup works. 

Are you using the on-camera flash, or just the remote one?  On a stand, or in hand?  I asked because most the time I've seen a question like this come up it's for people using a flash in-hand (e.g. for real estate "light painting". 

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But for light painting, wouldn't you just open the shutter (with or without one firing of the on-camera flash) in a dark room and then just prowl around setting off the in-hand flash? In that case how is the master/slave relationship even meaningful? Just set the in-hand flash to manual and let 'er rip.

[johnnyfinley]

exactly! real estate painting is what I am doing.

So my work around is to keep my camera in Manual, and put the Master Flash or ST E3 RT transmittoer on my camera in ETTL and the flash in my hand on ETTL and just bump up and down expsure on my handheld one that way.... Thank you Bob!

[Skirball]

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@johnnyfinley wrote:

exactly! real estate painting is what I am doing.

So my work around is to keep my camera in Manual, and put the Master Flash or ST E3 RT transmittoer on my camera in ETTL and the flash in my hand on ETTL and just bump up and down expsure on my handheld one that way.... Thank you Bob!

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Glad you found a workaround.

If you don't mind me asking, are the flashes new?  That is, can you return them?   I'm sure they're great flashes, but if this is primarily what they're used for there are better options, that are cheaper.  I use a $70 Yongnuo 560 III and a $10 RF-602 trigger.  Just something to consider.

[Skirball]

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@RobertTheFat wrote:

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@Skirball wrote:

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@johnnyfinley wrote:

Thanks Mike but still even if the Master flash and the Slave Flash is in Manual, on the slave flash the exposure +/- button goes away and is not available. I seems not possible to adjust my output for the Slave on the Slave itself. I always have to go back to the Master to do it. Any thoughts? Johnny

---

I don't think you can do what you're trying to do, with the 600ex-RT.  I don't own them, so I'm no expert, but they come up frequently in threads and I'm pretty sure I've read of this complaint before.  It's just not how the Canon master-slave setup works. 

Are you using the on-camera flash, or just the remote one?  On a stand, or in hand?  I asked because most the time I've seen a question like this come up it's for people using a flash in-hand (e.g. for real estate "light painting". 

---

But for light painting, wouldn't you just open the shutter (with or without one firing of the on-camera flash) in a dark room and then just prowl around setting off the in-hand flash? In that case how is the master/slave relationship even meaningful? Just set the in-hand flash to manual and let 'er rip.

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Point of clarification: It's not light painting in the traditional sense (keeping the shutter open).  In architectural/real estate photography it refers to walking around with a flash in hand adding light to whatever details you want.  Then you combine multiple frames in post - painting in where you want it.

Regardless, you're correct, even in the above scenario the master slave relationship is irrelevant, you're only using the master to trigger the slave.  But, I believe, with the 600ex-RT as a slave, you cannot change the power level from the unit, only from the master.

When I do "light painting" I usually don't vary the power that much, but I do have to occassionally for getting the light to higher features or dimming it if I'm in too close.  When I'm in the studio with a multi-light setup I'm always fine tuning the power level of individual lights and I'm hardly ever behind the lens.  Even though my Yongnuo triggers allow me to control power from the master, I do most my control on the slaves.  I'd be frustrated if I had a collection of expensive 600ex-RTs and couldn't do that.

[johnnyfinley]

Great question Mike.

I was wanting to keep my shutter speed set so the outdoor scene in the window of the rooom stayed perfectly exposed.

Even with the ST E3 RT transmitter, on Manual and the Slave on Manual - there is no way to dial up and down from the Slave unit....only in ETTL. Very odd I say. Johnny

[johnnyfinley]

Ah ha!!! I cannot do this with the Radio settings. I have to switch to OPTICAL!! to get to adjust my handheld flash remotely.

I will try this