Can I control flash power on a 600EX-RT while off camera?. Not compensation, but power?

[JimmyMc]

I shoot real estate and I trgger my camera from an ipad using a camranger. I hand hold the 600 light and have the ST-E3-RT on the camera. I cant find a way to raise and lower the power without going behind the camera? Manualy controling the speedlight power can only be done from the camera. 

Any tgoughts?

JIMMY

[RobertTheFat]

I think you can if you put the flash in manual, not ETTL, mode.

[Tim]

Hello JimmyMc, 

Hello.  If you shoot the Speedlite 600EX RT in Manual mode, individual flash power can be set to individual off camera Speedlite 600EX RT receiving units.  

[JimmyMc]

Thanks Tim for your answer. How can I set "individual flash power can be set to individual off camera Speedlite 600EX RT receiving units.  " ? It seems the only way I can get the green lights to link the ST_E3_RT  with the individual 600exrt is by making the 600 a slave. By doing that, the only way to control the power from 3/4 power to 1/4 power is by changing it on the camera?  I need to change power from the flash? I dont see a setting to allow individual off camera speedlight.

Thanks for taking time to clarify this. I think it is an odd question for most people.

JIMMY

[RobertTheFat]

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@JimmyMc wrote:

Thanks Tim for your answer. How can I set "individual flash power can be set to individual off camera Speedlite 600EX RT receiving units.  " ? It seems the only way I can get the green lights to link the ST_E3_RT  with the individual 600exrt is by making the 600 a slave. By doing that, the only way to control the power from 3/4 power to 1/4 power is by changing it on the camera?  I need to change power from the flash? I dont see a setting to allow individual off camera speedlight.

Thanks for taking time to clarify this. I think it is an odd question for most people.

JIMMY 

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In the version of the manual that I have (from 2015), it's on page 31.

[JimmyMc]

Hi Bob. In the manual, they are using the flash on camera as the master. Once you add the ST-E#_RT transmitter, the 600 becomes a slave, and only the master can controll the power. I'm not sure if you use the 600 and transmitter, but my camera is on a tripoid away from me and i controll it from my ipad. I also have the flash out with me while i do special lighting shots. 

JIMMY

[RobertTheFat]

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@JimmyMc wrote:

Hi Bob. In the manual, they are using the flash on camera as the master. Once you add the ST-E#_RT transmitter, the 600 becomes a slave, and only the master can controll the power. I'm not sure if you use the 600 and transmitter, but my camera is on a tripoid away from me and i controll it from my ipad. I also have the flash out with me while i do special lighting shots. 

JIMMY

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I believe that the reference I cited covers the case where you have the flash out with you. Whether it's similar with a transmitter, I couldn't say; I've never used one. But in either case I suspect that the key is to have the flash set to "M" (rather than "ETTL") mode.

[JimmyMc]

I chased another thread that came to a dead end also. I may have to buy cheap triggers and then hopefully control my flash on its own. Seems crazy to have top of the line equipment and handcuffed to use it without kelp from $30 triggers. 

[RobertTheFat]

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@JimmyMc wrote:

I chased another thread that came to a dead end also. I may have to buy cheap triggers and then hopefully control my flash on its own. Seems crazy to have top of the line equipment and handcuffed to use it without kelp from $30 triggers. 

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I would certainly have thought that if a flash is set to manual mode and is then triggered remotely, it would fire as it had been programmed to fire, and not as the camera would have preferred. If that's not how it works, I can understand your bewilderment.

[TCampbell]

I tested this on mine using the same 600EX-RT and ST-E3-RT.

I found that if the 600EX-RT isn't slaved, I can put it manual mode and control the power.

The moment I slave it... I lose the ability to dial the power up or down locally and have to use the camera to control it.

Soft-button 2 (on the first menu page) normally has the "-/+" which you can poke, then use the dial to adjust power.  When it becomes a slave that soft-button disappears.