Canon Flash 430EX 11 to go with my Canon EOS 70D camera with an 18-135mm lens.

[peterl]

I purchased a Canon Flash 430EX 11 to go with my Canon EOS 70D camera with an 18-135mm lens. The flash displays the icon confirming auto zoom only intermittenly and when it doesn't, twisting the camera zoom does not display on the flash screen.  All batteries are charged and the flash is locked on to the camera.

[TCampbell · Accepted solution]

I'm not entirely certain I understand your question.  The 430EX II has can be put in a mode where it automatically follows the camera zoom (within limits... 24mm to 105mm) but you can ALSO put it into a mode where you manually control the flash zoom.  If it's in the manual control mode then it will not automatically zoom.

It is important that the "wide" panel NOT be in-use (if you pull out and flip down the wide-panel then the flash will go to wide angle and will not zoom EVEN if it was in auto mode.)

Press the Zoom button, then use the - / + buttons to change the zoom.  

When under manual control there's a black "M" icon which will appear next the word "Zoom".  If the "M" is not present then it's in auto zoom mode.

Lastly... when you change the zoom on the camera lens, typically nothing will happen on the flash UNTIL you wake the system by doing a half-press of the shutter button.    When the camera wakes up to meter and focus... that's when it adjusts the zoom on the flash head.

[TCampbell · Accepted solution]

I'm not entirely certain I understand your question.  The 430EX II has can be put in a mode where it automatically follows the camera zoom (within limits... 24mm to 105mm) but you can ALSO put it into a mode where you manually control the flash zoom.  If it's in the manual control mode then it will not automatically zoom.

It is important that the "wide" panel NOT be in-use (if you pull out and flip down the wide-panel then the flash will go to wide angle and will not zoom EVEN if it was in auto mode.)

Press the Zoom button, then use the - / + buttons to change the zoom.  

When under manual control there's a black "M" icon which will appear next the word "Zoom".  If the "M" is not present then it's in auto zoom mode.

Lastly... when you change the zoom on the camera lens, typically nothing will happen on the flash UNTIL you wake the system by doing a half-press of the shutter button.    When the camera wakes up to meter and focus... that's when it adjusts the zoom on the flash head.

[peterl · Accepted solution]

Thank you Tim, you have solved my problem. The last paragraph did it, nowhere does it say you have to half press the shutter button to activate the flash. Canon support apparently does not know it either. Many thanks.

Peter