I cannot stop my 7D internal flash firing when set up for wireless with 430 EX II.

[BryanShaw1]

I have followed the set up instructions on the camera, with the middle icon set in the wireless func. setting.

The test flash is OK with a pre-flash from the camera, and a successful firing of the speedlite.

However, when taking a picture, the 7D internal flash fires at the same time as the speedlite.

Can you help please?

[jrhoffman75]

I believe the 7D uses OPTICAL wireless flash. It gets the wireless signal from the built-in flash.

You can configure the 7D so the on-camera flash is very low power so that it doesn't affect exposure but still sends signal.

http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resources/blogs/2013/20131217_chan_incameraflash_blog.shtml

[RobertTheFat]

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@jrhoffman75 wrote:

I believe the 7D uses OPTICAL wireless flash. It gets the wireless signal from the built-in flash.

You can configure the 7D so the on-camera flash is very low power so that it doesn't affect exposure but still sends signal.

http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resources/blogs/2013/20131217_chan_incameraflash_blog.shtml

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Correct. The 7D has no RF capability.

I don't think the 430EX II does either. You need the newer "RT" model.

[BryanShaw1]

John,

Thanks for your reply, and please see above the extract from the web page you kindly forwarded.

I have set the 7D to the middle setting "Only the external speedlite will affect exposure, the pop up flash will only fire a pre flash". So I think what I want it to do is achievable somehow.

Grateful for any further thoughts.

Regards,

Bryan.

[jrhoffman75]

That's exactly what you want Bryan. Remember too that the two flashes need to be looking at each other, as shown in camera manual. Something I have not tried, but thought of, if you had a mirror set so that on camera flash beam bounced off it and onto the off camera flash you might be able to have both flashes facing same direction.

[RobertTheFat]

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@jrhoffman75 wrote:
That's exactly what you want Bryan. Remember too that the two flashes need to be looking at each other, as shown in camera manual. Something I have not tried, but thought of, if you had a mirror set so that on camera flash beam bounced off it and onto the off camera flash you might be able to have both flashes facing same direction.

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He probably can anyway. All of my Canon flashes (a 580EX, a 580EX II, and a 600EX RT) can be swiveled 180 degrees, so that the receiver points in the opposite direction, i.e. back toward the camera. If the OP's 430EX II works the same way, he shouldn't need the mirror.

[jrhoffman75]

Good point. I rarely use flash so I don't know about the swivel.

[BryanShaw1]

Yes, the 430 EX II does swivel.

However, if you go to the built-in flash function menu shown above, the bottom of the screen shows the 'test flash firing' button.

As I said previously, this works perfectly - firing a pre-flash before the speedlite. But when taking a photo, both internal and speedlite fire together. Why the difference?

[RobertTheFat]

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@BryanShaw1 wrote:

Yes, the 430 EX II does swivel.

However, if you go to the built-in flash function menu shown above, the bottom of the screen shows the 'test flash firing' button.

As I said previously, this works perfectly - firing a pre-flash before the speedlite. But when taking a photo, both internal and speedlite fire together. Why the difference?

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Forget about the test flash; that's probably there just so you can prove to yourself that the flash works.

The actual pre-flash doesn't fire together with the speedlite; if fires slightly ahead (at greatly reduced power unless you tell it otherwise), to tell the speedlite that it's time to fire. But the time difference between the flashes is too short for your eye/brain system to resolve. Note that you wouldn't want it to be otherwise: if the pre-flash were discretely discernible, you'd run the risk that your subject would blink before the main flash could fire.

[BryanShaw1]

Further to previous correspondenses, please see attached guide from Canon which clearly states that "The built-in speedlite can either contribute to the flash exposure or trigger the slaves without contributing to the flash exposure."

I've followed all the instructions but cannot stop the built-in flash from 'contributing'.

I've seen other Canon websites stating the same thing so there must be a way.

Can anyone help?

Thanks