Making the Impossible Possible The flash can synchronize at all shutter speeds Just select the high-speed sync (FP flash) mode with EX Speedlites. With the sync speed set to the maximum (varies according to the EOS camera in use ) or slower, a normal flash is fired. Setting a faster sync speed will switch the Speedlite to fire the flat flash at a rate of approximately 50 khz. High-speed sync (FP flash) can be easily set up to the maximum shutter speed of the camera. With FP flash, producing background blur is easy As shown in the photo (right), fill flash is an effective technique for outdoor portraits when the background is bright. However, with most conventional Speedlites, the flash sync speed cannot be faster than the X-sync speed due to the limitations of the single-lens reflex's focal-plane shutter. Thus, when fill flash is used, the aperture must be stopped down to compensate. This makes the background less blurred. With EX Speedlites, the flash aperture and sync speed can be set freely. With a fully open aperture, the background was blurred enough to make the girl stand out with the "it's delicious" look on her face. Frame As You Please, Even With Flash FE lock is the flash version of AE lock. You can lock the flash exposure at the desired spot With FE lock, the EX Speedlites obtain a natural-looking flash exposure wherever the subject may be in the picture. Compose the picture so that the subject is centered in the picture frame. Then, press the FE lock button to fire the preflash to meter the subject. The suitable flash output for the subject is then calculated and locked. The subject can then be positioned anywhere in the viewfinder while the correct flash exposure setting is retained. Even if there is a bright object in the background, the subject will still be exposed correctly. FE lock for effective subject lighting and flexible framing In the left photo, the subject is the swordfish on the bow of the boat. Since the sky and the land beyond the sparkling ocean also had to be in the picture, the fish was focused at the center and FE lock was set. Then the framing was changed to position the twilight at the center before taking the picture. The sparkling ocean surface did not affect the exposure, and the fish and sea came out well. Where Flash Technology Started Canon's E-TTL autoflash system was built upon the TTL and A-TTL flash systems. E-TTL (Evaluative TTL) autoflash is the most advanced flash system. It blends conventional Speedlite technologies with new Speedlite technologies to suit the next generation. E-TTL autoflash aims to produce lighting which looks natural. It had its beginnings with the two conventional flash systems described next: TTL autoflash TTL autoflash is based on TTL (Through-The-Lens) metering. Flash illumination reflected by the subject is metered during exposure with a dedicated sensor aimed at the camera's focal plane. Since the 1980s, almost all SLR cameras have used various forms of TTL autoflash metering. TTL autoflash is executed as shown in the figure above. The flash is fired and reflected by the subject. The reflected light enters the lens and it is metered by a flash metering sensor in the camera. As soon as the reflected light reaches the optimum exposure level, the flash is cut off automatically. A-TTL (Advanced Through-The-Lens) autoflash is a Canon-developed flash technology which is more advanced than TTL autoflash When A-TTL is used in the camera's program mode, the flash aperture is determined by two items of data. First, the existing light level is metered by the EOS camera and the correct aperture value is obtained for it. Then the Speedlite fires an infrared preflash to determine the subject's distance and the aperture value is calculated for it. These two aperture values are then compared and a suitable flash aperture is set. Also, in bright lighting conditions, flash reduction control is used to obtain a more natural-looking picture. << Back to Main . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 .