I own a 550 EX and a 580 EX II flash, and I've been searching the 580's manual for instructions on how to use two or more Canon flashes in wireless ETTL mode. This should be simple, but it's very frustrating!
It's very easy to set the 550 to Master or Slave mode, because there's an obvious Off/Slave/Master switch on the back. Once you have set that mode, it's easy (by using the Set button) to change channels.
But I have been trying without success to change channels on the 580. Following the manual's instructions (p. 36), I pushed the Zoom button for two seconds to bring up the Master/Slave menu. I used the Select Dial to set the flash to Master, then pushed the Set button to enable that mode. At that point, the Ch icon appears. With my flash, it's set to Channel 2. The manual says that I can change the channel by turning the dial, but nothing happens when I do that.
This is pretty basic stuff. If it's this hard at this point, I can't imagine how complicated it will be when I try to adjust flash ratios!
Is there a good explanation online that explains how these flashes operate in a better way than the manual? In my opinion, it's pretty useless - or I somehow have a flash that isn't working correctly.
On the 580 you cycle through the menu by successive presses of the "Zoom" button, and then use the main dial to select the menu option.
So to change channels with the 580 as master first ensure the main switch is set to "master" and then press the "Zoom" button until you see the "Channel" icon blink. It will cycle through "Zoom", "Ratio", "Channel", and "Master on/off" on each press of the "Zoom" button.
Don't hold for 2 seconds, simply press.
From there use the main dial to set the channel .. 1, 2,or 3. Just ensure both your 580 and 550 are on the same channel.
It can be very frustrating if you don't do it all the time, trying to remember what button to push when, what icon must be blinking or not blinking. Then of course you need to remember how to set the switches on each flash. Chuck Gardner is lighting expert and a big fan of this arrangement over the ST-E2 but if you only do it occasionally it can drive you nuts. I suppose I should create a step by step cheat sheet and keep it with my flashes. I have 3 and usually shot them in manual and use my PWs and a light meter.
Thanks for all the information! It wasn't clear in the manual that a user needs to press the zoom button without holding it in to open other choices. This is very useful.
I'm a little confused about ratios, though, now that I know how to access that feature. I did some tests using ratios from one side of the dial (8:1) to the other (1:8). It seems that the slave flash remains at the same brightness, and the only variation is in the brightness of the master flash. I would have expected that it would work the opposite way, with the slave flash increasing or decreasing across the range while the master flash remained at the same brightness. I didn't see too much change from one side of the dial to the other, as a matter of fact. Am I doing something wrong here?
