p.2 #2 · 40D and the MT-24EX Flash Metering Problem
The thing is, since macro/MT-24EX usage is probably in the minority, it's gonna be hard to get Canon to admit that it's a flaw in the camera. Getting them to "fix" your camera is probably the best you can do.
p.2 #3 · 40D and the MT-24EX Flash Metering Problem
n0b0 wrote:
The thing is, since macro/MT-24EX usage is probably in the minority, it's gonna be hard to get Canon to admit that it's a flaw in the camera. Getting them to "fix" your camera is probably the best you can do.
The "fix" would require them to re-write the firmware that the light meter is using or to admit that the light meter has a design flaw -and neither of those is going to happen at a support center...
You are right on one thing -it's gonna be tough to get Canon to take us seriously...
p.2 #6 · 40D and the MT-24EX Flash Metering Problem
OK, I sent another email:
"A lot of people are still reporting flash metering problems with the Canon 40D and the MT-24EX macro twin flash. It seems that the 40D's light meter is operating in Average E-TTL mode and not Evaluative E-TTL mode. I've posted a sample image here:
If you look at my gallery I think you'll see that I'm not some light weight who likes to blame the gear. The 40D's inconsistent flash metering is impossible to compensate for with FEC, and for every shot you see on my site I've lost at least two this year.
If you can't fix the metering system in the 40D I'll have little choice but to downgrade to the 30D (reported to work well with the MT-24EX) or go full frame with a 5D. There's no way I'll drop any money on on of your newer camera bodies because there's no guarantee that they will work any better than the 40D...
p.2 #7 · 40D and the MT-24EX Flash Metering Problem
Dalantech wrote:
I've already emailed Mr. Westfall at that site -no responce...
Sorry to hear it. I've sent him two messages and he responded to both. Hopefully you'll get a response this time.
Sorry to say I have nothing to add right now, but I'll test my MT-24EX when it arrives. If I have the same problem I'll try to come up with a consistent test that shows the inconsistent flash metering. The way you describe the problem (different metering solutions for each shot), surely there's a static test that will trigger the problem reliably? Perhaps a gray card with a coin on it?
I think a test that every 40D/MT-24EX user could perform that showed obviously incorrect performance would go a long way to proving that this is a real problem, and not simply a few malfunctioning units or user error.
p.2 #8 · 40D and the MT-24EX Flash Metering Problem
John, I think your mail sounds a little hostile towards the end by saying you won't buy their newer bodies. I'm also curious about what you meant by that, do you mean the 50D body or just any newer DSLR line? Coz my 450D (XSi) body is newer than the 40D and so far I haven't had any problem with blown exposure that wasn't my own fault.
p.2 #10 · 40D and the MT-24EX Flash Metering Problem
n0b0 wrote:
John, I think your mail sounds a little hostile towards the end by saying you won't buy their newer bodies.
OK, and? It wasn't meant to sound hostile -I just can't recommend the 50D or the 5D MKII for MT-24EX users until Canon either fixes the 40D or at least admits that there is a problem. But so far Canon hasn't taken this issue seriously. They read these forums -every camera maker does. Check out this Google search for "40D light meter" http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=t&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGIH_enIT284IT284&q=40D+light+meter -look at the very first link on that page...
n0b0 wrote:
I'm also curious about what you meant by that, do you mean the 50D body or just any newer DSLR line? Coz my 450D (XSi) body is newer than the 40D and so far I haven't had any problem with blown exposure that wasn't my own fault.
The 50D or the 5D MKII. I also shot with the 450D and in tricky lighting conditions it will err on the side of caution and under expose -easy to fix in post because it's very consistent with that model. If the 40D's light meter would consistently under or over expose by the same amount then it wouldn't be a problem...
p.2 #11 · 40D and the MT-24EX Flash Metering Problem
Dalantech wrote:
OK, and? It wasn't meant to sound hostile...
Well your intention and how people interpret your mail might be totally different.
Like I said earlier, getting them to admit there's a flaw could be very hard. For one, the body has been around for over a year and since the problem is still there, it probably means that very few people use it with the MT-24EX and as such, it's nowhere near their priority list. Perhaps if you can get some 40D + MT-24EX users together and send Canon mails within the same timeframe?
p.2 #12 · 40D and the MT-24EX Flash Metering Problem
n0b0 wrote:
Well your intention and how people interpret your mail might be totally different.
Almost impossible to control how someone takes an email or a post...
n0b0 wrote:
Like I said earlier, getting them to admit there's a flaw could be very hard. For one, the body has been around for over a year and since the problem is still there, it probably means that very few people use it with the MT-24EX and as such, it's nowhere near their priority list. Perhaps if you can get some 40D + MT-24EX users together and send Canon mails within the same timeframe?
I may have to start an "email Chuck Westfall" campaign...
p.2 #13 · 40D and the MT-24EX Flash Metering Problem
Just my $0.02
I think it's reasonable after spending that much money on a body and flash to express disappointment. It's not an idle threat wrt switching bodies/lenses and really what other recourse do you have? You didn't even drop the N word (Nikon)
As the consumer, I think it's your prerogative to express displeasure in any way short of profanity-laced tirades. Save that for telemarketers.
btw, I love the phrase "light weight who likes to blame gear". priceless.
p.2 #14 · 40D and the MT-24EX Flash Metering Problem
Tim Dollear wrote:
Just my $0.02
I think it's reasonable after spending that much money on a body and flash to express disappointment. It's not an idle threat wrt switching bodies/lenses and really what other recourse do you have? You didn't even drop the N word (Nikon)
As the consumer, I think it's your prerogative to express displeasure in any way short of profanity-laced tirades. Save that for telemarketers.
btw, I love the phrase "light weight who likes to blame gear". priceless.
I agree totally about expressing disappointment, but I thought this is about more than just that. It's about trying to get Canon to acknowledge the problem and fix it right?
Besides, it may be a lot of money for the individual photographer but for Canon, I think losing a few customers is not something they would lose sleep over.
As good as a photographer that John is, unless he's a famous well known award winning photographer, I really doubt that Canon would acknowledge any inherent flaw in their 40D camera line based on what he said and his intention to not buy any newer camera body.
On his own, the best he would get is probably having his personal camera "fixed". That's why I suggested that perhaps getting a bunch of people with similar problem to contact Canon might be the better course of action.
p.2 #15 · 40D and the MT-24EX Flash Metering Problem
n0b0 wrote:
As good as a photographer that John is, unless he's a famous well known award winning photographer, I really doubt that Canon would acknowledge any inherent flaw in their 40D camera line based on what he said and his intention to not buy any newer camera body.
It's sad if Canon won't listen to someone like me who's not famous. Macro is getting very popular and it would be a huge mistake if they don't pay attention. I'm often stunned at how much pull Brian (LordV) and I have in the macro community -if we don't recommend something then a lot of people won't buy it...
p.2 #16 · 40D and the MT-24EX Flash Metering Problem
First of all, it's cool that this forum tends to discuss rather than flame.
Maybe Canon knows about the problem and it's expensive to fix? I don't want to start a conspiracy theory buzz or anything. It does seem like the kind of thing Canon could easily test.
My first thought was that it was software but it might not be, or at least might require a canon tech to fix. I will be very interested to see if the newer cameras (5dII and 50d) have the same issue. It's an annoying problem but doesn't render the camera/flash unusable. perhaps that works into it too.
p.2 #17 · 40D and the MT-24EX Flash Metering Problem
Tim Dollear wrote:
My first thought was that it was software but it might not be, or at least might require a canon tech to fix...
Great minds think alike: The 40D introduced a new flash mount with partial weather sealing. I'm wondering if it isn't a simple alignment problem between the MT-24EX and the 40D's flash mount -something that wouldn't be easy to fix...
p.2 #18 · 40D and the MT-24EX Flash Metering Problem
If it was the firmware, it wouldn't be a big deal for Canon to update it and the problem should've been fixed already by now. If it's the hardware... good luck getting them to admit or do anything, specially since 50D is out. The 40D line is probably gonna be phased out by early to mid next year.
p.2 #19 · 40D and the MT-24EX Flash Metering Problem
n0b0 wrote:
If it was the firmware, it wouldn't be a big deal for Canon to update it and the problem should've been fixed already by now. If it's the hardware... good luck getting them to admit or do anything, specially since 50D is out. The 40D line is probably gonna be phased out by early to mid next year.
What concerns me at this point is that people who own the 40D and the 50D claim that the 50D gives them more consistent exposures. But I'm not convinced that a 1.6 crop with 16MP will be a good camera for macro -and it looks to me like the 50D will have a lot more noise than the 40D (comparison shots between the two do not look good for the 50D).
p.2 #20 · 40D and the MT-24EX Flash Metering Problem
Since the MT24EX is a macroflash and Canon does continue to claim full compatibility with newer DSLRs it clearly is an issue. The evidence appears to point towards nearly all 40D/MT24EX macro users having a problem. This strongly suggests that it is a general problem and not something confined to a few faulty cameras. What it really needs is a photographer with a well established reputation and some experience of field macro-photography to test this combination and to either publicise their results or to take it straight to Canon.
