580EX II Problem

uncleparty · 6th June 2007

Hello everyone

Recently got one of the 580ex ii and would like to check if anyone's having the same problem as me.

Shooting tv mode in rather dim lighting (definately an f4 or so situation), ettl, and the speedlite calculates an f22 and fires all its got.

Sometimes turn off turn on still liddat, haven't really established if it's a contact point issue, or the flash itself.

Please help!

calebk · 6th June 2007

Originally Posted by uncleparty

Hello everyone

Recently got one of the 580ex ii and would like to check if anyone's having the same problem as me.

Shooting tv mode in rather dim lighting (definately an f4 or so situation), ettl, and the speedlite calculates an f22 and fires all its got.

Sometimes turn off turn on still liddat, haven't really established if it's a contact point issue, or the flash itself.

Please help!

It's not the speedlite but your camera that's calculating f/22. What ISO were you on? What was your shutter speed? There's too many factors to consider to be able to only blame the speedlite.

uncleparty · 6th June 2007

Hi thanks for your help.

I'm not too sure if its the body, forgot to mention that the body still displays f4 while the speedlite blinks an f22 (it doesnt happen all the time, just out of the blue during the same shooting env). The taken picture would be overexposed. The older 580ex doesnt give me this issue.

Most of the time, i would be shooting 1/80 or 1/60 with iso1600, with zero EV+- and FV1- on both the body and flash respectively. This would be dim banquet hall situation where when the 580ex and 5D under non-malfunctioning conditions, would still expose for me with an f4.

Will try tomorrow with M mode on my body when the problem starts.

ShaoWei · 7th June 2007

My partner encountered the same problem with his 5D and 580EX as well. Got it resolved after he made a trip down to harbor front. Its a circuit connection problem if I didn't remember it wrongly. Maybe you can ring them and see what they say?

xunjas · 7th June 2007

fm csc, they recommend me to use iso 400 to conserve the battery power the flash unit..

xunjas · 7th June 2007

n change ettl II mode fm evaluative to average (DSLR custom function). See if this helps..

studiolabmaster · 7th June 2007

is your camnera body new? clean the hot shoe contacts and see if it still persist.
If it happens again,its either the hot shoe contact need to replace or the contacts on the ex flash.try to render this problem with the canon center.they will help to solve it ,meanwhile get a 2nd hand body and used at the moment......maybe a 10d???

CanonEOS · 14th June 2007

Originally Posted by uncleparty

Hello everyone

Recently got one of the 580ex ii and would like to check if anyone's having the same problem as me.

Shooting tv mode in rather dim lighting (definately an f4 or so situation), ettl, and the speedlite calculates an f22 and fires all its got.

Sometimes turn off turn on still liddat, haven't really established if it's a contact point issue, or the flash itself.

Please help!

I got a friend who experience the same prob as you on his 5D? issit the 5D or the flash?

Russ · 22nd June 2007

I usually do not shoot in Tv mode but I tried it on my 300D/ 580EXII ciomobination.

Guess what, the flash thinks the F stop is ... F22

Same problem - looks like a common one.

And I had a shoot today - I used bounced flash all the time with a slave (also bounced) and after 40 shots, the NiMHs ran out but my Sigma 500 slave was still going.... Not so impressive.

xunjas · 23rd June 2007

40 shots only wif a fully charged batteries?..

calebk · 23rd June 2007

Originally Posted by xunjas

40 shots only wif a fully charged batteries?..

If the flash thinks that the camera is at f/22 all the time, the flash will be blasting at full power for almost every single shot. Naturally, the batteries would dry up much faster.

Russ · 23rd June 2007

Originally Posted by xunjas

40 shots only wif a fully charged batteries?..

Yes, and I did not use Tv but M with ISO 400 and F5.0-5.6 with a large bounce card (not ceiling bounce) and I know the flash did not go full blast - but 40 shots.

Anyway did another shoot today but with more direct flashing and less bouncing and the flash managed 80 shots and batteries still going... so maybe the charging wasn't as complete as I thought (today, i actually measured the voltage of each battery and recharged those that were lower for another hour or so).

xunjas · 26th June 2007

Originally Posted by Russ

Yes, and I did not use Tv but M with ISO 400 and F5.0-5.6 with a large bounce card (not ceiling bounce) and I know the flash did not go full blast - but 40 shots.

Anyway did another shoot today but with more direct flashing and less bouncing and the flash managed 80 shots and batteries still going... so maybe the charging wasn't as complete as I thought (today, i actually measured the voltage of each battery and recharged those that were lower for another hour or so).

wow.. sounds bad.. try changing charger or batteries? or flash unit prob?

uncleparty · 7th July 2007

digging back up this old thread. You guys are right, the problem probably lies with the body and not the flash unit. Did a couple of non-extensive experiements with the 580ex ii and the older 580ex and taking on diff modes, and occasionally get the same issue on the older 580ex as well.

The problem arises when the flash displays ttl instead of ettl. both the body and flash would display f22.

Will be going down to service it soon. Thanks all for the help.

oracle0711 · 13th July 2007

It's not your camera but the flash that's giving the problem. Get it fix with Canon CSC and they will tighten the contacts within the flash. Had the same problem before and every pic was over expose...

Originally Posted by uncleparty

digging back up this old thread. You guys are right, the problem probably lies with the body and not the flash unit. Did a couple of non-extensive experiements with the 580ex ii and the older 580ex and taking on diff modes, and occasionally get the same issue on the older 580ex as well.

The problem arises when the flash displays ttl instead of ettl. both the body and flash would display f22.

Will be going down to service it soon. Thanks all for the help.

Russ · 13th July 2007

Basically, the 580EX II, on Tv mode, will have this problem consistently with all bodies older than the 1D Mk III.

It looks like many have experienced this, so it is a slight incompatibility between the older Canon hotshoes and the 580EX II.

6th June 2007	#1
uncleparty Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 255	580EX II Problem Hello everyone Recently got one of the 580ex ii and would like to check if anyone's having the same problem as me. Shooting tv mode in rather dim lighting (definately an f4 or so situation), ettl, and the speedlite calculates an f22 and fires all its got. Sometimes turn off turn on still liddat, haven't really established if it's a contact point issue, or the flash itself. Please help! __________________ Edmund Leong Photography

6th June 2007	#3
uncleparty Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 255	Re: 580EX II Problem Hi thanks for your help. I'm not too sure if its the body, forgot to mention that the body still displays f4 while the speedlite blinks an f22 (it doesnt happen all the time, just out of the blue during the same shooting env). The taken picture would be overexposed. The older 580ex doesnt give me this issue. Most of the time, i would be shooting 1/80 or 1/60 with iso1600, with zero EV+- and FV1- on both the body and flash respectively. This would be dim banquet hall situation where when the 580ex and 5D under non-malfunctioning conditions, would still expose for me with an f4. Will try tomorrow with M mode on my body when the problem starts. __________________ Edmund Leong Photography

7th June 2007	#4
ShaoWei Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 142	Re: 580EX II Problem My partner encountered the same problem with his 5D and 580EX as well. Got it resolved after he made a trip down to harbor front. Its a circuit connection problem if I didn't remember it wrongly. Maybe you can ring them and see what they say?

7th June 2007	#5
xunjas Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Singapura Posts: 6,345	Re: 580EX II Problem fm csc, they recommend me to use iso 400 to conserve the battery power the flash unit.. __________________ Isaac Kiat \| Blog \| Facebook

7th June 2007	#6
xunjas Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Singapura Posts: 6,345	Re: 580EX II Problem n change ettl II mode fm evaluative to average (DSLR custom function). See if this helps.. __________________ Isaac Kiat \| Blog \| Facebook

7th June 2007	#7
studiolabmaster Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Tampines SG Posts: 1,441	Re: 580EX II Problem is your camnera body new? clean the hot shoe contacts and see if it still persist. If it happens again,its either the hot shoe contact need to replace or the contacts on the ex flash.try to render this problem with the canon center.they will help to solve it ,meanwhile get a 2nd hand body and used at the moment......maybe a 10d???

22nd June 2007	#9
Russ Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Pasir Ris Posts: 1,613	Re: 580EX II Problem I usually do not shoot in Tv mode but I tried it on my 300D/ 580EXII ciomobination. Guess what, the flash thinks the F stop is ... F22 Same problem - looks like a common one. And I had a shoot today - I used bounced flash all the time with a slave (also bounced) and after 40 shots, the NiMHs ran out but my Sigma 500 slave was still going.... Not so impressive.

23rd June 2007	#10
xunjas Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Singapura Posts: 6,345	Re: 580EX II Problem 40 shots only wif a fully charged batteries?.. __________________ Isaac Kiat \| Blog \| Facebook

7th July 2007	#14
uncleparty Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 255	Re: 580EX II Problem digging back up this old thread. You guys are right, the problem probably lies with the body and not the flash unit. Did a couple of non-extensive experiements with the 580ex ii and the older 580ex and taking on diff modes, and occasionally get the same issue on the older 580ex as well. The problem arises when the flash displays ttl instead of ettl. both the body and flash would display f22. Will be going down to service it soon. Thanks all for the help. __________________ Edmund Leong Photography Last edited by uncleparty; 7th July 2007 at 03:30 PM.

13th July 2007	#16
Russ Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Pasir Ris Posts: 1,613	Re: 580EX II Problem Basically, the 580EX II, on Tv mode, will have this problem consistently with all bodies older than the 1D Mk III. It looks like many have experienced this, so it is a slight incompatibility between the older Canon hotshoes and the 580EX II.