Table of Contents

1Introduction

Part A: Getting Started

2Getting Started

2.1A beginner’s configuration: Canon Digital Rebel T5/1200D with a 430EX III flash unit

2.2Flash exposure compensation (FEC)

2.3Bounce flash

2.4Daylight fill flash

2.5An advanced configuration: two wireless 430EX III-RT flash units

2.6A practical example of wireless flash

2.7Dragging the shutter

2.8Getting the flash off the camera

3Top Ten FAQs

4Terminology

Part B: Technology

5A Brief History of Flash

5.1Pyrotechnics

5.2Flash bulbs

5.3Electronic flash

5.4The first challenge: flash synchronization

5.5Open flash

5.6Flash sync

5.7Controlling flash exposure

5.8The second challenge: flash metering

6Automatic Flash Metering

6.1Enabling internal flash and external Speedlites

6.2Subject and background in flash photography

6.3Ambient light metering versus flash metering

6.4Freezing motion

6.5Normal flash sync

6.6Slow shutter sync

6.7EOS flash and icon modes

6.8CA (creative auto) mode

6.9EOS flash and ambient metering: a source of confusion

6.10Program (P) mode

6.11Tv (shutter speed priority) mode

6.12Av (aperture priority) mode

6.13M (metered manual) mode

6.14DEP (depth of field), A-DEP (automatic DEP), and B (Bulb) modes

6.15Fill flash

6.16Fill flash ambient light reduction

6.17Flash exposure compensation (FEC)

7Technical Topics

7.1Canon EOS flash metering

7.2TTL flash metering

7.3A-TTL flash metering

7.4E-TTL flash metering

7.5E-TTL II

7.6Type A and type B cameras

7.7Flash technology availability summary

7.8Metering patterns

7.9Flash metering patterns

7.10How mechanical camera shutters work

7.11Maximum X-sync

7.12High-speed sync (HSS) / FP (focal plane) flash

7.13First and second curtain sync

7.14Inverse square law

7.15Guide numbers

7.16Quantifying flash output

7.17Exposure value (EV)

7.18Color and shades of white

7.19Color filters

7.20Infrared (IR)

7.21EXIF and flash data

7.22Safety and physical properties

Part C: Equipment

8Dedicated Flash Units

8.1Built-in (popup) flash

8.2Canon Speedlites

8.3Speedlite naming scheme

8.4Older Canon Speedlites

8.5Third-party flash units

9Canon Speedlites

9.1Hotshoes

9.2Flash heads

9.3LCDs

9.4Swivel and tilt for bounce flash

9.5Zooming flash heads

9.6Flash head diffuser panels

9.7Autofocus (AF) assist light

9.8Redeye and greeneye

9.9Flash exposure compensation (FEC)

9.10Flash exposure lock (FE lock or FEL)

9.11Fill flash ratios

9.12Auto fill reduction

9.13Flash exposure bracketing (FEB)

9.14High-speed sync (HSS)

9.15Enabling second curtain sync

9.16Manual flash

9.17Optical wireless E-TTL flash

9.18Integrated Speedlite transmitter: using built-in flash as master

9.19Radio wireless E-TTL flash

9.20Advanced M (metered manual) ambient metering

9.21Quick Flash/Rapid-fire mode

9.22Stroboscopic (MULTI) flash

9.23Flash exposure confirmation LED

9.24Range warning

9.25Modeling flash

9.26Auto Power Off/Save Energy (SE) mode

9.27Speedlite autoflash/External flash metering

9.28Optical slave triggers

9.29Custom functions (C.Fn) on flash unit

9.30External Speedlite control (ESC)

9.31Memory function

9.32Test flash (manual firing)

9.33Rear control dial

9.34Weatherproofing

9.35Flash color

9.36Live View, silent shooting, and flash

9.37Cycle time and high voltage ports

9.38Remote shutter release

10Manual Flash Metering

10.1Manual flash metering

10.2Trial and error

10.3Flash meters

10.4Choosing a manual flash unit

10.5Trigger voltages

10.6Incompatible shoes

10.7Autoflash metering

11Off-Camera Flash

11.1The Seven Basic Methods for Off-camera Flash Control

11.2Off-Camera Method 1—Open flash

11.3Off-Camera Methods 2 and 3—Wired cords

11.4Off-Camera Method 2—Wired sync-only: PC cords

11.5Off-Camera Method 3—Wired with automatic metering: Canon flash cords

11.6Off-Camera Methods 4 and 5—Wireless optical control

11.7Off-Camera Method 4—Wireless optical, sync-only: optical slaves

11.8Off-Camera Method 5—Wireless optical with automatic metering: Canon optical wireless E-TTL

11.9Off-Camera Methods 6 and 7—Wireless, radio frequency (RF)

11.10 Off-Camera Method 6—Radio, sync-only

11.11 Off-Camera Method 3—Radio with automatic metering

12Flash Accessories

12.1Flash diffusers

12.2Small diffusers

12.3Small reflectors

12.4Medium-sized reflectors and diffusers

12.5Large portable diffusers

12.6Other flash accessories

12.7Ringflash adapters

12.8Filter gels

12.9Flash projector

12.10 Do it yourself!

12.11 Supports

12.12 Batteries

12.13 External battery packs

13Studio Flash

13.1Types of studio lights

13.2Basic flash unit features

13.3General studio gear

13.4Studio light modifiers

13.5Hot lights

13.6Cheap vs. expensive

Part D: Technique

14Basic Techniques

14.1Direction

14.2Intensity

14.3Quality

14.4Color

14.5Basic Speedlite portrait photography

14.6Building a studio portrait

14.7Experimenting with light

15Advanced Techniques

15.1Slow shutter sync and motion

15.2Hard isn’t all bad

15.3Narrowing down the light

15.4Backlighting and flash in the frame

15.5Kill the ambient

15.6Cookies

15.7Open flash

15.8Stroboscopic (MULTI) flash

15.9High-speed photography

15.10 Cross-polarizing

15.11 Learning from the masters

Conclusion

Appendices

Appendix A: Flash Units for Canon EOS

Appendix B: Choosing a Flash Unit

Appendix C: Features Table

Appendix D: Custom and Personal Functions

Appendix E: Sequence of Operation

Appendix F: Troubleshooting

Credits and Acknowledgements