350D and 580EX flash problem?

Read this:

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It will explain all.

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I've had some success using the high speed setting on the gun. Set H on, use
about 1/500s and dial whatever apeture you fancy. If the flash can put out
enough light the histogram will be normal (on the info screen). If you've
been a bit optomistic with the apeture then the peak will be shifted to the
left. Then dial in some extra ambient by dropping the shutter speed or open
up the apeture bit by bit until the histogram shows all is well.

John

Custom function 3 can be used to force a 1/200 s flash sync in Av mode.

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John Reagan

Just shoot in "M" mode and set whatever shutter speed/f stop combination you
like (as long as the flash has enough zorch). That's what people did for the
first 100 years of photography...

Oops, I see you wrote:

"M" mode is the correct mode for what you want to do.

The 350D's behavior in Av mode is normal, correct, and desired. It's the way
most automagic cameras have worked in the last few years. When you set the
camera to Av mode, that means "Hey camera, please set the shutter speed
according to the ambient light", so it does. With flash, this means "fill
flash mode". If you don't want the camera to set the correct shutter speed
for fill flash mode photography, then you have to do something different.

(Sorry to sound like a grumpy rant here: I'm just trying to explain what
"Av" means, and point out that what the camera does actually makes sense.)

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

Of course possible in M mode, but I meant in Av.
Arttu

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So there is no way to benefit from increased sharpness with smaller
apertures (of eg. the kit lens) in flash photography? (exposure times get
too long for handheld operation)

Arttu

In Av and Tv modes, the camera meters and sets the exposure normally both
when the flash is up and when it's down. When up, the flash is used to fill
in the shadows. This is the normal, correct, and desired behavior<g>.

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan