Subject:	It applies to the eos50 (=elan II)
Author:	Javier
Date:	4/4/2002 12:28:40 PM
Message:

Canon's flash section in the owner's manual is a joke. It states something like "You can use a flash and will get good pictures". Gee, Thanks for the info, Canon.

The only thing that I doesn't work in the eos50 is that even in low light conditions the camera insists on exposing the background. So if you are using slow film, slow lens, night diving, low vis, etc. the camera will result in long shutter speeds, far beyond what you would like to shoot UW.
Optional solutions for this are the following:
#1. Set custom function #9 to "1". This forces strobe sync to 1/125 in "A" mode. So you can choose any aperture, speed stays at 1/125, and you set strobe distance according to the aperture you've just selected (or you use TTL if you like). The subject will be OK and the background in most of the cases will be dark blue to black.
#2. Use "P" mode. Very annoying. The camera chooses "steady speed" usually 1/60-1/125. You CANNOT change whatever aperture it chooses (I think that it is usually widest).
#3. Use "M" mode. I don't like so much because IMHO it is not easy to move both dials.

In case you are using option #1, don't forget to change it back to "0" when you finish your night dive...Many times I find out that I forgot to do it after several shots...

There is a lot of data regarding the strange behaviour of Canon eos cameras and strobes. Here are some usefull links for the sake of Canon'ers. I think one can find similar info for Nikon cameras.

http://teladesign.com/photo/eos-flash/
http://bobatkins.photo.net/info/faq30/faq30.htm
http://www.chem.helsinki.fi/%7Etoomas/photo/ev.html
http://www.chem.helsinki.fi/~toomas/photo/

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