Canon 550D external flash and liveview

davholla · 12 Oct 2016

My Canon 550D's liveview does not work with external flash. I have looked on line without success is there anyway to get this to work? If not what is the cheapest Canon that should work?
I have tried Yongnuo YN-14EX Macro Ring Flash, Neewer® *COLOR-SCREEN* E-TTL and Yongnuo YN-560 II Flas.
I am not very optimistic but maybe someone knows what to do.

Phil V · 12 Oct 2016

There's an option for silent mode during live view, it needs switching off. It disables flash.

davholla · 12 Oct 2016

My problem, is that I can't switch to live view when I have a flash - i.e that live view does not work not that the flash doesn't.

Phil V · 12 Oct 2016

Have a look anyway, it may be that.

davholla · 12 Oct 2016

Thanks I will try that.

HoppyUK · 12 Oct 2016

davholla said:
My problem, is that I can't switch to live view when I have a flash - i.e that live view does not work not that the flash doesn't.

Do you mean live view doesn't work at all, or that the screen is just black? If the mirror flips up and the viewfinder blacks out when live view is enabled, then it's working - or trying to. Check live view settings.

davholla · 12 Oct 2016

HoppyUK said:
Do you mean live view doesn't work at all, or that the screen is just black? If the mirror flips up and the viewfinder blacks out when live view is enabled, then it's working - or trying to. Check live view settings.

Let me check and get back to you tomorrow.

cargo · 13 Oct 2016

That sounds odd. I have a 6d and live view apears when I use a speedlight but if you press the shutter the flash never fires. I've lost count of the number of times that I havechanged the batteries in both the speedlight and triggers before the penny dropped that my flash just does not work when live view is in use.I still use live view to compose and focus when needed then switch it off before capture. I guess this is not what is happening to you but it may help someone.

Gaz

Phil V · 13 Oct 2016

cargo said:
That sounds odd. I have a 6d and live view apears when I use a speedlight but if you press the shutter the flash never fires. I've lost count of the number of times that I havechanged the batteries in both the speedlight and triggers before the penny dropped that my flash just does not work when live view is in use.I still use live view to compose and focus when needed then switch it off before capture. I guess this is not what is happening to you but it may help someone.

Gaz

See my post above. It'll work

swanseamale47 · 13 Oct 2016

When you say you cant switch to it do you mean nothing at all happens when you switch or that it opens the mirror but you get no picture on the screen? And what mode are you in auro/maunal etc

davholla · 13 Oct 2016

swanseamale47 said:
When you say you cant switch to it do you mean nothing at all happens when you switch or that it opens the mirror but you get no picture on the screen? And what mode are you in auro/maunal etc

I get no picture and this was in manual and auto. I will try to test the earlier suggestions tonight.

cargo · 13 Oct 2016

Phil V said:
See my post above. It'll work

Well I'll be blown it does too

Many thank you's Phil.

Gaz

Phil V · 13 Oct 2016

cargo said:
Well I'll be blown it does too
Many thank you's Phil.

Gaz

Apparently when in live view Canon believe that 'silent mode' should mean 'stealth mode' so you won't want the flash.

davholla · 13 Oct 2016

I have worked out the problem, sorry I was explaining it wrong. With a pop up flash the Canon 550D live view shows the exposure ok - i.e with a speed of 125 and f13 it works fine i.e. I can see through live view and it works fine. With the external flash it goes really dark and to be able to see through it

Phil V · 13 Oct 2016

davholla said:
I have worked out the problem, sorry I was explaining it wrong. With a pop up flash the Canon 550D live view shows the exposure ok - i.e with a speed of 125 and f13 it works fine i.e. I can see through live view and it works fine. With the external flash it goes really dark and to be able to see through it

I'm still confused, are you comparing under exactly the same conditions?

But I'm also confused why F/13?

davholla · 13 Oct 2016

F/13 works well for my macro photos (this was f/16) but I think the depth of field/sharpeness is a reasonable compromise.
I used my pop up flash and live view because it was in a position which I could not easily get to. If I had had an external flash I could not have done this. Does this make sense.
Yes and I was comparing exactly the same conditions

IMG_8763hoverfly by davholla2002, on Flickr

HoppyUK · 14 Oct 2016

davholla said:
I have worked out the problem, sorry I was explaining it wrong. With a pop up flash the Canon 550D live view shows the exposure ok - i.e with a speed of 125 and f13 it works fine i.e. I can see through live view and it works fine. With the external flash it goes really dark and to be able to see through it

Check live view mode. Do you have exposure simulation enabled? Switch it off.

Phil V · 14 Oct 2016

HoppyUK said:
Check live view mode. Do you have exposure simulation enabled? Switch it off.

This^

Phil V · 14 Oct 2016

davholla said:
F/13 works well for my macro photos (this was f/16) but I think the depth of field/sharpeness is a reasonable compromise.
I used my pop up flash and live view because it was in a position which I could not easily get to. If I had had an external flash I could not have done this. Does this make sense.
Yes and I was comparing exactly the same conditions

F13 makes sense now, check whether exposure simulation is switched on in live view.

HoppyUK · 14 Oct 2016

BTW Phil, with my Yongnuo 600EX-RT and Tx, flash fires in live-view regardless of silent shooting mode status. So I'm assuming it works with Canon 600EX-RT also (but not confirmed this). Is that not the case with YN-622 triggers too? I wonder about Godox's dedicated TTL triggers too, if Mike W is reading

Phil V · 14 Oct 2016

HoppyUK said:
BTW Phil, with my Yongnuo 600EX-RT and Tx, flash fires in live-view regardless of silent shooting mode status. So I'm assuming it works with Canon 600EX-RT also (but not confirmed this). Is that not the case with YN-622 triggers too? I wonder about Godox's dedicated TTL triggers too, if Mike W is reading

Interesting, it doesn't work on the 6d with the 622's, I tried to do some wireless tethered and couldn't work out what was wrong at first.

mike weeks · 14 Oct 2016

HoppyUK said:
BTW Phil, with my Yongnuo 600EX-RT and Tx, flash fires in live-view regardless of silent shooting mode status. So I'm assuming it works with Canon 600EX-RT also (but not confirmed this). Is that not the case with YN-622 triggers too? I wonder about Godox's dedicated TTL triggers too, if Mike W is reading

Being a Nikon guy this is not something I would try however being somebody that gives lots of talks I do have all the gear to test it.

Mike

J Veitch · 21 Oct 2016

Oh @Phil V Thank you for the Silent mode tip. Its been something bothering me on my 70D almost from day one of ownership. Switched that off last weekend and its great!

davholla · 22 Oct 2016

I found the solution, install magic lantern and you can turn exposure simulation (a bit stupid that you need 3rd party software to do this)

HoppyUK · 22 Oct 2016

J Veitch said:
Oh @Phil V Thank you for the Silent mode tip. Its been something bothering me on my 70D almost from day one of ownership. Switched that off last weekend and its great!

Haha, it only took me three years of frustration before I stumbled across it

J Veitch · 22 Oct 2016

It's complete madness from canon. I just put it down to some firmware live view thing and had forgotten about it until I read Phil's post.

Phil V · 23 Oct 2016

davholla said:
I found the solution, install magic lantern and you can turn exposure simulation (a bit stupid that you need 3rd party software to do this)

Ahh hadn't realised that on the lower end bodies it wasn't in the menu, but you didn't say the menu option was unavailable, just 'didn't work' :thinking:

davholla · 25 Oct 2016

Phil V said:
Ahh hadn't realised that on the lower end bodies it wasn't in the menu, but you didn't say the menu option was unavailable, just 'didn't work'

Sorry for the lack of clarity. I wonder if lower end Nikon have these things disabled as well.

Phil V · 25 Oct 2016

davholla said:
Sorry for the lack of clarity. I wonder if lower end Nikon have these things disabled as well.

My 'rough guide to cameras' has always been to assume that Canon cut down mostly on build quality on lower end bodies and pack them full of features, whereas Nikon keep the build quality high and cut features. Things like Flash control and AF speed spring to mind.

But you have to remember that Exposure simulation are designed for newbies, it makes cameras easier to use, and builds a quicker understanding of exposure changes. It's only when you start wanting to do advanced stuff that they get in the way.