purchased a canon 5d with a package. I've tried getting the flash to work without success. when I go to menu -then external speedlite control - settings- it says This menu cannot be displayed. incompatible flash or flash's power is turned off?
the flash is a zeikos....There are a couple settings on back of flash that I don't understand slave mode ? then another switch on -off and slave on? Almost feel like i was sold the wrong flash for this camera. which is an entirely different story. Any help would be wonderful..
First, don't know anything about Zeikos flash, so I am assuming that you wouldn't get sold a flash that wouldn't work with your camera. You'll have to figure that out.
Your "external flash" menu will not show up in your camera menus until you have a flash powered on and not attached to the camera- and that flash must be set to "slave-on". Your on camera flash needs to be "on" or "up" and the Zeikos flash needs to be in the "line of sight" of the camera.
If the flash is actually attached to your 5D via the hotshoe, according to the camera, it is not an external flash.
Hope this hasn't confused you more. Also, the Canon manual does a fairly good job of explaining external flash and how to set it up.
Thanks Awagner.... I have read the manual and tried several things I get confused easy.I realize i need to take a class,there is so much to learn. Thanks again
Rookie wrote:
purchased a canon 5d with a package. I've tried getting the flash to work without success. when I go to menu -then external speedlite control - settings- it says This menu cannot be displayed. incompatible flash or flash's power is turned off?
the flash is a zeikos....There are a couple settings on back of flash that I don't understand slave mode ? then another switch on -off and slave on? Almost feel like i was sold the wrong flash for this camera. which is an entirely different story. Any help would be wonderful..
purchased a canon 5d with a package. I've tried ge... (
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Generally, on a 5D a non Canon flash and some Canon flashes, the flash control is relegated to the flash and not to the camera. i.e. You set second curtain shutter or high speed sync on the flash along with E-TTL. Read your 5D manual (available as a PDF download from Canon).
The Zeikos flash is not the quality or price of a comparable Canon flash and a quick search of user ratings indicated the following:
Cons:
TTL accuracy not very good, tend to over expose, need to provide manual compensation.
AF Assist beam misaligned, and hence ineffective
Could not find a compatible Stofen diffuser. ( Amazon lists Zeikos 680EX flash bundled with Stofen omnibounce MZ6 sold by Cameta Camera, so I bought the Stofen OM-MZ6 separately, only to find that it does not fit the Zeikos flash head)
Although off brand flashes are cheaper than your camera brand of flash they often come with issues.
I suggest a search of You Tube to see if there are any instructional videos for your Zeikos flash.
Thanks Robert... I'm taking your advice and getting a canon flash tmrw.
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