Continuous Flash with 580

[canon400d]

Hi Everyone,
I use a 40 and a 7D with a 580 flash. Can anyone please tell me what settings I should have the flash on when shooting continuous. I find the 580 only fires once. I see everyone else appear to be shooting continuous and the flash is firing all the time. I hope I have made myself clear.
Cheers
Bob

[pathfinder]

Stroboscopic bursts of just multiple flashes??

To get multiple flash bursts from a 580 ( and not in the stroboscopic mode ) you need to use modest amounts of flash so that you do not drain the capacitor with each shot. In practice this means, use a high ISO with the flash close to the subject and a large aperture ( so you use less light ), and having an external battery pack is also very helpful.

I can frequently get four flashes like this before the capacitor loses its charge and I have to wait for it to recharge. Poor little AA batteries can only work to fast, you know...

You have to be careful, multiple full power flashes is a prescription for flash tube failure. The manual for the 580 warns on page 25 not to fire more than 10 stroboscopic bursts without a 10 minute cool down period.

Stroboscopic flash if rapidly repeating flashes that are frequently all done during a single shutter opening is covered on page 24 of the manual for the 580ex.

[Dan7312]

Last month I saw a 580 that didn't work so well... with is side melted in, so the warning certainly has merit:D

You have to be careful, multiple full power flashes is a prescription for flash tube failure. The manual for the 580 warns on page 25 not to fire more than 10 stroboscopic bursts without a 10 minute cool down period.

[pathfinder]

This is more of a concern with external power supplies, but some of the rechargeable Lithium and NiMH AAs are pretty potent also.

[canon400d]

This is more of a concern with external power supplies, but some of the rechargeable Lithium and NiMH AAs are pretty potent also.

Thanks for the sound information once again Pathfinder. I was aware of the 10 shots and the 10 minute break.
Cheers
Bob

[JimKarczewski]

Shot pretty continuously last night at a basketball game with my 580. Was set to 1/8 power the whole night and went well on one set of AA duracells. I need to get more rechargables, mine are too damn old. But when it comes to using it above 1/2 power, I wouldn't be gunning it as much. 1/8 power I'm not so concerned.

[canon400d]

Shot pretty continuously last night at a basketball game with my 580. Was set to 1/8 power the whole night and went well on one set of AA duracells. I need to get more rechargables, mine are too damn old. But when it comes to using it above 1/2 power, I wouldn't be gunning it as much. 1/8 power I'm not so concerned.

Hi Jim how do I set it to 1/8 power. I don't know what mine is set at.
Cheers
Bob

[pathfinder]

Set the flash to Manual mode ( not ETTL ) and turn the dial back until it reads 1/8th...

[canon400d]

Set the flash to Manual mode ( not ETTL ) and turn the dial back until it reads 1/8th...

Thanks Pathfinder for that I will give it a go. However, I am a dumb guy here with this 580ex11 as everyone has told me to set it on ETTL. I hope I am not labouring this question.
Cheers
Bob

[pathfinder]

If you want to shoot at 1/8th power, the 580ex needs to be in Manual Mode. In ETTL you are turning over the power control to the flash unit as signaled by the camera sensors.

[canon400d]

If you want to shoot at 1/8th power, the 580ex needs to be in Manual Mode. In ETTL you are turning over the power control to the flash unit as signaled by the camera sensors.

Thanks once again Pathfinder I am a lot clearer now what I am doing with the 580
Cheers
Bob