The Canon Speedlite 430 EX Flash is an external light source for Canon digital cameras. According to Canon.com, this flash is compatible with all Canon Electro-Optical System (EOS) cameras, including the PowerShot Pro1, G6, G5, G3 and G2 models.
Instructions
1. Attach flash to top of camera. To do so:
• Loosen locking ring on the bottom of the flash unit. Turn ring to the right.
• Slip bottom of the flash unit into mounting bracket, commonly called the hot shoe slot, located over the built-in flash.
• Tighten the locking ring by turning it to the left.
2. Choose a mode. The Speedlite 430 EX flash operates in several modes, based on the photographer's chosen shutter speed:
• Fully automatic flash shooting, for which there are three modes: shutter priority (Tv), aperture priority (Av) and manual (M). In shutter priority mode, the camera automatically sets the aperture, or size of the hole that lets light into the camera, to match the shutter speed. In aperture priority mode, the camera will set the shutter speed to match the aperture speed. Using manual mode, the photographer sets both shutter speed and aperture manually.
• Flash exposure compensation. Shooting with flash exposure compensation allows photographers to adjust the amount of light from the flash. Flash exposure compensation can be set in a range from (-3) to (+3 steps) in 1/3 stop increments.
• High-speed sync, or first-curtain sync. This mode works with all shutter speeds, especially with aperture-priority fill-flash portraits.
• Second curtain sync, used for slower shutter speeds, for moving subjects. When the shutter fires at the end of the exposure, this creates a light trail behind the subject. At photonotes.org, http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/index2.html, author NK Guy provides an explanation of several issues that arise with this mode, including that the pre-flash may confuse a subject, and also that if the subject is moving, the lighting will be off using this mode.
• Manual flash. The flash output can be set from 1/64 power to 1/1 (full power). A hand-held flash meter can be used to gauge flash output with this mode.
3. Use a wireless flash. According to the manual provided by Canon, the Speedlite 430EX can be used in conjunction with another Speedlite flash unit that is attached to your digital camera. The unit attached to the camera is referred to as the "master unit" in this situation.
To do this, flip the wireless selector switch on the back of the 430 EX unit to "Slave," which will put it under the settings of the flash attached to the camera. Check to see that the units can communicate with each other, then position the 430 EX unit within the master unit's wireless range.
Set the master unit's flash mode to ETTL, test fire the flash units by pushing the shutter button on the camera, then set the camera and shoot.
Tags: shutter speed, exposure compensation, flash unit, master unit, this mode, aperture priority