Canon SPEEDLIGHT 550EX Bedienungsanleitung

English Edition

INSTRUCTIONS

This Instructions booklet is dated April 2000. For information on the camera’s

compatibility with system accessories marketed after this date, contact your nearest

Canon Service Center.

CANON INC. 30-2, Shimomaruko 3-chome, Ohta-ku, Tokyo 146-8501, Japan

U.S.A. CANON U.S.A. INC.

For all inquiries concerning this camera, call toll free in the U.S.

1-800-OK-CANON or write to: Customer Relations, Canon U.S.A., Inc.

One Canon Plaza, Lake Success, N.Y. 11042-1198

CANADA CANON CANADA INC. HEADQUARTERS

6390 Dixie Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1P7, Canada

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CANON CANADA INC. CALGARY OFFICE

2828, 16th Street, N.E. Calgary, Alberta T2E 7K7, Canada

For all inquiries concerning this camera, call toll free in Canada

1-800-OK-CANON

EUROPE, CANON EUROPA N.V.

AFRICA &

Bovenkerkerweg 59-61, P.O. Box 2262, 1180 EG Amstelveen, The Netherlands

MIDDLE EAST CANON COMMUNICATION & IMAGE FRANCE S.A.

102, Avenue du Général de Gaulle 92257 La Garenne-Colombes Cedex, France

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SEQUE Soc. Nac. de Equip., Lda.,

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SOUTH AMERICA 703 Waterford Way Suite 400 Miami, FL 33126 U.S.A.

CANON LATIN AMERICA, INC. CENTRO DE SERVICIO Y REPARACION

Apartado 2019, Zona Libre de Colón, República de Panamá

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JAPAN CANON SALES CO., INC.

12-15 Mita, 3-Chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8011, Japan

CT1-1707-004 ©CANON INC. 1998 PRINTED IN JAPAN

1098Ni5.0

Key to Symbols

: Warning for preventing camera or Speedlite malfunction.

: Supplementary notes for basic operation.

: Helpful tip for Speedlite operation or picture taking.

• Keep this Instructions booklet handy for future reference.

Thank you for purchasing a Canon product.

The Canon Speedlite 550EX is a powerful, high-output flash unit featuring E-

TTL (Evaluative-Through-The-Lens) autoflash control. It can be used as an on-

camera Speedlite or as a master or slave unit in a wireless, multi-Speedlite

system.

When used with Type-A cameras (listed below), the 550EX obtains natural-look-

ing flash pictures by balancing the flash output and existing light. The 550EX

also enables high-speed sync (FP or Focal-Plane flash), FE (Flash Exposure)

lock, FEB (Flash Exposure Bracketing), bounce flash and area AF-assist.

When used with Type-B cameras (listed below), the 550EX works as a TTL

autoflash unit.

With Type-B cameras, some 550EX features are not available. Refer to the

tables below to check your camera type and the features available.

This Instructions booklet has separate sections for Type-A and Type-B cam-

eras. Read the section which applies to your camera.

550EX Features Available with EOS Cameras ?: Available X: Not available

Type-A Camera E-TTL

EOS-1D, 1V, 3, D60, D30, ELAN 7/7E, 30/33, 50/50 E, ELAN ll/ELAN ll E,

300/REBEL 2000, 500N/REBEL G, 3000N/66/REBEL XSN, IX, IX 7/IX Lite

Type-B Camera TTL All other EOS cameras.

Features With Type-A Cameras With Type-B Cameras

E-TTL autoflash control ?X

High-speed sync (FP flash) ?X

FE lock ?X

FEB ??

Wireless, multi-Speedlite E-TTL ?X

127

The CE Mark is a Directive conformity mark of the European

Community (EC)

The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing.

Batteries shall not be exposed to excessive heat such as sunshine, fire or the like.

Dry batteries shall not be subjected to charging.

Conventions Used in this Booklet

The Instructions are divided into separate sections for Type-A and Type-B

cameras. If you have a Type-A camera, see pages 10 to 76 and 112 to

125. If you have a Type-B camera, see pages 10 to 22 and 77 to 125.

●The Speedlite operation procedures assume that the Speedlite 550EX

has been turned on with its main switch. Before proceeding, turn on

the main switch.

●The camera and Speedlite’s buttons and dials and their settings are

indicated by icons in the Instructions. The name of each button and

dial can be found in “Nomenclature” on page 6. Icons for camera

modes are also used. They are as follows:

: Full Auto

: Program AE

: Aperture-priority AE

: Shutter speed-priority AE

: Manual

●The icon indicates a simple explanation of a relevant Custom

Function. For details, see “Custom Functions” on page 112. The

Custom Function explanations assume that the default Custom

Function settings are in effect.

01. F073-E (3~) 02.4.1 2:07 PM Page 3

Contents

Before You Start

Basic Flash

Photography

Advanced Flash

Photography

Wireless Flash

Photography

Basic Flash

Photography

Advanced Flash

Photography

Wireless Flash

Photography

Nomenclature .........................................6

1. Installing Batteries..........................10

2. External Power Sources ................12

3. Attachment to Camera ...................13

4. Wireless Selector ...........................14

5. Main Switch....................................16

1. Using Flash in Full Auto Mode .......24

2. Using Flash in

Other Camera Modes ....................26

1. High-Speed Sync

(FP Flash) ......................................32

2. FE Lock..........................................34

3. Flash Exposure

Compensation................................36

[1] Wireless System Setup and Testing ...52

Setting the 550EX as the Master Unit

....52

2. Setting the 550EX as a Slave Unit........53

3. Setting the Master/Slave Channel ........54

4. Setting the Slave ID..............................56

5. Master Flash ON/OFF ..........................57

6. Wireless Flash Range...........................58

1. Using Flash in Full Auto Mode .......78

2. Using Flash in

Other Camera Modes ....................80

1. Flash Exposure Compensation......86

2. FEB

(Flash Exposure Bracketing)

......88

3. Bounce Flash .................................90

[1] Wireless System Setup and Testing...100

Setting the 550EX as the Master Unit

....100

2. Setting the 550EX as a Slave Unit......100

3. Setting the Master/Slave Channel ......101

4. Setting the Slave ID............................103

5. Master Flash ON/OFF ........................104

6. Wireless Flash Range.........................105

For Type-A Cameras

For Type-B Cameras

01. F073-E (3~) 02.4.1 2:07 PM Page 4

• For Type-A cameras, see pages 10 to 76 and 112 to 125.

• For Type-B cameras, see pages 10 to 22 and 77 to 125.

[2] Wireless E-TTL Autoflash ....60

1. Wireless E-TTL Autoflash

With Flash Ratio OFF .......................60

2. Wireless E-TTL Autoflash

With Flash Ratio ON .........................63

[3] Wireless Manual Flash ....71

1. Wireless Manual Flash

With Uniform Flash Output ...............71

2. Wireless Manual Flash

With Varied Flash Output..................72

[4] Wireless Stroboscopic Flash ....73

[5] Manual or Stroboscopic Flash

With a Slave Unit ....74

1. Setting Manual Flash

With a Slave Unit ..............................74

Stroboscopic Flash With a Slave Unit

...75

6. Pilot Lamp and Test Firing..........17

7. Flash Exposure Confirmation .....18

8. Using the Zoom Button and

Wide Panel .................................18

9. Flash Mode.................................21

10. Setting the Film Speed ...............21

11. LCD Panel Illumination ...............21

12. AF-Assist Beam..........................22

Automatic Reversion to Default

Settings.......................................22

(1) Av: Aperture-Priority AE and

E-TTL Autoflash..........................27

(2)

Tv: Shutter Speed-Priority AE and

E-TTL Autoflash

..........................29

(3) M: Manual Exposure and

E-TTL Autoflash..........................30

4. FEB

(Flash Exposure Bracketing) ......38

5. Bounce Flash..............................40

6. Close-Distance Flash

Photography ...............................43

7. Manual Flash Mode ....................44

8. Stroboscopic Flash .....................46

9. Second-Curtain

Synchronization ..........................49

10. Modeling Flash ...........................50

(1) Av: Aperture-Priority AE and

E-TTL Autoflash..........................81

(2)

Tv: Shutter Speed-Priority AE and

E-TTL Autoflash

..........................83

(3) M: Manual Exposure and

E-TTL Autoflash..........................84

4. Close-Distance

Flash Photography .....................92

5. Manual Flash Mode ....................93

6. Stroboscopic Flash .....................95

Second-Curtain Synchronization

...98

[2] Wireless Manual Flash ...107

1. Wireless Manual Flash

With Uniform Flash Output .............107

Wireless Manual Flash With Varied Flash Output

..108

[3] Wireless Stroboscopic Flash ...109

[4] Manual or Stroboscopic Flash

With a Slave Unit ...110

1. Manual Flash With a Slave Unit......110

Stroboscopic Flash With a Slave Unit

...111

Custom Functions ...........................112

Canon Speedlite 550EX System.....114

Troubleshooting Guide....................116

Specifications..................................118

01. F073-E (3~) 02.4.1 2:07 PM Page 5

Nomenclature

●Front

Flash head and

transmitter

Built-in Wide Panel (retracted)

(page 20, 42)

External power source socket

Locking collar (page 13)

Electrical contacts

Battery compartment

cover (page 10)

*The battery

compartment has a

switch to display the

distance in feet or

meters on the LCD

panel.

Sensor

AF-assist beam emitter

(page 22)

Mounting foot (page 13)

Locking pin (page 13)

Mini stand pocket

Case

Shoe

Mini stand

01. F073-E (3~) 02.4.1 2:07 PM Page 6

Nomenclature

●Rear

Buttons marked with an asterisk remain active for 8 sec. after the button is released. LCD

panel illumination with the < > button remains on for 12 sec.

< >Horizontal bounce release

button (page 40, 90)

PUSH

When these two

buttons are pressed

simultaneously, the

setting changes in the

following loop:

* < > Decrement

button

LCD panel

< > Vertical bounce

release button

(page 40, 90)

PUSH

* < > Select/

Set button

< > Zoom

button (page 18)

Main switch (page 16)

: Turns off the power.

: Turns on the power.

: Turns on the power and

enables the SE mode.

Wireless selector (page 14)

< > : For operation as an on-

camera Speedlite.

< > : For operation as a

wireless master unit.

< > : For operation as a

wireless slave unit.

Flash exposure confirmation

lamp (page 18)

* < > Increment

button

< > Flash

mode and slave

setting button

(page 21, 74, 112)

< > Pilot

lamp/Test firing

button/Wireless slave

SE cancel button

(page 17, 59, 107)

* < > LCD panel

illumination button

(page 21)

Custom Function

setting button(page 112)

(Off)

01. F073-E (3~) 02.4.1 2:07 PM Page 7

Nomenclature

●LCD Panel

Manual flash output display

Flash exposure

compensation display

Flash exposure

bracketing (FEB) display

High-speed sync

(FP flash) icon

FEB icon

/ Autoflash icon

Flash exposure

compensation icon

Manual

flash icon Multi

(stroboscopic)

flash icon

Custom

Function icon

Flash range scale

Flash ratio scale

Wireless icon

Master :

Slave :

Flash mode icon

Master flash ON :

Master flash OFF :

Slave flash :

Manual zoom icon

Zoom and focal length

coverage display

Second-curtain

flash sync icon

Slave icon

Flash ratio icon

Aperture display

FEB status display

Stroboscopic flash count and

frequency display

Custom Function display

Channel icon

Flash mode icon

(Blinks when flash head is

tilted down 7°)

Flash ratio

Distance

unit (meters)

Distance

unit (feet)

01. F073-E (3~) 02.4.1 2:07 PM Page 8

Before You Start

This chapter is for preparing the Speedlite 550EX for actual operation.

02. F073-E (9~) 02.4.1 2:08 PM Page 9

1. Installing Batteries

Speedlite 550EX requires one of the following two types of batteries:

(1) Size-AA alkaline batteries ×4

(2) Size-AA nickel-hydride batteries ×4

Slide the battery compartment cover

as shown by the arrow and flip it up.

Insert the batteries with the + and –

contacts oriented as shown in the

battery compartment.

Close the battery compartment cover

as shown in the figure.

02. F073-E (9~) 02.4.1 2:08 PM Page 10

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