Autoflash with One Receiver

This section describes basic fully automatic wireless shooting with an EL-5 attached to the camera as a sender and an EL-5 set as a receiver.

  1. Set up a unit as the sender.

    • Set the EL-5 attached to the camera as a sender ().
    • You can also use other devices equipped with radio transmission wireless sender functionality as senders.

  2. Set up a unit as the receiver.

    • Set the EL-5 for wireless control by the sender as the receiver ().
    • You can also use other Speedlites equipped with radio transmission wireless receiver functionality.

  3. Check the channel and ID.

    • Set the same transmission channel and wireless radio ID on senders and receivers, if they are different ().

  4. Position the camera and other Speedlite.

  5. Use the joystick on the sender to select MODE.

  6. Set the flash mode to ETTL.

    • Press the joystick vertically or horizontally or turn Select dial to select ETTL, then push the joystick straight in.
    • The receiver is automatically set to ETTL during shooting, as controlled by the sender.
    • Confirm that firing group control is set to ALL.

  7. Check the connection and make sure the flash units are charged.

    • Confirm that the LINK lamp is lit in green.
    • Confirm that the sender and receiver flash-ready lamps are lit.
    • The sender beeps after all Speedlites have been recharged when P.Fn-05 is set to [0] ().
    • Confirm that the Receiver charging completed icon (1) indicating completion of sender/receiver charging appears on the sender LCD panel (CHARGE is not displayed).
    • For details on sender LCD panel illumination, see LCD Panel Illumination.

  8. Check operation.

    • Press the sender test flash button.
    • The Speedlites fire. If it does not fire, confirm that it is within transmission range ().

  9. Take the picture.

    • Just as in normal flash photography, shoot after configuring the camera.

Caution

  • Radio transmission is not possible unless the LINK lamp is lit. Double-check the transmission channels and wireless radio IDs of senders and receivers. If you cannot connect with the same settings, restart the senders and receivers.

Note

  • Flash coverage of the sender and receiver is set to 24 mm. You can also set the flash coverage manually.
  • The sender can also fire ().
  • You can fire the modeling flash by pressing the camera's depth-of-field preview button when an EL-5 is set as a receiver (). Modeling flash cannot be fired this way when an EL-5 is set as a sender.
  • Auto power off takes effect in approx. 5 min. when the Speedlite is set as a sender.
  • To turn on a receiver that is in auto power off mode, press the sender test flash button.
  • Test flash firing is not available while a camera's flash timer or similar functions are active.
  • You can change the time until auto power off takes effect on a receiver in C.Fn-10.
  • You can set up beeping when all Speedlites (senders and receivers) are fully charged in P.Fn-05.

LCD Panel Illumination

In wireless flash photography, the sender LCD panel is on or off depending on whether senders and receivers (firing groups) are charged.

The sender LCD panel is lit when the sender and receiver are not fully charged. LCD panel illumination turns off approx. 12 sec. after senders and receivers are fully charged.

The sender LCD panel is lit again when sender and receiver charging resumes as you take pictures.

Caution

  • CHARGE is displayed on the sender LCD panel as long as the sender or any receiver (firing groups) is not fully charged. Before shooting, confirm that CHARGE is not displayed on the LCD panel.

Flash Photography Applying Wireless Features

The wireless system eliminates the need to set up the following features on receivers, which are automatically configured based on sender settings. This enables wireless flash photography much like normal flash photography.

Note

  • You can also set flash exposure compensation and flash coverage manually on each receiver.
  • With an EL-5 set as sender, wireless second-curtain sync shooting is possible with other Canon Speedlites set as receivers. For details on compatible Speedlites, refer to the Supplemental Information ().

Using Multiple Senders

Multiple devices can be set as senders. Wireless flash photography under the same lighting arrangement (with the same receivers) is also possible using other cameras, by switching the camera that the sender is attached to.

SUB SENDER is displayed on the LCD panel when multiple senders are used.

Caution

  • LINK lamps that are off or Sender wireless not connected display on LCD panels indicates that the Speedlites are not connected. After checking the transmission channel and wireless radio ID, restart each sender.
  • Do not exceed a total of 16 senders and receivers in wireless flash photography.

Note

  • Flash photography is possible even when the sender is a sub-sender.