Hello Neil, I own a MR-14EX, a 550EX, a bunch of 200E's and a metz mecablitz 34. I use them with a EOS 30. I used to own a 380EX and an EOS 50E.
(The metz 34 is a cheap flash similar to a 200E, but it's ETTL-compatible. It has no controls except a test button. I've never seen a 220EX but i'd guess it's equivalent) > 1) The MR-14EX and MT-24EX macro flash units. Do they have external > flash exposure compensation controls? (ie: +/- pushbuttons or > whatever, like on the 550EX or 540EZ) The MR-14EX has +/- pushbuttons. To use them for flash exposure compensation, you must press the 'sel' button first to select flash exposure symbol. This is identical to the 550EX. > 2) Do the MR-14EX and MT-24EX macro flash units have external > controls for second curtain sync? On the MR-14EX, to set second curtain sync, you have to press the + and - buttons together. First time sets high-speed, second time sets second curtain sync, third time resets. Again, identical to the 550EX. > 3) Can the APS cameras - IX, IX Lite/50/7 use second curtain sync? > Can they use it even if the flash unit lacks external controls for it? My metz flash has ETTL but doesn't have any controls. On my eos 30, it can sync on the second curtain when i enable CF6-1 on the camera. The MR-14EX and 550EX only sync on the second curtain when it's set on the flash itself. CF6-1 has no effect on them. The 200E (plain TTL) always fires at the first curtain. A very limited test, but i'd guess that second curtain sync is a function of the ETTL electronics. That would mean that second curtain sync flash set on the camera would work for any EX flashgun without controls. > 4) Are the 220EX, 380EX and 420EX really not rapid-fire capable? It > appears that they are not. Disappointing, in the case of the 420EX. Do you mean the ability to fire the flash (again) before it's finished (re)charging completely? The 380EX can't do that. > 5) Does the 200E have a save energy timeout? It appears not. Does > anyone know the save energy timeout values for the 160E and 220EX? The 200E doesn't timeout. (Actually, that's one of the reasons I bought 'em.) > 6) Is flash exposure bracketing a function of the flash unit or the > body? The Canon Flash Work brochure implies that FEB works with the > 550EX and MR-14EX with all bodies, type A or B, except for the 650, > 620, 850 or 750. However, some people have said that FEB works only > with the 3, 1V, D30 and Elan 7/EOS 30. Using a 550EX or MR-14EX, FEB works on the eos 30 and eos 50e, i've tried it. My 550EX manual agrees with your canon flash work brochure. > 7) The 420EX has no energy saver override. How does this work with > wireless? Do you have 90 seconds to take your photo before a slaved > 420EX shuts off? The 550EX in se power saves after 90 seconds. But in slave mode, it power saves after 60 minutes. Another 60 minutes later, the flash switches itself off. It's probable the 420EX behaves similar, but i don't own one so i'm not sure. (After power save but before switch-off, a flash burst will wake the slave up again. Any test flash or flash exposure lock (ettl preflash) will do). The customs functions on the 550EX allow you to change the power save timeout to 10 minutes, and the switch off timeout to 8 hours. If you have more questions, just ask. Martijn Stol * **** ******* *********************************************************** * For list instructions, including unsubscribe, see: * http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/eos_list.htm ***********************************************************
