If you use a digital or film-based Canon single lens reflex camera (SLR) you might want to strap an external flash onto the camera's hot shoe. The Canon Speedlite 430EX offers photographers the ability to illuminate a scene up to 42 feet away from the camera---a huge improvement over the camera's standard built-in popup flash that reaches less than 20 feet. Whether you choose to use the Canon Speedlite 430EX as a fill flash or to illuminate the entire scene, you can start snapping photos after just a few minutes of setup.
Instructions
1. Slide open the battery compartment door located on the narrow side of the flash. Insert four AA batteries. The unit accepts rechargeable or disposable batteries.
2. Seat the base of the flash unit on top of your Canon camera, in the hot shoe. Slide the flash forward, toward the camera lens. Rotate the base dial on the flash counterclockwise to tighten the unit to the camera. Flip the "Off/Slave" lever just below the base dial to the left, to the "Off" position.
3. Turn on the flash by sliding the power switch---located on the rear of the flash---up to the "On" position. Press the "Mode" button until you reach the "ETTL" or "ETTL II" setting. Only one of the two settings will show depending on your model of Canon camera. The ETTL and ETTL II settings are auto modes for the flash.
4. Press the "Mode" button until an "M" displays on the LCD screen on the back of the flash to use the flash manually. Use the "+" and "-" buttons to toggle through the seven manual power settings in the "Manual Mode." Choose this option when photographing a stagnant scene with no lighting or subject changes---such as a still life setup---or when you need a fraction of a flash burst for fill lighting.
5. Grasp the tilt and swivel head of the Canon Speedlite 430EX flash and rotate the head as needed. Bounce the light from the flash off a white wall in a confined space by turning it to the side facing the wall, or angle the flash head directly up to create bounce flash off the ceiling.
6. Turn on the Canon camera. Begin taking photographs. The camera will signal the flash to fire. You will not need to press buttons on the flash to activate it while taking pictures.
Tags: Canon Speedlite, Canon camera, Speedlite 430EX, base dial, button until, camera shoe