Can I have some 20D with 580ex advice please!!!

[jeffgruskin]

I am new to the digital world and just purchased a 20D with 580ex flash. My question is, I am a wedding photographer and want the easiest way for the 2 pieces of equiptment to work consistantly. What do you find are the best modes for care free shooting on both pieces? I will be using an omni bounce diffuser so this could be a problem? Thanks for any advice on getting me up and shooting digital!!! PS. I will be shooting everything in RAW

[Tim_Aylen]

I use the same setup for weddings and have found that having the camera on Tv and the flash on TTL + 2/3 is quite good. That little extra pump helps a lot as I too use the bounce. Plus, its so easy on the 580 to dial back down to + 1/3 if needed.

I used to use manual a lot but you can't change those distance settings too quickly, eh?!

I use 400 ASA to keep my apertures in the 8 and 5.6 range. (many of my weddings are outdoor beach types!)

[jeffgruskin]

Tim, thank you for all the advice!!! Do all the same settings apply to indoors as well?

[Tim_Aylen]

Yes, I would stay on TTL for indoors simply because you physically cannot change the manual settings quick enough when your subjects falls out of range of what you have on the flash (e.g. 1/4 power etc). But, indoors I switch to manual on the camera so I can control those settings and keep smaller apertures. I prefer to have that control over the camera as I don't trust Tv for indoors. I get great results using 800 ASA indoors as I like to bring up the ambient using apertures like 5.6 and 4.

Don't know what kind of glass you are using but I have graduated to the 24-70 2.8 and what a difference in makes - even over other good Canon lenses like the 17-85mm etc. I would say also the ultra-cheap 18-55mm but that is in another scale!

I also recently got the Quantum Turbo compact for the 580 and it works great. Good weight balance under the camera and excellent recycling.