Canon 540EZ and EOS 300D/Digital Rebel

I'm about to take delivery of an EOS 300D/Digital rebel, and have an
older 540EZ speedlite flash, with which I've had great results in the
past with film EOS bodies.

Now, from a few things I've read I understand that the 540EZ doesn't
work with the Rebel. Does this mean that it won't fire at all, or just
that some of the automatic functions won't work with the 300D?

If the latter I can live with it, if the former I'll be hitting eBay
shortly

ck


--

 

I had a D30 with 540EZ before. It works but only the flash set to manual
mode which means you have to set your flash output to match you need ex.
1/128, 1/64, 1/4...etc. I expected the 300D the same. Also I just bought a
Canon 300D last week from ebay and going to pick it up tomorrow. If you can
wait few more days then I can tell you what happen with them.

CK LUK

 

Thanks for that. Yes, please let me know how you get on!

ck

 

I have a 300D and a 540EZ. The flash does fire, but you have to set
everything manually. The 540EZ is a very good unit, but i ended up buying a
420EX as my everyday do-what-i-mean-flash. I use the 540EZ only when i have
the time to do flash exposure series or when i need the 540's strobe.

 

Hmmm. I don't think that the wife is going to let me have two flash
units. Looks like I'll be making my trip to eBay sooner rather than
later...

Thanks for the information Ernst.

ck


--

 

Charles,

The 540EZ works with my 300D OK only set to manual mode,
the bonus is the flash can auto zooming as well but not with my D30 before!

CKLUK

 

I use a 420ex on my rebel and love it. If you don't mind flashing your
firmware you will also get FEC with the 420ex, (among other things like
mirror lockup and raw in sports mode) otherwize you will want to get the new
580ex speedlite.

 

And FEC is EXTREMELY useful, if you do not want to flash I would spend the
extra money and get the 580.

 

I am definitely intending to flash the firmware. You're talking about
the Russian firmware from Satinfo, yes?

Have there been any problems reported with it? I'd hate to knacker my
new camera!

Also, are you saying that my 540EZ will work better with the camera once
I've got the hacked firmware installed?

ck

--

 

Just hope that you never need a warranty repair with the hacked firmware
installed. Some failures may prevent you from reloading factory firmware.


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-- slr-systems FAQ project: http://tinyurl.com/6m9aw
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.

 

Hi Chrles,

Me too. My 540EZ and my Elan were gorgeous and consistent.

Alas, the EZ series of speedlights doesn't work full dedicated with
any current Canon's, which use the EX series of flashes. I leaned
this disappointment first when I tried my 540EZ on my Canon G2.
I was buying a 550 EX in no time. :-\

However, it does still kinda work--the EZ flash atop your new digital
rebel will just dump the full flash out by default, which in general
will leave you quite overexposed. As others have stated, manual mode
on the flash can get you where you want to go. Some would say "what's
the point really... why have a camera capable of wonderful through the
lens flash metering off the sensor and then use it with a flash that
requires manual setting?" :-\ However, if your use is limited enough,
you can make it work if manual mode is acceptable to ya.


Now, here's what really blows--even if you bought an EX flash, you'd
not enjoy nearly as consistent flash exposures as we're used to from
the 540EZ and your film EOS if your experience mimicks mine. I remain
VERY disappointed with the flash results from my Rebel and the 550EX--
inconsistent to say the least (see the thread I just started inquiring
about that).

With as much money as I've spent on the 550EX, the 300D, and the
75-300 IS lens, I'd love to self-justify and claim I'm a brilliant
smart guy and my pictures look just fabulous in all conditions.
Sadly, I have to confess that the combo so far has been crappy in the
flash exposure consistency department.

Hopefully I can find out what's causing the issues.

Best Regards,

 

Canon USA simply reverted the firmware to the factory standard on my brother-
in-laws DRebel when he sent it in for waranty work (rattling noise in
camera).

 

I have the Russian firmware but I'm going to install the Dutch one right
away so I can get RAW in sports mode. The hacked firmware has a lot of
great features, the main ones I like are:
Setting the embeded jpeg size (I set mine to minimum and can get 99 RAW
images on a 512 card)
Mirror Lockup
FEC
you can find out more here
http://www.bahneman.com/liem/photos/tricks/digital-rebel-tricks.php I have a
friend that has the Undutchables and it works great for him. I've had the
russian stuff on for about 4000 pictures or a few months....

 

Yes, this is one of the things that worries me. Hmmm. I'm weighing up
the risks versus missing out on some of the rather attractive features,
such as RAW in sports mode.

Damn. Choices choices

ck
--

 

Thanks for that. The dutch firmware sounds good - I'd *love* to be able
to shoot RAW in in sports mode. And the mirror lockup would be just as
good.

Have you had any problems with the altered firmware?


--

 

Weren't they just! I loved the combination. Like you said - the
consistency was extremely impressive, and it was always fun mucking
around with the manual settings. In fact, if it weren't for the
convenience and flexibility of digital SLRs, and the rather dubious
quality of many commercial processing labs I'd probably still be using
the setup for at least half the photographs I take.

Yeah, I guess it will be OK in a studio setting. Yay! An excuse to set
up a studio!

Hmmm. Now, what you're saying is *exactly* what my local camera dealer
told me. That is a bit of a worry, because over here the 55EX is hardly
cheap, especially if it doesn't perform to the level that I'm hoping
for...

I'll keep an eye on your thread. Thanks for the post Todd, much
appreciated.

ck

--

 

Kudos for Canon then. I would have expected them to use it as
an excuse to avoid the repair on the excuse that hacked firmware may
have caused the damage. (Could also be they simply loaded the latest
firmware w/o even checking the in camera load).


--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- slr-systems FAQ project: http://tinyurl.com/6m9aw
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.

 

Not a one

 

Another urban legend.

Do you have any first hand knowledge of anyone being denied a warranty claim
by Canon because the firmware was hacked? I have read a number of posts by
people who have had their warranties honored in spite of hacked firmware. I
have yet to read a post from someone who had their claim denied. Human
nature being what it is, I would think that if, in fact, Canon had denied
claims because of the hack there would be plenty of ongoing discussion about
it.

Indeed they will.

Please don't bottom post.
Please don't perpetuate urban legends.

 

Installed fine on my 300D - very happy with the new functionality and
nothing existing seems to have broken. I still can't take decent photos
though - must be the camera ;-)

Iain