Hi there,
I was wondering if anyone know of an online tutorial or even some tips basic setups that will help me get started with this flash (that I have had for 12months and used twice) but I would like to learn it and feel that although flash never seems to work for me I think it can give another dimension to some of my insect shot and macro work in general.
Regards Darren
P.S. I use the MT24-EX with the Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro lens and the 350D
Assistance with the MT-24EX macro flash unit
Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau
Assistance with the MT-24EX macro flash unit
****Darren****
The Angel’s from the Book of Life
Wrote down our Jordy’s birth
And whispered as they closed the book
"Too Beautiful For Earth"
The Angel’s from the Book of Life
Wrote down our Jordy’s birth
And whispered as they closed the book
"Too Beautiful For Earth"
-
Mike B in OKlahoma
- Posts: 1048
- Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 10:32 pm
- Location: Oklahoma City
Sorry my answer in the other forum didn't help. Why doesn't the MT-24 seem to work for you? What is the problem in your photos? One pitfall I've encountered with the MT-24 is that if I don't have the two small "mini-flashes" pointed in the right direction, they may give inadequate, or even no light. This is especially a problem with my MP-E-65. I've ended up with completely black shots more than once! Even if you set them up correctly initially, you may bump one or both of them against something and accidentally knock them out of position. If you can describe what is causing you concern, and maybe even post some shots, that would help us figure out what's wrong.
Mike Broderick
Oklahoma City, OK, USA
Constructive critiques of my pictures, and reposts in this forum for purposes of critique are welcome
"I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul....My mandate includes weird bugs."
--Calvin
Oklahoma City, OK, USA
Constructive critiques of my pictures, and reposts in this forum for purposes of critique are welcome
"I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul....My mandate includes weird bugs."
--Calvin
I used to not really like to use flash eather, but i found it an amazing solution for the problems encountered in mid day harsh light - at these times i use it for a fill-in flash to remove all the harsh shadows, and it gives me a great photo.
From there on i really learnt to use my flash, in such situations where the subject is darker then the foreground/background and (backlighted) subject, i can use the flash to bring more light on the subject to even it out, or even bring more light on the subject while reducing foreground/background light, even solutions in situations where the subject is to bright, and the foreground/background is to dark.
I found that flash really helps you to get the photo you want - or your idea of how the photograph should be, it can allso really help you get that photograph you saw though the viewfinder, sometimes it can really be challenge to make a photograph where "what you see is what you get" and ive found that flash can more then assist you in geting this.
I use my flash allmost all the time and i allways keep it with me now, its an amazing contribution to my photography.
Though ive never used a MT-24x - i use a 580ex.
From there on i really learnt to use my flash, in such situations where the subject is darker then the foreground/background and (backlighted) subject, i can use the flash to bring more light on the subject to even it out, or even bring more light on the subject while reducing foreground/background light, even solutions in situations where the subject is to bright, and the foreground/background is to dark.
I found that flash really helps you to get the photo you want - or your idea of how the photograph should be, it can allso really help you get that photograph you saw though the viewfinder, sometimes it can really be challenge to make a photograph where "what you see is what you get" and ive found that flash can more then assist you in geting this.
I use my flash allmost all the time and i allways keep it with me now, its an amazing contribution to my photography.
Though ive never used a MT-24x - i use a 580ex.
Last edited by Adrian on Fri Oct 12, 2007 2:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Hi Adrian,
I struggle with 580ex now to throw the mt24ex into the mix my mind nearly explodes, however this week end i am dedicating to playing with the twin flash.
Regards Darren
I struggle with 580ex now to throw the mt24ex into the mix my mind nearly explodes, however this week end i am dedicating to playing with the twin flash.
Regards Darren
****Darren****
The Angel’s from the Book of Life
Wrote down our Jordy’s birth
And whispered as they closed the book
"Too Beautiful For Earth"
The Angel’s from the Book of Life
Wrote down our Jordy’s birth
And whispered as they closed the book
"Too Beautiful For Earth"
-
puzzledpaul
- Posts: 414
- Joined: Sun Aug 06, 2006 4:15 am
- Location: UK
- Contact:
Well, a couple of months ago I was about 15miles away from buying a mt 24ex - but it never happened and I'm not too sure whether I regret it or not 
Since then I've been messing with a 550ex + 100mm macro (often with extn tubes) and a home made 'beam splitter' which places the '2 light outputs' about 150mm apart.
Whilst I accept that the mt unit has far greater potential versatility than my cardboard + ali foil contraption, I'd say you're not going to get the best out of any system unless you experiment a lot.
I'd obviously not refuse such an offering as an mt (or any other bit of kit) if Santa felt so disposed in a few months time, but the 'lash up' seems more than ok atm - especially at essentially zero cost and negligible extra weight - added to which I'm carrying a standard multi-purpose (hi-pwr) flash unit which can be used for non-macro pics.
I've also made a custom bracket for the flash so's I can get the light where it's needed.
Like Adrian, I now use flash quite a bit - having had not so good experiences in the old 'FD days' ... when experimentation cost money.
Keep at it Darren and you'll probably never look back
pp
Since then I've been messing with a 550ex + 100mm macro (often with extn tubes) and a home made 'beam splitter' which places the '2 light outputs' about 150mm apart.
Whilst I accept that the mt unit has far greater potential versatility than my cardboard + ali foil contraption, I'd say you're not going to get the best out of any system unless you experiment a lot.
I'd obviously not refuse such an offering as an mt (or any other bit of kit) if Santa felt so disposed in a few months time, but the 'lash up' seems more than ok atm - especially at essentially zero cost and negligible extra weight - added to which I'm carrying a standard multi-purpose (hi-pwr) flash unit which can be used for non-macro pics.
I've also made a custom bracket for the flash so's I can get the light where it's needed.
Like Adrian, I now use flash quite a bit - having had not so good experiences in the old 'FD days' ... when experimentation cost money.
Keep at it Darren and you'll probably never look back
pp
Dating from the days when you had to use two manual flashes on a home made bracket and work out the guide number from tables, set the flash sync speed, plus shoot expensive Kodachrome slide film that you needed to wait to come back from processing to see if you had even got an image, surely it cannot be that hard with digital? 
You usually have an electronic camera which automatically sets the flash sync speed when you slot the flash, or controller, into the hotshoe. In the case of the macro-flash units they are stuck on the front of your lens so move with it, meaning they compensate for distance, and even if they did not you now have dedicated TTL flash metering to work out the exposure and quench the flash when the sensor receives enough light. If the exposure is not quite to your liking you also have an exposure compensation dial that you can modify the exposure by usually fraction of a stop increments.
Boy we've really got it hard these days compared to the 1960's! Stick the **** thing on and keep playing with it until you get a reasonable image on the monitor screen. You can delete all the failures straight away because unlike film you are not paying for your mistakes. It does not matter if it takes you a hundred shots to get the right setting with digital. The only thing you have to make a decision about is the ratio of one gun to the other to produce the modelling effect you want, and even that is simplified as you can usually switch one guns power down in relation to the other so you do not get flat ring-light type lighting - decisions, decisions!
DaveW
You usually have an electronic camera which automatically sets the flash sync speed when you slot the flash, or controller, into the hotshoe. In the case of the macro-flash units they are stuck on the front of your lens so move with it, meaning they compensate for distance, and even if they did not you now have dedicated TTL flash metering to work out the exposure and quench the flash when the sensor receives enough light. If the exposure is not quite to your liking you also have an exposure compensation dial that you can modify the exposure by usually fraction of a stop increments.
Boy we've really got it hard these days compared to the 1960's! Stick the **** thing on and keep playing with it until you get a reasonable image on the monitor screen. You can delete all the failures straight away because unlike film you are not paying for your mistakes. It does not matter if it takes you a hundred shots to get the right setting with digital. The only thing you have to make a decision about is the ratio of one gun to the other to produce the modelling effect you want, and even that is simplified as you can usually switch one guns power down in relation to the other so you do not get flat ring-light type lighting - decisions, decisions!
DaveW
Thanks all,
is the having my camera set at Av mode causing troubles? I mean for the most of the photos I take I shoot AV and am guilty for forget that fact a lot....
Regards Darren
is the having my camera set at Av mode causing troubles? I mean for the most of the photos I take I shoot AV and am guilty for forget that fact a lot....
Regards Darren
****Darren****
The Angel’s from the Book of Life
Wrote down our Jordy’s birth
And whispered as they closed the book
"Too Beautiful For Earth"
The Angel’s from the Book of Life
Wrote down our Jordy’s birth
And whispered as they closed the book
"Too Beautiful For Earth"
Try reading your camera and flash manuals Darren, they will tell you what to do to set the camera! When all else fails RTFM.
I think you are simply finding excuses to postpone the "evil day" for trying the flash. You have the dedicated macro flash unit for your camera, set the camera as your manual says, then just plug the flash unit in and go!
It was designed with TTL metering to simplify flash for amateurs by removing the calculations and most of the settings, plus even take care of the exposure. All you need to do once set up is press the shutter button.
If still in doubt e-mail me, you know the address!
DaveW
I think you are simply finding excuses to postpone the "evil day" for trying the flash.
You have the dedicated macro flash unit for your camera, set the camera as your manual says, then just plug the flash unit in and go! It was designed with TTL metering to simplify flash for amateurs by removing the calculations and most of the settings, plus even take care of the exposure. All you need to do once set up is press the shutter button.
If still in doubt e-mail me, you know the address!
DaveW