I'm just got my EOS30 (Elan 7E) body and can't make my SL420EX to do modelling light. I'm set

or mode, flash is turned on and pressing button on the lens mount of the body. The viewfinder becomes darker (DOF is working) but there are no modelling light. What i'm doing wrong? Is there CF that turning this feature on? Or it depends on metering mode/ECF/focussing mode/whatever? Or my body or flash is damaged? Help, please!

-- Alexander Zuev (zav@sparc.spb.su), March 07, 2002

Answers

Sorry, looks like something is eaten from my post. Modes i mentioned was *P* and *AV* and button is *DOF Preview*.

-- Alexander Zuev (zav@sparc.spb.su), March 07, 2002.

With the flash turned on, the modeling light should work in any of the creative modes. Be sure the flash contacts are clean and fully seated. Sometimes 3rd party lenses cause problems with the DOF button.

-- Puppy Face (doggieface@aol.com), March 07, 2002.

For the modelling flash to work, the little switch near the base of the 420EX must be set to SLAVE. The flash's zoom will be set at 24mm, but onced you press the DOF button the zoom will set at your lens setting, and a 1 sec. strobe will be shot.

-- Pascal Harvey (harveypascal@hotmail.com), March 07, 2002.

Pascal is correct about using slave mode for the modeling light (important point!). The modeling light is intended for use with multiple wireless Speedlites, e.g., the ST-E2 and 420EX and/or 550EX, to check shadows, lighting angles, and ratios. The light from on-camera flash is obviously frontal so there is no need to use it. The Elan 7 manual doesn't mention these details but the 420EX manual explains it on p. 30.

-- Puppy Face (doggieface@aol.com), March 07, 2002.

Thanks. The manual i have with my SpeedLite is in Deutch (German) language, so, i did not found notice about turning flash into Slave mode. But on Page 30 i can see the picture with switch turned into *Slave* position and there are some words about modelling light. Thanks again.

-- Alexander Zuev (zav@sparc.spb.su), March 11, 2002.