WIRELESS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY
Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2
Weight: 100g (Including battery)
Developed in conjunction with the
Speedlite 550EX and the EOS-3
camera, this master control device
for a wireless Speedlite flash system
meets and exceeds professional
and advanced amateur standards.
Its dedicated transmitter controls
an unlimited number of 420EX or
550EX Speedlites as slave units
up to 33ft/10m away outdoors
and 49.5ft/15m away indoors. It is
mounted as a clip-on with shoe-lock
lever and locking pin.
ADVANCED FEATURES,
E-TTL COMPATIBLE
Compatible with E-TTL autoflash
functions, groups of 550EX
Speedlites are able to take advantage
of High-speed Sync, FE Lock, Flash
Exposure Bracketing, and pre-flash
evaluative metering.
BUILT-IN AF-ASSIST BEAM
The AF-Assist Beam automatically
fires in low-light and low-contrast
situations to assist the camera’s
autofocusing system.
SETS AND CONTROLS
FLASH RATIOS*
Transmitter ST-E2 sets and controls
all functions of its Speedlite 550EX
slave units. Flash ratios, for example,
are controllable between two groups
of 420EX and/or 550EX Speedlites,
over a six-stop range.
HIGH SPEED FP FLASH
High Speed FP (Focal Plane) flash for
synchronisation at all shutter speeds
is available. Larger apertures can be
used to obtain better background
blur. Additionally, fill flash can be
used for moving subjects in daylight.
* Wireless E-TTL with full ratio control possible
with EOS-1D, EOS 1Ds, EOS 10D, EOS 300D,
EOS-1v, EOS-3, Elan 30/33 and EOS 300V.
Speedlite Spotlights
both girls were illuminated with one Speedlite each. Ambient light was retained in the
room down the hall. The compactness of the Speedlites and wireless control were key features which
made this shot possible
• EF 28-70mm f/2.8L USM lens, 1/20 sec. at f/3.5
Speedlite 550EX mounted
on the mini stand (provided)
Blonde and Brunette
One slave unit was aimed at a black reflector and another at a white reflector
• EF 85mm f/1.2L USM lens, 1/15 sec. at f/4.5
Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2 on the EOS-3
ALL
Resting Girl
Two slave units aimed at reflectors were used
• EF 50mm f/1L USM lens, 1/60 sec. at f/4
E-TTL Wireless
Autoflash Control
Up to three groups (for main, fill,
and background flash) of slave
units can be set up for optimal,
complete control of lighting.
The slave unit’s ID is set to A, B,
or C. The flash output ratio
between two Speedlite groups can
be adjusted automatically from 8:1
to 1:1 or from 1:1 to 1:8. The flash
output of the C Speedlite group can
be adjusted through flash exposure
compensation. The E-TTL
autoflash system controls the total
flash output to obtain a correct
exposure. Also, when Speedlite
550EX is used with the EOS-1Ds,
EOS-1D, EOS 10D, EOS 300D,
EOS D60, EOS D30, EOS-1v, EOS-3,
EOS 30/33 or EOS 300V, you can fire
a modelling flash for 1 sec. at 70Hz,
by pressing the depth-of-field
preview button to preview the flash
effects before taking the picture.
Even with multiple Speedlites, the
modelling flash fires according to the
flash ratio you have set.
550EX
550EX aimed at
black reflector
EOS-3+550EX
550EX aimed at
white reflector
A
C
B
A direct flash from the left and a reflected flash
on the right lit the flowers
• EF 28-70mm f/2.8L USM lens, 2 sec. at f/6.7
550EX
550EX
EOS-3+
ST-E2
Side Lighting
Side lighting with a remote slave unit
gives a three-dimensional effect
• EF 28-70mm f/2.8L USM lens, 1/20 sec. at f/3.5
Front Lighting
On-camera flash usually results
in flat lighting
• EF 28-70mm f/2.8L USM lens, 1/20 sec. at f/3.5
EOS-3+
550EX
EOS-3+
ST-E2
550EX
E-TTL wireless autoflash can
also be used with most other
Speedlite features, such as
FE Lock, FP Flash, Flash Exposure
Bracketing/Compensation, and
Stroboscopic Flash. Finally, for macro
shooting, the Macro Ring
Lite MR-14EX and Macro Twin
Lite MT-24EX can be used as
master units as well.
Speedlite
Transmitter ST-E2
Instead of using a Speedlite 550EX
as the on-camera master unit,
this wireless transmitter can be
used. The ST-E2 can control up
to two groups of slave units with
ratio control between each group.
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Multiple Speedlites can obtain
lighting effects not possible
with a single Speedlite. Previous
multiple Speedlite systems
required cumbersome wires to
connect the Speedlites and
camera. This is no longer
the case with EX-series
Speedlites and an EOS SLR.
Everything is now wireless as
well as automatic.
Wireless flash works with one
or more Speedlites 550EX or
420EX as slave units. Speedlite
550EX or Speedlite Transmitter
ST-E2 is attached to the camera
and the slave unit is positioned
remotely. The on-camera
Speedlite or Transmitter serves
as the master unit which
transmits wireless signals to an
unlimited number of other
Speedlites 550EX or 420EX
which serve as slave units.
The master unit’s flash can also
be enabled or disabled, and
when disabled, it can still
transmit wireless optical signals.
EOS-3+ST-E2
550EX
550EX
iCAN0238_EOS_System_B2 5/7/04 7:41 AM Page 3
