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Is there any way to use the EVF on the M6 II while using off camera Flash?

Started 4 months ago | Discussions
Bejersey
Bejersey Forum Pro • Posts: 15,383
Is there any way to use the EVF on the M6 II while using off camera Flash?

thanks

Rick

Canon EOS M6
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StevenSHH
StevenSHH Contributing Member • Posts: 609
Re: Is there any way to use the EVF on the M6 II while using off camera Flash?

Probably not possible, can you use mini HDMI cable to use on external small monitor (with hood) if you wish to use flash? or connect to your phone wirelessly or via cable.

No PC terminal.

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Bejersey
OP Bejersey Forum Pro • Posts: 15,383
Re: Is there any way to use the EVF on the M6 II while using off camera Flash?

StevenSHH wrote:

Probably not possible, can you use mini HDMI cable to use on external small monitor (with hood) if you wish to use flash? or connect to your phone wirelessly or via cable.

No PC terminal.

Thanks..Steven  I was pretty sure there was not. Not great planning on Canon's part IMO. but not a deal breaker as it used it for an even Sunday

Rick

Alexis
Alexis Senior Member • Posts: 1,998
Re: Is there any way to use the EVF on the M6 II while using off camera Flash?
5

Bejersey wrote:

StevenSHH wrote:

Probably not possible, can you use mini HDMI cable to use on external small monitor (with hood) if you wish to use flash? or connect to your phone wirelessly or via cable.

No PC terminal.

Thanks..Steven I was pretty sure there was not. Not great planning on Canon's part IMO. but not a deal breaker as it used it for an even Sunday

Rick

The very reason I bought M50 mk2 over the more performant M6 mk2!

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Photato
Photato Veteran Member • Posts: 3,152
Yes.
7

Yes, but you are limited to Flash manual mode.

1. (Slave) Set your off camera flash in optical trigger mode at the desired power level.

2. (Master) Set the M6ii onboard flash in manual mode to the needed power level to trigger the external flash.

The onboard flash can be deployed with the EVF on, no problem.

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bgreg
bgreg Contributing Member • Posts: 641
Re: Is there any way to use the EVF on the M6 II while using off camera Flash?
4

I did exactly the same thing.I almost bought the m6ii several times but that evf hot shoe oversight stopped me each time. The $200 evf didn't help either. Great camera otherwise i understand but I figure for a thousand dollar camera I should be able to use  the evf and the speedlite  at the same time. Some people don't need it i suppose.

ericka287 Regular Member • Posts: 102
Re: Yes.Photato

I tryed all combinations.....canon flash or cheap $20 Chinese, I can't get this to fire as you suggested. Perhaps my understanding is flawed. Would you please try your system and confirm if this actualy works . I also would like to use flash & EVF for bird photography. Thank you

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Rock and Rollei Senior Member • Posts: 2,899
Re: Yes.Photato
1

ericka287 wrote:

I tryed all combinations.....canon flash or cheap $20 Chinese, I can't get this to fire as you suggested. Perhaps my understanding is flawed. Would you please try your system and confirm if this actualy works . I also would like to use flash & EVF for bird photography. Thank you

You need a flash unit with a built-in optical slave module, or a separate optical slave unit you can attach to it's hotshoe or PC cable.

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Bejersey
OP Bejersey Forum Pro • Posts: 15,383
Re: Yes.Photato

I won't be able to use the EVF though

Rock and Rollei wrote:

ericka287 wrote:

I tryed all combinations.....canon flash or cheap $20 Chinese, I can't get this to fire as you suggested. Perhaps my understanding is flawed. Would you please try your system and confirm if this actualy works . I also would like to use flash & EVF for bird photography. Thank you

You need a flash unit with a built-in optical slave module, or a separate optical slave unit you can attach to it's hotshoe or PC cable.

Rock and Rollei Senior Member • Posts: 2,899
Re: Yes.Photato
1

Bejersey wrote:

I won't be able to use the EVF though

The hotshoe foot on the flash, not the camera. So yes, you will.

Rock and Rollei wrote:

ericka287 wrote:

I tryed all combinations.....canon flash or cheap $20 Chinese, I can't get this to fire as you suggested. Perhaps my understanding is flawed. Would you please try your system and confirm if this actualy works . I also would like to use flash & EVF for bird photography. Thank you

You need a flash unit with a built-in optical slave module, or a separate optical slave unit you can attach to it's hotshoe or PC cable.

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Photato
Photato Veteran Member • Posts: 3,152
Re: Yes.Photato
3

ericka287 wrote:

I tryed all combinations.....canon flash or cheap $20 Chinese, I can't get this to fire as you suggested. Perhaps my understanding is flawed. Would you please try your system and confirm if this actualy works . I also would like to use flash & EVF for bird photography. Thank you

Your off camera flash needs to have a basic mode where it can be triggered by your camera’s  built’in flash. Read its users manual if you have it.

If your remote flash doesn’t have that capability you can get a $10 optical trigger, see picture.

The remote flash will fire at the same time you take the picture with the builtin flash.

You only need to adjust manually the power level of the remote flash and make sure the optical sensor is positioned to be triggered by your M6ii flash.

I hope this worls.

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Bejersey
OP Bejersey Forum Pro • Posts: 15,383
Re: Yes.Photato

Rock and Rollei wrote:

Bejersey wrote:

I won't be able to use the EVF though

The hotshoe foot on the flash, not the camera. So yes, you will.

Rock and Rollei wrote:

ericka287 wrote:

I tryed all combinations.....canon flash or cheap $20 Chinese, I can't get this to fire as you suggested. Perhaps my understanding is flawed. Would you please try your system and confirm if this actualy works . I also would like to use flash & EVF for bird photography. Thank you

You need a flash unit with a built-in optical slave module, or a separate optical slave unit you can attach to it's hotshoe or PC cable.

What triggers the flash?

koenkooi Contributing Member • Posts: 919
Re: Yes.Photato
2

Bejersey wrote:

Rock and Rollei wrote:

Bejersey wrote:

I won't be able to use the EVF though

The hotshoe foot on the flash, not the camera. So yes, you will.

Rock and Rollei wrote:

ericka287 wrote:

I tryed all combinations.....canon flash or cheap $20 Chinese, I can't get this to fire as you suggested. Perhaps my understanding is flawed. Would you please try your system and confirm if this actualy works . I also would like to use flash & EVF for bird photography. Thank you

You need a flash unit with a built-in optical slave module, or a separate optical slave unit you can attach to it's hotshoe or PC cable.

What triggers the flash?

The built-in, non-hot shoe, pop up flash of the M6II

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Bejersey
OP Bejersey Forum Pro • Posts: 15,383
Re: Yes.Photato

The POP UP flash is not a trigger

Rick

Photato
Photato Veteran Member • Posts: 3,152
Re: Yes.Photato
2

Bejersey wrote:

The POP UP flash is not a trigger

Rick

Any pop-up flash that can be set manually, can trigger an external one with optical sensor.
100% sure about this.

With my M6ii, I set the pop-up flash to manual, at the lowest power, which is 1/128 and that is enough to trigger my external Metz 48 AF-1 flash or a very old $10 Minolta Flash, or both.

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Bejersey
OP Bejersey Forum Pro • Posts: 15,383
Re: Yes.Photato

Well Then, I will give it a try.

thank you

Rick

Brian Slater Regular Member • Posts: 432
Re: Yes.Photato
1

I can confirm that the pop up flash does work as an optical trigger for an appropriate external flash. I use this for macro work with a small, inexpensive Meike MK320 flash. I set the M6ii flash to manual, minimum output, and the Meike to Manual S1 mode. That way I can use the EVF. No issues.

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Bejersey
OP Bejersey Forum Pro • Posts: 15,383
Re: Yes.Photato

I have the 430 ex II. I will try it

Thanks

Rick

Bejersey
OP Bejersey Forum Pro • Posts: 15,383
Re: Yes.Photato

Here's the 430 ex II manual. Can you when you have a moment check to see if this flash is compatible?

https://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/6/0300004116/03/sl430exii-im4-en-es-fr.pdf

Photato
Photato Veteran Member • Posts: 3,152
Re: Yes.Photato
1

Bejersey wrote:

Here's the 430 ex II manual. Can you when you have a moment check to see if this flash is compatible?

https://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/6/0300004116/03/sl430exii-im4-en-es-fr.pdf

I'm not sure if the 430 ex ii can do Manual slave mode.

But on page 31 seems the closest thing to it.
You can try that to see if it works. Be careful not to look at the flash directly and use a low power setting so it cycles the power faster.

"Setting Manual Flash with the Slave Unit"

Hope this work.

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