Firmware update woth it ?

[WH Yi]

Hi Georg---

I'm looking at the 32MZ-3 myself, but am waiting for the new SCA 3102 adapter built especially for the PRO 90IS - should be good for the G1 as well. Are you using the SCA 3101 on your 32MZ-3? (Though the 420EX does a good job, I also want more control over flash.)

I doubt it will work. The update program checks the current
version before it does the firmware update (it did tell me what
version I had before proceeding with the update). I suspect that
the firmware detects a non-Canon flash and randomly disable the
triggering on purpose!!! How else could be explained that it only
works (or not work) randomly??

Hey Yu-Lin

what flash do you have? I have a Metz 32MZ-3 it sometimes doesnot
fire with the old firmware too! (1 out of ten) I use second curtain
on this with improved results picturewise. But this might be the
reason for not firing?
After I read that the Canon Flash allways uses aperture wide open,
I hesitate buying it. I like the broad DOF on the pictures. So far
I could do pretty well with the Metz (Fstop 4 usually), it would be
a great loss to lose it!

Regards
Georg

 

[Yu-Lin Chan]

The flash I have is made by Image model TB-100 which I bought many years ago. It's an non-dedicated hand held unit that has a bracket for the G1 (now I can hold the flash instead of holding the G1.) It has dual flashes. One fixed (can be disabled) and aims straight ahead, while the main flash can be rotated almost 360 degrees, and can be tilted 45 degrees up. The unit has three power output options: 1/16th, 1/4, and full. It also has a built-in meter that automatically stops the flash when enough light has reached the set aperture (set on the flash), or manual with full output.

I attach the hotshoe adapter of the flash to the G1 and set the G1 to manual mode, usually 125/F3.5, but I can adjust the apperture for the desired exposure. This has been working great until I upgraded the firmware. My suggestion is not the upgrade.

Hope I explained it clearly.

Yu-Lin

I doubt it will work. The update program checks the current
version before it does the firmware update (it did tell me what
version I had before proceeding with the update). I suspect that
the firmware detects a non-Canon flash and randomly disable the
triggering on purpose!!! How else could be explained that it only
works (or not work) randomly??

Hey Yu-Lin

what flash do you have? I have a Metz 32MZ-3 it sometimes doesnot
fire with the old firmware too! (1 out of ten) I use second curtain
on this with improved results picturewise. But this might be the
reason for not firing?
After I read that the Canon Flash allways uses aperture wide open,
I hesitate buying it. I like the broad DOF on the pictures. So far
I could do pretty well with the Metz (Fstop 4 usually), it would be
a great loss to lose it!

Regards
Georg

 

[Georg31623]

Hi Georg---

I'm looking at the 32MZ-3 myself, but am waiting for the new SCA
3102 adapter built especially for the PRO 90IS - should be good for
the G1 as well. Are you using the SCA 3101 on your 32MZ-3? (Though
the 420EX does a good job, I also want more control over flash.)

I have a SCA 3101 and used it for a long time on my EOS 500 (named REBEL in the US) with satisfying results if the flash is bounced!

I had some problems in the beginning with the G1 + MZ-3 but I get along with it so far. As said I didnot want to use a flash at Fstop 2 only and it works with putting the flash to second curtain.

I really would prefer to see what I get and the AV mode trick gives you disturbing slow sync effects.

Georg

 

[Lisa Horton]

When I bought my first Canon EOS camera about 5 years ago, the advertisements and manual said that it would work with E-TTL flashes, it didn't say that it would work with non-Canon flashes. But it, and the 5 other EOS cameras I've had since DO work with non-Canon E-TTL flashes.

I have a signifigant investment in non-Canon flash equipment. A couple of big Metz handle mounts, a large Sunpak shoe mount, along with brackets, cords, battery packs etc. This isn't pocket change. All this gear has worked flawlessly with ALL other Canon E-TTL cameras I've had, and they all said only that they work with Canon E-TTL flashes.

When the Pro90IS came out I saw the same wording in the advertisements and specifications. I feel that I was justified in assuming that the Pro90 would work with this other flash equipment.

Then there's the studio strobes. As has been mentioned, when the Pro90IS was introduced, it was shown being used with a studio strobe outfit. Apparently they either had the lights dialed WAY down, or they didn't let reporters look through the viewfinder. It would be typical to use this camera set to f5.6 or f8 at the maximum flash sync speed in a studio setting. At these settings, with the strobe modelling lights set to track the output of the flash (a typical setting) the image in the viewfinder is so dark as to be almost unusable. This clearly makes the Pro90IS less than ideally suitable for use with studio strobes, a use for which it has been promoted by Canon.

I can understand that people have an emotional investment in a camera they paid a lot of money for, not to mention in their selection process and result. And the Pro90IS is a fine camera in many ways and for many purposes.

But just because something is 90% excellent doesn't mean it can't still be 10% utter crap, as demonstrated by the Pro90IS.

Lisa

Ed

Don't you all trust Canon?

Not any more. Not after buying a camera that has an
incomplete/incorrect implementation of E-TTL, that won't work with
3rd party E-TTL compatible flashes. Not after buying a camera
promoted as being good to use with studio lights, only to find that
it's not really very well suited at all for that purpose.

Lisa

what do you think is wrong with the implementation of e-ttl then?

I ahve also tried mine out in a studi with lights (first time for
me, i hasten to add) had lots of fun, and prodcued some reasonabel
pics for first time in studio (used an external meter sekonic for
this - as you really should in a studio)

Mike

The problem with the E-TTL is part of the overall flash shoe
problem. It doesn't work with 3rd party E-TTL or even plain TTL
flash units. Every other Canon body that offers E-TTL, even the
lowly Rebel will work with, say, Metz E-TTL compatible flashes.

The studio lighting problem is the dark viewfinder. At 1/125 and
f8, the modelling lights have to be turned up to full brightness to
see much of anything.

Lisa

didnt ralise that about 3rd part e-ttl, bit of a nightmare! what
have canon said about this?

as for studio i guess ur using modelling lights on flash units? i
myself was not using strobe and found that this was OK, no viewing
probs

Mike

 

[Georg31623]

Maybe you have a different definition of "day one."

When Canon first showed the camera at Photokina it was shown
coupled to a studio system. Phil has photos of it, right here on
DPreview. Just look up his shots from Photokina 2000 in Cologne.

Just checking, even today the webpage states:
Sync-terminals at accessory shoe

Use of following external flashes are recommended: Canon Speedlite 220EX, 380EX, 420EX and 550EX

Recomended does not mean required, and the manual says you can use a non EX flash. Nothing about quirking around there either.

Regards
Georg

 

[kaoz623]

Seems to be very little new in this firmware update. Is it even
worth the hassle and the risk of something going wrong ?

Dh

ok, say u skip the 0.2 upgrade and at some point they release 0.3 which fixes some of the things peopel have moaned about for ages, however it also includes all the 0.2 stuff, what will people do then?

Mike

 

[Peter T44178]

Your studio flash situation is actually much better that most people. Very few people can get the G1/Pro90 to give the correct exposure in manual mode.

 

[Peter T44178]

What do you mean by all the 0.2 stuff?

ok, say u skip the 0.2 upgrade and at some point they release 0.3
which fixes some of the things peopel have moaned about for ages,
however it also includes all the 0.2 stuff, what will people do
then?

 

[WH Yi]

Metz to come out w/new SCA module #3102 for compatibility w/G1, Pro90IS: http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1010&page=1&message=1025440

I have a signifigant investment in non-Canon flash equipment. A
couple of big Metz handle mounts, a large Sunpak shoe mount, along
with brackets, cords, battery packs etc. This isn't pocket change.
All this gear has worked flawlessly with ALL other Canon E-TTL
cameras I've had, and they all said only that they work with Canon
E-TTL flashes.

When the Pro90IS came out I saw the same wording in the
advertisements and specifications. I feel that I was justified in
assuming that the Pro90 would work with this other flash equipment.

Then there's the studio strobes. As has been mentioned, when the
Pro90IS was introduced, it was shown being used with a studio
strobe outfit. Apparently they either had the lights dialed WAY
down, or they didn't let reporters look through the viewfinder. It
would be typical to use this camera set to f5.6 or f8 at the
maximum flash sync speed in a studio setting. At these settings,
with the strobe modelling lights set to track the output of the
flash (a typical setting) the image in the viewfinder is so dark as
to be almost unusable. This clearly makes the Pro90IS less than
ideally suitable for use with studio strobes, a use for which it
has been promoted by Canon.

I can understand that people have an emotional investment in a
camera they paid a lot of money for, not to mention in their
selection process and result. And the Pro90IS is a fine camera in
many ways and for many purposes.

But just because something is 90% excellent doesn't mean it can't
still be 10% utter crap, as demonstrated by the Pro90IS.

Lisa

Ed

Don't you all trust Canon?

Not any more. Not after buying a camera that has an
incomplete/incorrect implementation of E-TTL, that won't work with
3rd party E-TTL compatible flashes. Not after buying a camera
promoted as being good to use with studio lights, only to find that
it's not really very well suited at all for that purpose.

Lisa

what do you think is wrong with the implementation of e-ttl then?

I ahve also tried mine out in a studi with lights (first time for
me, i hasten to add) had lots of fun, and prodcued some reasonabel
pics for first time in studio (used an external meter sekonic for
this - as you really should in a studio)

Mike

The problem with the E-TTL is part of the overall flash shoe
problem. It doesn't work with 3rd party E-TTL or even plain TTL
flash units. Every other Canon body that offers E-TTL, even the
lowly Rebel will work with, say, Metz E-TTL compatible flashes.

The studio lighting problem is the dark viewfinder. At 1/125 and
f8, the modelling lights have to be turned up to full brightness to
see much of anything.

Lisa

didnt ralise that about 3rd part e-ttl, bit of a nightmare! what
have canon said about this?

as for studio i guess ur using modelling lights on flash units? i
myself was not using strobe and found that this was OK, no viewing
probs

Mike

 

[kaoz623]

What do you mean by all the 0.2 stuff?

0.2 "stuf" = all areas addressed by the latest firmware 0.2 beign available.

0.3 = the next firware that will be made available.

it is very likely that you wont be able to just skip updates to avoid certain features of them you dont like. each one will more than likely include the features that wear made available in previous ones in case people didnt take advantage of them at that time.

Mike

ok, say u skip the 0.2 upgrade and at some point they release 0.3
which fixes some of the things peopel have moaned about for ages,
however it also includes all the 0.2 stuff, what will people do
then?

 

[Paul Waldo]

The update only adresses minor items. The things people want fixed are major problems, such as crappy auto-focus and lack of exposure metering in manual mode. See http://studio-on-the.net/photography/G1/wishlist.html for a list of real problems.

The indecision of whether to install this update by the readers of this forum is a good indication that this is an insignificant release; software releases for a camera this new (and with this many deficiencies) should be a "must have".

Paul

Have you guys even done the update? What is your problem with it?

 

[Miko]

As you said, I believe you won't be able to skip those ".02"
changes which you didn't like. Note that an upgrade procedure
must succeed, that is, you either finish with everything or
NOTHING (when it fails and the camera frozen). This implies
that every upgrade contains the ENTIRE camera firmware.

Miko

What do you mean by all the 0.2 stuff?

0.2 "stuf" = all areas addressed by the latest firmware 0.2 beign
available.

0.3 = the next firware that will be made available.

it is very likely that you wont be able to just skip updates to
avoid certain features of them you dont like. each one will more
than likely include the features that wear made available in
previous ones in case people didnt take advantage of them at that
time.

Mike

ok, say u skip the 0.2 upgrade and at some point they release 0.3
which fixes some of the things peopel have moaned about for ages,
however it also includes all the 0.2 stuff, what will people do
then?

 

[Dave43118]

Then why buy their products.

LCD in shutter mode fixed. I didn't even notice this as a problem
until Canon mentioned it. Always figured it was low lighting.

Manual Focus is alot faster - Could this have been an attempt to
appease Bjorke?

Stuck pixels still exist. I was secretly hoping that they would
introduce the noise reduction algorithm at all exposures - oh well.

I haven't had much time to test, but this is it so far. Nothing
earth shattering.

Seems to be very little new in this firmware update. Is it even
worth the hassle and the risk of something going wrong ?

Dh