EOS Documentation Project

Speedlite 160E (draft)

by Julian Loke and Dave Herzstein

Contents

• Introduction

  Parts  Description  Features 

• General Operation

  Power  Mounting  Removal  Reset  Power Saver  Flash Test 

• Manual Operation

  Intensity  Flash OK 

• Automatic Operation

  TTL 

• Accessories

  Connectors  Diffuser 

• Incompatibilities

  EF-M body  EOS bodies 

• Precautions
• Revision History
• Comments

Introduction

Parts

 

Flash Head AF assist pattern lamp Battery compartment Locking wheel Hot shoe	Ready lamp/test button Power switch

Description

The Speedlite 160E was introduced in 1988. This compact, battery-operated, hotshoe-mounted flash unit is dedicated to the EOS system, and is especially suitable for EOS cameras that do no have a popup flash. Although the flash is not very powerful, it is capable of providing fill light, and can also function as an off-camera macro light, using the Canon's TTL connecting cord accessories.

Features

• Light weight, compact unit
• Fully automatic operation on EOS cameras
• 35mm coverage
• TTL autoexposure
• AF assist beam

General Operation

Power

Select a fresh 2CR5 battery. Slide back the non-removable cover, and swing it up on its hinge to expose the battery compartment. Check the orientation, then insert the 2CR5. Swing the battery cover down, and slide closed.

Turn the flash ON. A whirring sound indicates charging. The ready lamp glows GREEN to indicate approximately 50% charge, and RED to indicate about 80% charge. The flash can be used for photography if the ready lamp is glowing, particularly if you do not require full flash intensity.

If there is no READY light within 10 seconds, the battery might be exhausted, so replace the batteries. If there is still no READY light with fresh batteries, send the flash for service.

Mounting

Turn the flash power OFF.

Loosen the lock nut, and make sure that the locking pin is retracted. Slide the flash all the way forward into the camera hotshoe. Tighten the locking nut, and test that the flash is locked securely by gently trying to slide it out of the hotshoe.

Turn the power ON to charge the flash.

Removal

Turn the flash power OFF.

Unscrew the locking nut FULLY, then slide the flash out of the hotshoe. Be careful not to damage or dirty the electronic contacts in the hotshoe.

Reset

To reset the flash, turn the flash OFF, then ON.

Power Saver

After 15 seconds of inactivity, the Speedlite will automatically switch to an sleep mode with lower power consumption. You can wake the flash using any one of several methods: Push down half-way the shutter button on the camera; Push the TEST button on the flash; Switch the flash POWER off, then ON; Reset the flash. The Power Saver function cannot be disabled.

Flash Test

Switch your flash ON and wait for the flash to charge. When the READY light glows, push the test button on the flash. The flash should fire an unmetered burst, and begin to recharge. This can be used 1) to verify electronic and flash tube function; 2) to check whether to replace the battery when recharging time is prolonged; 3) to fire the flash without the camera, such as during bulb exposures or painting with light.

Note: If you have activated the metering function on your camera, the flash TEST button might be disabled because of flash exposure lock. If so, turn either your camera or your Speedlite OFF, then ON.

Manual Operation

Intensity

Flash intensity is normally under the automatic control of the TTL flash sensor circuitry. In situations where a fixed flash intensity is required, use the technique described at EX-M-TTL to insulate the TTL pin in the hotshoe and force a full-power flash. Calculate the appropriate aperture for your lens by dividing the Guide Number (16 m = 52 ft) by the flash-to-subject distance. e.g. For a subject a 2 m = 6 ft, set aperture to f/8.

Flash OK

Unlike flash units with an automatic exposure sensor, the Speedlite 160E does not have an indicator for adequate flash exposure.

Automatic Operation

TTL

The Speedlite 160E is intended to couple via the hotshoe to the TTL (through-the-lens) automatic flash exposure circuitry present in nearly all film-based EOS camera bodies, the EF-M being the only notable exception. The TTL automatic flash exposure function is not compatible with the circuitry in E-TTL-only digital-sensor EOS camera bodies, and will not fire in digital SLR bodies such as the EOS D30 and later.

During flash exposure, light is metered directly from the film plane when the shutter is open. During the flash burst, as soon as adequate flash exposure is detected, a "TTL" signal is sent via the hotshoe to quench the Speedlite.

To make use of TTL flash, first set the camera to P. Make sure the READY light is glowing on the flash, and that the FLASH indicator in the camera viewfinder LCD is lit. To take a picture, fully depress the shutter button on the camera.

For slow-sync and fill flash, select Av, Tv or M mode on your camera. You can adjust the flash-to-ambient balance by applying flash exposure compensation and ambient exposure compensation as desired, if your camera body offers these features.

Accessories

Connectors

The Speedlite 160E is normally directly mounted onto the hotshoe, but can also be used for off-camera flash by using a Canon accessory Off-Camera Shoe Cord (OCSC or OCSC2), so long as the camera is compatible with that accessory.

Alternatively, Canon had a system of connectors, cords, and distributors that carried synchronization and TTL quenching signals over a maximum total of 10m /30ft of wiring between the camera and up to four Speedlites. However, this system is very expensive and not very flexible, in that lighting ratios between Speedlites or groups of Speedlites could not be set easily.

Another alternative is to use a wireless slave trigger. These range from simple low-cost hotshoe optical slave triggers, to more complex remote-TTL units like the Ikelite Lite-Link (about $USD80). These work quite well and are easy to set up. For more reliable triggering, such as where light interference exists, or where line-of-sight is not guaranteed, an even more expensive, but reliable system of radio slaves is recommended.

The connecting cord system for multiple flash has been supplanted by the wireless E-TTL system, which requires an EX series Speedlite, and so is not compatible with the Speedlite 160E.

Diffuser

Flash coverage can be modified or widened by the use of accessory third party or home-made diffusers, such as an empty white polystyrene foam cup.

Incompatibilities

EF-M body

EF-M has no TTL sensor. The 160E will fire at full power.

EOS bodies

EOS 100 - exposure problems at greater than ISO 2500
EOS600/630 & EOS RT - not compatible with OCSC2
E-TTL-only Digital SLR bodies - flash does not fire.

Precautions

Turn off the flash when not in use.
Remove batteries before long term storage.

Revision History

v0.1 jul: Preliminary draft derived from 430EZ manual

Comments

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