EOS Documentation Project

Speedlite 200E

by Julian Loke, Dave Herzstein, and Rob Murray

Contents

• Introduction

  Parts  Description  Features 

• General Operation

  Power  Rapid Fire  Mounting  Removal 

• 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 lever Hot shoe with locking pin	Ready lamp Power switch

Description

The Speedlite 200E replaced the Speedlite 160E in 1990. Both models were compact, battery-operated, hotshoe-mounted flash units dedicated to the EOS system, and were 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. The newer Speedlite differs by having an EOS-system compatible locking pin in the hotshoe, as well as taking AA-batteries instead of 2CR5.

Features

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

General Operation

Power

Select a fresh set of 4 AA cells of the same type, such as NiMH, NiCd, or alkaline. Slide back the non-removable cover, and swing it up on its hinge to expose the battery compartment. Check the polarity diagram, then insert the AA cells. 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.

Rapid Fire

"Rapid Fire" is the name given to the feature where the Speedlite indicates that it is ready when it is partially charged. This allows the photographer to take photos in quick succession, providing that only part of the flash capacity is used for each shot. You will enjoy greater success with "Rapid Fire" flash if you use more sensitive film (e.g. ASA 400 instead of ASA 100), use direct instead of diffused flash, and shoot from a closer rather than further distance.

Mounting

Turn the flash power OFF.

Slide the locking lever to retract the locking pin. Slide the flash all the way forward into the camera hotshoe. Push the locking lever to lock the flash, 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.

Note: The locking pin is used to help hold the flash securely in the hotshoe of nearly all EOS cameras. Since the locking pin is spring loaded, you can still mount the flash on a standard shoe (e.g. studio umbrella holder or macro flash bracket).

Removal

Turn the flash power OFF.

Slide the locking lever FULLY. When the locking pin has retracted, slide the flash out of the hotshoe. Be careful not to damage or dirty the electronic contacts in the hotshoe.

Note: The flash could be impossible to remove unless the locking pin is fully retracted.

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 (20 m = 66 ft) by the flash-to-subject distance. e.g. For a subject a 2 m = 6 ft, set aperture to f/11.

Flash OK

Unlike flash units with an automatic exposure sensor, the Speedlite 200E does not have an indicator for adequate flash exposure.

Automatic Operation

TTL

The Speedlite 200E 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. When attached to an E-TTL capable film-based EOS camera body, the Speedlite 200E will function, but only as a TTL flash, without any E-TTL features such as high-speed sync and Flash Exposure Lock. 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 200E 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 200E.

Diffuser

Flash coverage can be widened by using an optional Canon Wide Angle Adaptor. This plastic device fits like a cap over the top of the flash, reducing the Guide Number to 14 m = 4.6 ft. You can also use accessory third party or home-made diffusers, such bounce cards or even an empty white polystyrene foam cup.

Incompatibilities

EF-M body

EF-M has no TTL sensor

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

v0.2 rm: pictures; no test button; TTL function on E-TTL film cameras
v0.1 jul: Preliminary draft derived from 430EZ and 160E manuals

Comments

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