Chris Chua wrote:
Also noticed that when I hit the play back button on the 5d mark ii, the flash would pulsate. Not sure what is causing this.

You are accidentally touching the DOF button!

It is the button beside the Mark II logo, in front.

This is a design flaw of the 5Dmk2... the button is more prominent than other DSLRs and more prone to accidental touching.

Be aware and take care not to touch this button.

.

Raoul Isidro Images wrote:
You are accidentally touching the DOF button!

It is the button beside the Mark II logo, in front.

This is a design flaw of the 5Dmk2... the button is more prominent than other DSLRs and more prone to accidental touching.

Be aware and take care not to touch this button.

.

That's a sign a relief. Thanks for pointing that out. When you spend so much money on new gear, you always hope that you won't run into any problems. That takes care of that issue.

@ twoharts, yes, I was testing in ETTL. I realize that ETTL is not always reliable. But both exposures yielded were greatly different from my 50D and 5D mark ii.

If I'm shooting with the same exact settings, should I get the same results? Or should it differ because one is a crop sensor and the other full frame?

Chris Chua wrote:
If I'm shooting with the same exact settings, should I get the same results? Or should it differ because one is a crop sensor and the other full frame?

twoharts wrote:
e-ttl can vary wildly from shot to shot on the same camera. the more i use e-ttl the more i'm convinced manual is better.

keep in mind that the rated ISO can be different from the true ISO on some cameras. places like dpreview get into this issue.

adjust both cameras in manual mode (not AV) so they produce an equivalent exposure of the same scene (not the same settings but the same exposure visually) and then add the flash in manual mode (same power both times) and see what happens.

cameras are different. you have to adjust for each one. it may be that's the case here rather than that the flash doesn't work right with the MK II.

also posting sample pics helps.

When I do events and have to use ttl, I usually find if it varies it's my fault. Even with a yongnuo being fairly reliable.
You just have to set it to spot metering and make sure you are not metering on a white dress/shirt or black suit as it's measuring it as grey.
Sometimes I might have to + or - the ev on the flash for my settings as the start of the event but I'm usually familiar with how it works and that's more in the case when using it as fill off the roof with low power for a badly lit back lit event

WMcK wrote:
Check which metering mode each camera was in, spot, average or evaluative. Also check that FEC on your 5DII body was not set to some negative value.
I have the 5DII and the 430 EX II flash. I have very rarely used the flash, but when I have the exposure has been fairly accurate, and I would not expect the 580 to be any less so.

both were shot using evaluative metering and FEC was at zero. Took a few more sample and I see that even with my 50D it was underexposing too, just not as much as the 5D markii. Sounds like it's not too unexpected.

Wondering for any other 5D mark ii shooters out there, what results you're getting when shooting TTL? Do you find you have to compensate a stop more? I realize where you're shooting will differ in results but say for example just in your room, low ceilings, white walls.

Chris Chua wrote:

both were shot using evaluative metering and FEC was at zero. Took a few more sample and I see that even with my 50D it was underexposing too, just not as much as the 5D markii. Sounds like it's not too unexpected.

Wondering for any other 5D mark ii shooters out there, what results you're getting when shooting TTL? Do you find you have to compensate a stop more? I realize where you're shooting will differ in results but say for example just in your room, low ceilings, white walls.

The only time I had a problem with my Mk II/580 combo was user error.  I didn't have it fully seated in the hot shoe.  Other than that, they have worked pretty much as expected.  Use fresh batteries for every shoot and change them mid-shoot if need be...this could be your problem.

Chris Chua wrote:
both were shot using evaluative metering and FEC was at zero. Took a few more sample and I see that even with my 50D it was underexposing too, just not as much as the 5D markii. Sounds like it's not too unexpected.

Wondering for any other 5D mark ii shooters out there, what results you're getting when shooting TTL? Do you find you have to compensate a stop more? I realize where you're shooting will differ in results but say for example just in your room, low ceilings, white walls.

I use this combo with no issues. 

Try a test in manual.

Chris Chua wrote:
Wondering for any other 5D mark ii shooters out there, what results you're getting when shooting TTL? Do you find you have to compensate a stop more? I realize where you're shooting will differ in results but say for example just in your room, low ceilings, white walls.

Jesse Mullins wrote:
You just have to set it to spot metering and make sure you are not metering on a white dress/shirt or black suit as it's measuring it as grey.
Sometimes I might have to + or - the ev on the flash for my settings as the start of the event but I'm usually familiar with how it works and that's more in the case when using it as fill off the roof with low power for a badly lit back lit event

twoharts wrote:
i have trouble with the formals because of all the white and black outfits and then they are mixed together. and if i'm allowing some ambient window light then the sun goes in an out all the time here or we start shooting near dusk and the sun goes down. i think i just need to go full manual, including the flash and just work the controls as needed. i was just trying to crank through them quickly, especially if we are doing them before the ceremony.

but i will try spot metering to see if that helps.

Definately the black and white is killer. If you can have spot you can meter and focus on the face and recompose. Now this was when I was using centre point only. I wonder if you can set the spot you want to meter from? To follow your focus point or does it do that automatically? But if you can meter on the faces thatll give you a more accurate flash then white underexposed or black overexposed.

As long as your not nuking which you said I bet they'll be fine. I used to shoot manual flash at hardcore gigs with a yongnuo, the bands loved the effect of the slow shutter sync with light trails of the guitars etc it was part of the local scene and got pretty good with manual if you can train yourself do it but for me my flash is reliable enough. To the OP though sometimes different bodies and flashes are different when I used someone's Nikon with different flashes sometimes I had to leave the ev of the flash to +1 or -1 especially if bouncing of the roof. But when I've had my own setup it hasnt decided to change.