Canon Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX- User Manual

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QuickGuide to Macro Speedlite

MR-14EX and MT-24EX

This QuickGuide reviews how to use either of Canon’s

two Macro Speedlites: the MR-14EX and MT-24EX. The

primary difference is between them is that the MR-14EX

has two circular flash tubes permanently mounted opposite

each other onto the Flash Ring, while the MT-24EX has

two removable and adjustable flash heads that snap into

miniature flash shoes.

Control Layout

1. LCD ILLUMINATOR/C.Fn

– LCD illuminator/Custom

Function button

2. MODE

– Flash mode button. Toggles between ETTL/

TTL and M (manual) flash mode.

3. +

: Increase button. Increases flash exposure

compensation. Press SEL/SET first.

4. −

: Decrease button. Applies “minus” flash exposure

compensation. Press SEL/SET first.

5. SEL/SET

– Select/Set button. For selecting and

setting features and functions.

6. LAMP

– Focusing lamp button

7. ◄

- Left arrow button. Increases power to left flash

tube (A) relative to right (B).

8. ►

- Right arrow button. Increases power to right flash

tube (B) relative to left (A).

9. RATIO

– Flash ratio button. Cycles ratio between OFF,

A:B, and A:B C. When A is displayed in Manual flash

mode, the flash output displayed (1/1 thru 1/64) is

for flash tube A. When B is displayed in Manual flash

mode, the flash output displayed is for flash tube B.

10. CH

- Channel button. Selects flash channel (1 – 4)

when unit is in wireless slave mode.

11. PILOT

– Pilot lamp and test fire button

12. Flash Exposure Confirmation

lamp

13. Power switch

–Turns power on and off. SE position

enables “Save Energy” mode, which automatically

powers down the flash after 90 seconds of inactivity.

To cancel SE mode, press the PILOT button.

Attaching/Detaching the Flash Ring

The Flash Ring attaches directly to the following lenses:

•

EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro

•

EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

•

EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro (now discontinued)

•

MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x

The EF 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro requires Macro Lite

Adapter 67C. The EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro requires

Macro Lite Adapter 72C (each sold separately). Macro

Lite adapters are available in sizes 52mm, 58mm, 67mm

and 72mm.

To attach the Flash Ring, press in on the release

button(s) while placing the ring onto the lens. When the

ring is in place, let go of the button(s). Make sure the

ring is firmly attached. To detach the ring, reverse the

procedure.

Selecting camera exposure mode

Set your camera to whatever exposure mode you prefer:

P, Av, Tv, or M. Choose Manual mode when you want

small apertures for maximum depth-of-field combined

with a fast shutter speed to help minimize blur and

separate the subject from the background. (Light falls

off more rapidly at short distances, therefore the closer

the flash is to the subject, the darker the background

exposure will be unless you either increase the shutter

speed/ambient light exposure or light the background

separately.)

E-TTL OPERATION

Basic E-TTL Auto operation

When the flash unit is set to E-TTL it will automatically

emit a brief pre-flash prior to the actual flash exposure.

Based on the pre-flash measurement, it will then adjust

the flash duration to provide proper exposure based

on a combination of flash-to-subject distance, subject

reflectivity, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. This applies

to

all

camera exposure modes, including Manual. Press

the MODE button to toggle between

E-TTL

and

M

. The

flash is in E-TTL mode when

ETTL

appears in the upper

left corner of the LCD.

To operate the flash in E-TTL mode:

1. Turn the power switch to

ON

or

SE.

2. Set the camera to the ISO and exposure mode of

your choice. If the camera is set to

Auto ISO

, the ISO

setting will vary as follows:

Tv or Av or P or CA or Full Auto

: The camera will

automatically set the ISO speed at 400 (or 800 on

Rebel T3).

Av Fill-in Flash

: If the pre-flash detects over-

exposure at ISO 400 (or 800), the camera will reduce

the ISO to as low as 100.

P or CA or Full Auto & bounce flash

: If the pre-

flash detects under-exposure at ISO 400 (or 800),

the camera will increase the ISO speed to as high as

1600.

3. Focus and release the shutter.

4. If there was enough light for a correct exposure

the green Flash Exposure Confirmation Lamp will

illuminate for 3 seconds. If not, the lamp will

not

illuminate.

E-TTL Flash Ratio Control

Because the MR-14EX and MT-24EX have two flash tubes

(A and B) you have the option of firing A and B at equal

output (1:1), firing A and B at an unequal ratio (1:2, 1:4, 2:1,

etc.), or firing either A or B independently.

Equal output

1. Press the RATIO button once. The ratio display will

appear.

2. Confirm that the ratio indicator is in the center, below

1:1. If not, press either the

◄

or

►

arrow as needed

to move the bar back to the center.

A:B ratio

1. Press the RATIO button once. The ratio display will

appear.

2. Press the ◄ arrow toward flash A (left) to increase

its power. Press the ► arrow to increase power of

flash B (right). Each press will increase the ratio by a

half-stop. An A:B ratio of 2:1 indicates that flash A will

output twice as much light (one stop) as B. A ratio of

4:1 indicates four times as much (two stops). A ratio of

8:1 indicates eight times as much (3 stops).