[. Evildruid .]

At some point, I’m sure out soon-to-be-new-family-member will terrorise our cats. Something like this might be an option.

Stolen from: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1331676

The original post from ‘.dan!el’ was thus:

I’m having no luck with understanding how to effectively use the 430EX speedlite with my 5D2.

I come from the Nikon camp and am used to ETTL-ing on Aperture Priority mode with a D90 and SB600. However, applying the same principles of plug-n-play with the 430EX and 5D2, I seem to only be able to get the desired “correct” lighting when in Program mode (which is rather pointless).

I shoot primarily candid portraits (anywhere from 1 subject to 4+ subjects – hence the need for DoF manipulation in Av-mode). When indoors, I would like to achieve the appropriate exposure by bouncing the 430EX off the ceiling. I have not been thus far successful in my endeavours and have almost thrown the 5D2 at the wall in frustration.

For example, in Aperture Priority mode with the 430EX, the 5D2 doesn’t register the fact that an external light source is used and will continue to provide a slow shutter speed. With my D90, this was never the case (or at least, my attention was never brought to this matter). Regardless of the aperture set (from f1.4 to f8), the D90 and SB600 paired “magically” and I never had to worry about a slow shutter speed.

It probably is me (not the gear) and I am eager to learn how to use the 430EX effectively in Aperture mode with my 5D2. I’m not too keen on sticking the 5D2 on P-mode whenever I need to use an external flash (as there is virtually no control). I’ve stuck this under the “technique” subcategory as it is most likely not an equipment issue but rather me being s-l-o-w.

I have read up on the relationship (or lack of?) between shutter speed and external flash. I’ve never shot in Shutter Priority mode (never been a fan of fractions).

I’m too dumb to give Manual mode a go, although I should start experimenting.

Advice?

This is exactly the same problem I have.

Reading further on I find this GEM from Mr.Phu!

Yes I know the issue you are talking about.
Av mode: Yep
External Flash: Yep
Take the shot: Long ass exposure… wtf?

Simple answer: Use manual with exposure 1/125 and whatever aperture you would like.

Propper answer: Jump into the C.Fn options. In the Aperture priority mode section of the options you’ll find that you can force the flash to be 1/250 when in Av mode with a flash attached. Enable this.
That will solve your answer and will work away nicely. Of course you could just use manual, it isn’t that hard.

Since I didn’t have any charged batteries, I couldn’t really check this out. NOTE: The C.Fn options aren’t under the External Speedlite options at all, they’re the custom functions for the camera. Took a few minutes to realise.

Anyway, looks like ‘.dan!el’ had some success.

Holy shit. This did it. Although the C.Fn had only the following three options on the 5D2:

• 0: Auto
• 1: 1/200 – 1/60 auto
• 3: 1/200 (fixed)

I selected 1/200-1/60 and the camera and flash is working as I want in Av mode! Woot!

I no longer want to ditch Canon! And I don’t need to go off and buyer a more expensiver flash (although the plastic mount on the 430EX shits me to tears).

So. Hopefully Google picks this up and helps out some other people.

Ok, I’m a linux fan, but some times the way things are done gives me the utter shits.

At work we have a new starter, I only just got his last name today. So off to create his accounts. Unix account, http passwd, email accounts etc, all done in normal time. This is not the case when it comes to adding his Samba Password. I get the following error below.

jason@server:/home/[new-user]$ sudo smbpasswd -a [new-user]
New SMB password:
Retype new SMB password:
Unable to modify TDB passwd: NT_STATUS_UNSUCCESSFUL!
Failed to add entry for user [new-user].
Failed to modify password entry for user [new-user]
jason@server:/home/[new-user]$

Great! So I go searching the fine web to see if I could resolve this.

There were quite a few suggestions to delete the /var/lib/samba/passdb.tdb file and re-create all of the account passwords! Which is completely unacceptable, it sounds like how you would maintain a Mac system.

Then finally I stumble across this URL on a vague search: http://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2011/08/msg01161.html

Hmm, we’ve had an employee leave recently. I wonder if they (management) removed their account rather than disabling it and then didn’t do further cleanup. Turns out their account is no longer in /etc/passwd. Lets remove that sucker then!

jason@server:/home$ sudo smbpasswd -x [old-user]
pdb_get_group_sid: Failed to find Unix account for [old-user]
Deleted user [old-user].
jason@server:/home$ sudo smbpasswd -a [new-user]
New SMB password:
Retype new SMB password:
Added user [new-user].
jason@server:/home$

Stupid freaking un-thought out systems.