Camera Labs

If I have a flash connected via the hot shoe (inc OC cords), and I am using it, what if I want to disable it, what is the quickest way to disable it?

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Canon EOS 500D
Lenses: EFS 18-55mm IS, EF 50mm F/1.8 II

Turn it off.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

My D2H can map a button to disable the flash when it's pressed, but I doubt the 500D has that. Your best bet would be to try the function button.

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I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

Turn the power switch on the flash off?

But wont the camera think that there is still a flash connected, and display a brighter image on the LCD, as if flash was going to be used?

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Canon EOS 500D
Lenses: EFS 18-55mm IS, EF 50mm F/1.8 II

If you turn the flash off, the camera will think no flash is present.

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PhilipGoh.com

My second question is, If I have a blanking plate in the shoe, will the camera perhaps think that a flash is connected and prevent the pop up flash from working?

I know that the shoe mounted spirit level can cause this to happen.

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Canon EOS 500D
Lenses: EFS 18-55mm IS, EF 50mm F/1.8 II

When I do macro photography, I turn the external flash on and off all the time by its switch. Dead easy way to control it. When off, the camera behaves as if there is no flash. I don't know if there is another way since that was so easy, there wasn't a need to look for another way.

My 50D did appear to detect if there was anything physically on the hotshoe, and if so, would prevent the popup flash from erm... popping up.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.