Wireless-triggered camera flash: Canon 7D?

Your flash doesn't have what it takes to be a receiver or "slave" to your Canon "master" (their terminology). Not all flashes that are eTTL have it, and usually you have to pay a decent amount to get it.

There should be 4 channels with 3 groups to work with in your wireless flash menu. You'll need to be in one of the creative modes to get to it. But it wont do you any good until you get a wireless capable flash like the Canon 430EX, 420EX, 550EX, 580EX, Sigma 500 DG Super, 530 Super, Metz 58 AF-1 or AF-2, etc... (I'm sure there's some I've missed). I think the newest Canon flash came out with wireless capable (slave only) that's under $150.

Your camera was the first Canon camera that did not require a separate unit to make it a master and it uses the pop up flash.

Hello for my personal use, the 7D built-in wireless flash system wasn't good enough, especially working outdoors. I also tried the ST-E2, kind of good for indoors but still weak outside (because of the IR signal) and it didn't worked indoors like 20% of the time. I wanted a cheaper solution to the pocket wizard triggers, and i ended up buying the Pixel TR-332 Flash Trigger and Receiver for canon.

For me it works like a charm!! You get the Receiver and transmitter for 160 dollars at ebay. you can buy another Receiver for 100 dollars. The system use radio signals and you can change the channels any time. Two only major flaws... Not technical but annoying and they are: 1.- the buttons for changing the options in the receiver are cover when you put the flash, so if you want to change the channel for example you have to remove the flash and then make the change. 2.- there are no manuals explaining you how to use them so you have to figure it out by your own. But they are not that complected to use cause the only thing i do is turn them ON and you have instant E-TTL II on your flash. Another major back draw is that it uses CR-2 Batteries and they are very expensive. but i have done many many photo shoots and i still using them. Probably i have done over 1.8k shots and they still have energy. only tip is i remove the batteries after I shoot and put them on a plastic bag.

Also there is a little problem. Depending on the shutter speed and what length you are using on you lens it will put a black stripe on the picture. I can go up to a shutter speed of 1/8000 and it works amazing. but sometimes when i shoot with my lens at a speed of 1/250 with 30mm it puts me the bblack stripe at the end of the photo but when I go to 1/300 with the same length and the line is gone. So you have to find what works for your photo shoot and lens...

anywayz.

with the canon 7d built in wireless the answeer to your questions are...

1.- yes all the canon the 580EXII and 430 EXII and their older versions

2.- yes but you can switch the manually

3.- you can use a 580 EXII as a trigger to other receivers but the downfall is that they work on IR so no good if the cant see each other or if you are outdoors. There are to many fails on this system. Go for radio signals because IR is a major fail for this.

Hoped I helped drop me a line at my webpage to see examples of my work using the triggers i recomended or if you want to e-mail me with questions good luck