when using my 430ex on my 350d, shouldn't the camera be able to read there's a flash connected and change the exposure settings accordingly?

maybe i need to go through and reread the manuals, but it seems like my exposure settings don't change if i have the flash on or not.
camera is in manual mode, flash is in ETTL

thanks!

In "M" ... the shutter speed should be limited to a range of sync-able speeds... IIRC it's 1/30th-1/500th. I could be way off.

Shutter speed will be whatever you set... but that will be relayed to the strobe.

regardless if i'm in M, Av, or Tv, i would think my exposure meter on my camera would be different when i have a flash attached (and on) vs when i'm not using a flash. but it seems as though my readings never take into account that i'm using a flash. makes it a little difficult to get a 'perfect' exposure.

go read the manual real quick...

Av mode
for example: flash off
f4, 2.5 sec

w/ flash on...
f4, 2.5!

regardless if i put the camera in Tv or manual mode, f4, 2.5 shows proper exposure. yet i can set the shutter speed at 1/50 and leave the aperture at f4 and the end result will be a well exposed picture when the flash is on.

You leave the shutter open longer, if there's NO light.... nothing else changes.

If there's another source of light, the longer the shutter is open, the more of whatever that light is hitting will be exposed.

This is an over-simplification... but when you're getting started with flash, it's all about the aperture.

How the camera handles metering, though, is unique to each mode... and also depends on custom functions (in the case of aperture priority.)

In my opinion, it's best to learn the mechanics of it... using an incidental flash meter, a manual camera (or your camera in M), and the flash in manual mode.

To learn more... <a href="http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/">begin reading</a>