New Canon Wireless Flash

cmason

Just announced, Canon 600EX-RT and the ST-E3-RT radio wireless flash!!!


http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/03/02/Canon-EOS-Accesories

http://pixsylated.com/blog/video-canon-600ex-rt-speedlite-st-e3-transmitter/

Of course, just when Canon finally adds optical wireless flash to their bodies, they come along and crush it with wireless radio flash, sticking it to PocketWizard.

divamum

Yeah, they announced these with the 5dIII. Interesting, although dangitall these new Canon items are all spendy!

Moving Pictures

I've been using cheap-o aputure trigmaster gizmos. They work, and their price soothes that small Scottish part of my genetic makeup that tends to linger around my wallet.

DeVerm

Yes, but where are the receivers for all the 580EXII flashes we have?!

ziggy53

DeVerm wrote: »

Yes, but where are the receivers for all the 580EXII flashes we have?!

Canon always markets the most unique, and most expensive, product(s) in a new offering first. The stand-alone receiver will come in a few months, after sales of the dedicated flash have settled.

divamum

I do think they possibly missed a trick by not including some kind of compatibility with other radio triggers out there (or have I missed something, and that is indeed the case?), but built-in radio solutions are an extremely attractive offering from where I'm sitting. Not that I can afford them at this point but once they trickle down and I can get my hands on some that seems like a great "one-stop shop" flash setup. I've been more than happy using my Canon flashes on ETTL and haven't found it limiting; I can of course switch to manual when I want to, but ETTL has worked very well indeed for me - no complaints at all.

Slightly OT aside: In the meantime, I'm intrigued by the Phottix Odin setup - radio + ETTL as well as manual (at the same time!!) at a price far below Radio Poppers. Definitely following those to see how they succeed in use - the idea of being able to mix my Canon flashes + (for instance) cheap Youngnuo flashes in manual is verrrry attractive as a possibility for multi-flash setups! /OT aside

ziggy53

divamum wrote: »

... Slightly OT aside: In the meantime, I'm intrigued by the Phottix Odin setup - radio + ETTL as well as manual (at the same time!!) at a price far below Radio Poppers. Definitely following those to see how they succeed in use - the idea of being able to mix my Canon flashes + (for instance) cheap Youngnuo flashes in manual is verrrry attractive as a possibility for multi-flash setups! /OT aside

Thanks, I hadn't heard of these.

Edit: ... although I should have (heard of them):

http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=1746604&postcount=18

Dan7312

The price of the new Canon flash is about the same as that for a 580ex+Pocketwizard Flex. So, assuming you want full ettl, second curtain sync and all that sort of stuff in a radio trigger, it really isn't more expensive than what is currently available.

From looking at some of the vids on it though it looks like the Canon radio trigger is nicer to use than the Pocketwizard ones. In fact it seems like one of it's seemingly trivial features, beep once all the flashes are charged, is really kind of a trump card over the Pocketwizard. With the mini/flex unless you can see the pilot light on the flash you can't tell if it is charged.

Going forward, hesitating to predict the future:D, I can't see any reason to pick the mini/flex over the canon radio trigger... unless you already have a bunch of mini/flex'es

ziggy53 wrote: »

Canon always markets the most unique, and most expensive, product(s) in a new offering first. The stand-alone receiver will come in a few months, after sales of the dedicated flash have settled.

gregger

I'm interested to see Syl's second set of videos. I took his Advanced Speedliting course last year (and totally recommend the one in April - I'm in one of his promo photos - heh... and actually have shot the model he used there).

His Speedliter's Handbook is really great. He runs through every single iota of functionality in the system (including a battery torture test). Hopefully he will be on TWiP to discuss the system a bit further this week.


Anyway, he is very very negative on the ST-E2. So to hear he's that positive on the ST-E3 means something.

I just don't get why the new 5D mkIII doesn't include the Radio Control for the flash (or did I miss that?).

He also clarified for me that you can't mix the 580 EXII wireless and new system with the ST-E3 because it wouldn't use the pre-flash. And due to the fact that all the other flashes are in "Slave" mode, none of them could fire a pre-flash to a 430/580 etc. via line of sight.

I was hoping that you could put a RadioPopper on a 600EX to pick up an EMP and send it on to a 580EX II so we get to do it all.

Anyhow, I've been searching for the ST-E3's exact functionality (full off-camera control, no flash-going-to-sleep, switch between E-TTL and Manual, full grouping, on-camera control). I use the E-TTL cord myself and have tried to use the ST-E2 to get by but get really inconsistent results due to bizarre metering. I can do most of my wireless stuff with the built-in Canon wireless + a single set of RadioPoppers...

But I need another flash now.

If I add it all up, buying another flash + RadioPopper now, I guess I should at least get the new kind of flash.

It's all money.
TTFN
Gregg

PS... if you want to see some of the work we did at his course:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.313797491970882.101818.126856767331623&type=3
(the actual gallery is buried in my SmugMug site at www.CumulusLight.com )

NagoC50

Dan7312 wrote: »

From looking at some of the vids on it though it looks like the Canon radio trigger is nicer to use than the Pocketwizard ones. In fact it seems like one of it's seemingly trivial features, beep once all the flashes are charged, is really kind of a trump card over the Pocketwizard. With the mini/flex unless you can see the pilot light on the flash you can't tell if it is charged.

Here's another --- no RF interference, certainly, with the new Canon system. That has only been the real painful issue for me with the Mini/Flex + 580II setup.

Mike Bishop

Anyone looking to buy a kidney?

David_S85

Mike Bishop wrote: »

Anyone looking to buy a kidney?

I only have one, so.... maybe.

jeffreaux2

I read somewhere that you cannot use the canon radio transmit system with high speed synch. That might be a deal breaker for many folks.

Soooo..... Would there be any compatability between an STE3 and a 580EX flash?


BTW....I am perfectly pleased with the STE2. Id like to be able to use it outdoors in a convertable umbrella though....and that is a tough set up with IR.

Dan7312

Syl Arena says he as shot at up 1/8000th second using hss and the ste3 with his 5DmkII, http://pixsylated.com/blog/canon-600ex-rt-first-impressions/

However the manual says this should not work.

Dan

jeffreaux2 wrote: »

I read somewhere that you cannot use the canon radio transmit system with high speed synch. That might be a deal breaker for many folks.

Soooo..... Would there be any compatability between an STE3 and a 580EX flash?


BTW....I am perfectly pleased with the STE2. Id like to be able to use it outdoors in a convertable umbrella though....and that is a tough set up with IR.