So...what are the major differences in your opinion? For a high school student with not a ton of money, will the 580EX suffice? And is the 580EX II really worth the extra money it costs, or are it's new features extremely advanced? Basically, I'm just getting into flash photography, but don't want to be continually upgrading gear, so I don't know what to get.
greaneyc wrote:
So...what are the major differences ...
EXII::
Has better weather sealing but because of the better weather sealing, the flash tends to overheat and the rubber seal around the hot shoe fitting tends to get in the way of creating a good solid contact which is an issue.
Has a thermal cut out.
Instead of having the handy and convenient master/slave switch at the bottom of the flash, it's hidden away (once you're used to it, it's fine, just not as convenient).
Both units have similar performance and in the real world. Bugger all difference in recycling.
Both units allow the use of a battery pack..
EX::
Doesn't have a thermal cut out and I've fried 2 but I've also fried an EXII.
Doesn't have weather sealing and never had an issue. If it's raining that much, I'm more concerned about my camera/lenses!!
Don't forget about a good 550EX either.
They are a tiny bit slower to recycle but they also accept a battery pack which makes them a better choice than a 430EX as the 430 doesn't accept a battery pack.
The 550s are also very tuff. I've had mine for years and really given them a hard time.
I've killed 580s but never my 550s. Add a battery pack and they work great in a high use situation.
The 550 is also a master controller which a 430 isn't.
I mention the 430 as someone else will say, hey, what about a 430.
In the long term, you will more than likely find that you will want to be able to network/wirelessly connect multiple flashes. Which makes better sense of going for something that control other speedlites for your first choice/purchase.
Just have a good look at any second hand 580EX, make sure the fresnel isn't majorly discoloured. A bit of yellow is OK-ish but a dark fresnel and a smell of cooking plastic after a few pops means doom.
If it doesn't look or smell right, it usually isn't.
Garry covered it all - except one small thing... the 580 EXII has a PC connector if you want to use something for remote sync like an optical slave. To be fair there are folks that make a retrofit shoe that does that same thing pretty cheap. All said and done I would get the EXI any day - even at the same price! I really dislike my II's and wished they were all EXI flavor.
BubbaJon wrote:
Garry covered it all - except one small thing... the 580 EXII has a PC connector if you want to use something for remote sync like an optical slave. To be fair there are folks that make a retrofit shoe that does that same thing pretty cheap. All said and done I would get the EXI any day - even at the same price! I really dislike my II's and wished they were all EXI flavor.
Yep - I sold my ex2 in favor of a used 580ex "classic". I bought the flash zebra shoe, which is perfect for connecting alienbee or pocketwizard radio triggers - much more reliable than pc sync cords.
There is no compellingreason to spend the extra money on a 580ex2, especially if you're constrained by finances.
I got rid of my 580EX2's because of their constant contact problems (many people I know suffer from this with 580EX2's)(The problem being the flash falls out of ETTL mode and blasts a single full power flash when taking a picture). Both my flashes had to go into Canon 3 times for this. I got so peeved I nicely let Canon Irvine know (despite the fact I knew it wouldn't do any good) and the people there seemed to know my frustrations. My 580EX1's and 550EX are work horses and never let me down. Really wish they had a PC though.
I had the 580ex II and downgraded to the 580ex. Sure you lose the ability to control the flash on camera, but that's pretty much it. the differences stated above are accurate, but i would absolutely avoid the 550ex or the 430ex as the recycle rates are incredibly slow.
If I was at all budget concerned, I wouldn't get a Canon flash, and if I did, I would get a 550 ex and pay no more than $200. I think the best option is the Lumopro LP-160, I had a 580exII and still have a 550, but I like the Lumopros just as much and they are $160.
Unless you need autoflash, there are a lot better things to spend lighting money on than a Canon speedlite, in my opinion at least.
If you plan to do much shooting outdoors the advantage of an EX flash is being able to use HSS and wide apertures to get shallow DOF. But be aware the range shooting a backlit subject with a direct 580ex is only 7ft. with a single flash and 10ft when Master and Slave are used as key / fill. The ability to use HHS was one of the reasons put my Vivitar 285HVs on the shelf and bought a pair of 580ex.
Depending how you shoot the 20% faster recycle may not matter much unless shooting at full power. At full power more than about 40 consecutive flashes will put the flash into a thermal nanny "time out" until it cools.
Does HSS work when you are using an EX flash as a slave, or is it only for on-camera flash? I was triggering the 550&580 with radiotriggers and I was having trouble getting HSS to work, but maybe it was my own fault.
Kisutch wrote:
Does HSS work when you are using an EX flash as a slave, or is it only for on-camera flash? I was triggering the 550&580 with radiotriggers and I was having trouble getting HSS to work, but maybe it was my own fault.
On camera only or using either Pocketwizards FlexTT5 units or RadioPoppers triggers.
The 580EXII was the worst $500 I ever spent. Damn thing has been to both Irvine and NJ repair facilities and it still will fall into the dreaded full blast TTL mode. I've done the tightening screw trick and now that P.O.C. lives at the bottom of my bag and occasionally comes out as a manual off camera flash.
tell wrote:
The 580EXII was the worst $500 I ever spent. Damn thing has been to both Irvine and NJ repair facilities and it still will fall into the dreaded full blast TTL mode. I've done the tightening screw trick and now that P.O.C. lives at the bottom of my bag and occasionally comes out as a manual off camera flash.
sorry to hear that...
i currently have two unit. both are flawless.
Oct 24, 2011 at 06:50 PM