580ex: Super

[Alice Morrison]

Just upgraded to this flash, and I'm impressed. We used two of them today in a studio setup with the ST-E2 controlling them. Didn't run out of battery power in either for over 45 minutes. This is turning out to be a great location lighting setup. Anyone else have this flash?

[Gbee]

But I'm from a Nikon background and these units are only now delivering what I had been used to with the Nikon stuff two years ago. But these do it better.

But wireless infrared is amazing on them and totally outclassed the pre D2h and SB880.

I do have a problem with ratio control and Canon have identified this as a per unit control problem. In my words, faulty units ~ I’ve had to send back three of them and have more or less given up multiple controls. But the STE2 and one 580EX gets used quite a bit ~ one the fly dependable creative lighting even in the worst conditions; it just lifts the most mundane of mug shots in seconds.

I tried them attached to brollies and they showed they can work except for the aforementioned problems with multiple units seemingly fighting to be master, and they also don’t work as [EYE] expected when bounced ~ major pity that.

However, they are pretty neat and were well worth getting over the 550EX and as I said, I had enjoyed this level of performance in speed and accuracy from my SB80 from Nikon for years before Canon fixed their flash.

I’ve recently filled in a CPS questionnaire so Canon are working on improving the design of their units and that can’t be bad.

I asked for weatherproofing, the level lock (like Nikon) and a more powerful unit less dependant on its (fairly limited) program response curves.

[JDArt]

Can you explain the ratio control problem and the others you mention? Thanks a lot.

[Gbee]

To start with the SB80(DX) Nikon units had the same problems ~ they are in fact made by the same supplier, so nothing strange here, I sent back two SB units as well so the problem migrated to the Canon units when Canon added these features.

Now the problem is fairly simple, one can set up a mock-up on a table and play around with the ratio control on the STE2 unit and have one light as the main modelling light and the other as fill. Great ~ works as expected.

The problem that I experience comes when a great working distance is employed as in an office situation in a portable scenario. I found that I could get them working, one as main light and one as fill but set up in the next location and they just would not cooperate. As often as not the main light would fill and the fill light become the mains, or the background light was full and the frontal light was weak instead of the other way around.

Switching the light did not work as the units then reversed themselves in operation. And the last problem I found was adding a third light, only two would contribute to the scene.

Now the problem is one can set them up on a table top and it will work, ideal for some situations, say product or macro, but (for me) they failed in a bigger hotel room for a bridal portrait.

So I can light an egg with two 580EX flash units say six inches away from the eggs, get perfect exposure and twiddle with the STE2 ratio setting and make either left or right side unit deliver more or less light ~ great.

Move them ten feet away and they just won’t work the same way [for me].

[JDArt]

Very interesting. Thanks.

[lordarka]

I love the 580, and am looking to ditch my 550EX in lieu of a second 580. They are far and away a better flashead for just about every possible application, and are easier to use to boot!

Arka C.

[lordarka]

Originally Posted by Pavel

What in particular makes the 580 better than the 550's.* Is it the recycle speed, the operation - what?* I am waiting to see what the new 430's bring to the table and if they are as much smaller as they appear to be.

Everything; I was skeptical at first, but after a few days of using the 580 while my 550 was on loan to someone, I literally was overwhelmed by how much better it was for my work. I immediately bought one, and will likely buy at least one more. The list of improvements is long...

The recycle time on the 580's is far faster, and easily keeps up with my 1D Mark II's fastest shutter speed, without the need for an external battery pack. With the external pack, there is no limit to how fast they can fire. The adjustment of things like flash compensation is greatly simplified by the wheel-style interface, and the flashead can now by maneuvered using one button instead of one per axis of motion. There is an integrated white card for bouncing and creating catchlights, which is kind of a nice touch. They are smaller than the 550's but more powerful. Every aspect of the interface is hugely improved, and the flash's ability to compensate for digital crop factors helps me save battery life on my 1.6x and 1.3x cameras. I also get more consistent exposure with them in an ETTL2 regime, though that is a benefit you won't enjoy on older (Pre-10D) cameras.

Arka C.

[dc2]

Alice are you using this flash with your 1Ds2?