Speedlight 580ex II

[kc7dji]

Everyone is talking a lot about the Mark III (I'm not impressed) but what about the new Speedlight 580ex II?

Has anyone had their hands on this? Does it really (really) have a metal shoe on it?

I'd love to hear more!

[M. Worthington]

I don't know, but aren't you getting a bit tired of Canon's flash upgrades? I mean, whey don't they get the flash right to begin with? These are expensive units, and every new ones seems to confirm what everyone else already knew: the Canon flash system needs improvement.

[kc7dji]

That's sure good to know. I don't own any Canon Flash units. I also thought they were too expensive so I bought the Sigma 500DG. I like the unit but it's flimsy. I'm looking for something more durable. In fact, I'm really thinking about the quantum QFlash. Though more expensive... it's a solid unit. What's your thoughts?

[Kevin Barrett]

Originally Posted by kc7dji

Everyone is talking a lot about the Mark III (I'm not impressed) but what about the new Speedlight 580ex II?

Has anyone had their hands on this? Does it really (really) have a metal shoe on it?

I'd love to hear more!

Yes it really has a metal shoe...

From the press release

Speedlite 580EX II – Increased durability
The Speedlite 580EX II improves on many of the specifications of its predecessor. Recycling is silent and up to 20% faster. Weather seals ensure that when attached to the EOS-1D Mark III, the Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E2 achieves the same level of dust and moisture resistance as the camera itself. A redesigned metal flash foot plate and connector pins allow more stable communication between the camera and flash, while a quick release mechanism minimises wear and tear on both units. The flash head zoom covers the range 24mm to 105mm and an integrated diffusion panel allows extended wide-angle coverage to 14mm.

Summary - A more durable, weatherized and slightly tweaked version of the 580EX.

Curious as to what is not to like about the IDMKIII? It could very well become the "1" series for the rest of us. It's not necessarily for sports shooters anymore.

[kc7dji]

very cool.... well I'm not saying that the Mark III is a bad camera. Just for me it doesn't really ring my bell as I probably expected higher MP versus frames per second. I'm primarily a wedding photographer so the 10 frames per second doesn't impress me at all. I'd much rather have a 5d. On the flip side that self cleaning sensor I lust for. I still see the Mark series geared mainly towards the sports photographer. I also wasn't too sure of the real time viewing. I think it takes away from the SLR feel and puts the point-n-shoot feel on a SLR body. Just my opinion.

[jfrancho]

Why does everybody think that "Live View" allows you to hold the camera at arms length and shoot away? I don't think that was it's intended functionality at all. As far as the 580 II goes, this really seems like an improvement for the sports/PJ pro shooter. I imagine there are more than one broken/shorted shoe mounts out there. As far as Canon releasing new flashed, it's been a while since the last new speedlite, and evolutionary updates are a good thing, not a negative.

[PavelOlavich]

Originally Posted by M. Worthington

I don't know, but aren't you getting a bit tired of Canon's flash upgrades? I mean, whey don't they get the flash right to begin with? These are expensive units, and every new ones seems to confirm what everyone else already knew: the Canon flash system needs improvement.

Canon got the flashes right may years ago, so I am not sure why you think otherwise. The Canon 550ex is a great flash, the 580ex is better.

The 580ex II means weather sealing...this is something that all Canon flashes to date had missing...something that has perplexed me for a long time.

There is this superstition going around the internet that Canon flash logic is problemmatic...this is a myth...it works great, every single weekend that I shoot weddings...it is right on and if not, it is user (me) error, and not my kit.

E-TTL2 is fantastic. Nikon long ago stopped being the preferred flash system....these days both systems are fantastic.

[PavelOlavich]

Originally Posted by kc7dji

very cool.... well I'm not saying that the Mark III is a bad camera. Just for me it doesn't really ring my bell as I probably expected higher MP versus frames per second. I'm primarily a wedding photographer so the 10 frames per second doesn't impress me at all. I'd much rather have a 5d. On the flip side that self cleaning sensor I lust for. I still see the Mark series geared mainly towards the sports photographer. I also wasn't too sure of the real time viewing. I think it takes away from the SLR feel and puts the point-n-shoot feel on a SLR body. Just my opinion.

I'd have to agree with Scott's post....but as far as the Live Viewfinder goes, for me, the jury is still out....I can't quite poo-poo it away, and I don't think it is too "P&S" ish...for that matter both P&S cameras and pro DSLR's have lenses, aperture control, and ISO settings....the fact that they both share certain features does not make a pro DSLR P&S'ish...just my 2 cents. Come to think of it, a Live Viewfinder could be great for judging depth-of-field, assuming it works in conjunction with the DOF Preview button....but I'm not sure on this.

[PavelOlavich]

Originally Posted by Kevin Barrett

Yes it really has a metal shoe...

From the press release



Summary - A more durable, weatherized and slightly tweaked version of the 580EX.

Curious as to what is not to like about the IDMKIII? It could very well become the "1" series for the rest of us. It's not necessarily for sports shooters anymore.

Well, if you shoot weddings, portraits, and/or do lots of big enlargements, the 5D would be a better body....for it's bigger sensor size, and more megapixels...

[aam1234]

Side note to Scott, the first link in your signature is missing the ".com". Yes I checked your site

[kc7dji]

LOL thanks for the note.... My fingers quit on me sometime

Ok it's fixed now. I know my sites are a bit cheesy but I'm not graphically inclined in that area

The St. Louis Wedding Source site is only about a week old. I'm working on that one.

[Kevin Barrett]

Originally Posted by kc7dji

very cool.... well I'm not saying that the Mark III is a bad camera. Just for me it doesn't really ring my bell as I probably expected higher MP versus frames per second. I'm primarily a wedding photographer so the 10 frames per second doesn't impress me at all. I'd much rather have a 5d. On the flip side that self cleaning sensor I lust for. I still see the Mark series geared mainly towards the sports photographer. I also wasn't too sure of the real time viewing. I think it takes away from the SLR feel and puts the point-n-shoot feel on a SLR body. Just my opinion.

The 5D is more oriented towards the wedding photographer, but I wouldn't dismiss the IDMkIII from that role altogether. It does have a 'silent' mode (which is a new one to me) and the greater fps could be of benefit during receptions. Probably not the 'ideal' tool for the job, but I think it could do fine in that role.

10 mega-pixels is probably sufficient for all but the most demanding of group shots. How big of an enlargement do most brides request anyway? I'm not a wedding photographer, but a good friend of mine is and he's getting along nicely with a couple of Olympus E-1 bodies running at a mere 5MP each.

[PavelOlavich]

Originally Posted by Kevin Barrett

The 5D is more oriented towards the wedding photographer, but I wouldn't dismiss the IDMkIII from that role altogether. It does have a 'silent' mode (which is a new one to me) and the greater fps could be of benefit during receptions. Probably not the 'ideal' tool for the job, but I think it could do fine in that role.

10 mega-pixels is probably sufficient for all but the most demanding of group shots. How big of an enlargement do most brides request anyway? I'm not a wedding photographer, but a good friend of mine is and he's getting along nicely with a couple of Olympus E-1 bodies running at a mere 5MP each.

5mp for weddings? To his customers: Ignorance is Bliss....onless the groom is a pro DSLR user.

[Max@Home]

Originally Posted by PavelOlavich

5mp for weddings? To his customers: Ignorance is Bliss....onless the groom is a pro DSLR user.

...nah, as you said, it depends on the enlargements you(r clients) want from it...

Overhere, in The Netherlands, people hardly ever want anything bigger than 30cmx45cm (A3+), and I know a lot of wedding pros that 'still' shoot with the 6 MP 10D without any 'problems'

YMMV, and looking at your statements and equipment, it does

Kindest regards!

Max@Home

[steve817]

Originally Posted by PavelOlavich

5mp for weddings? To his customers: Ignorance is Bliss....onless the groom is a pro DSLR user.

I know a guy that shoots with 4mp

[Gbee]

It's part of a total system shift.

I’ve had Nikon flash and now this is the Nikon flash like I was used to in all respects. Basically Canon and Nikon are using the same flash from the same manufacture. As the unique licences are expiring both flashes are drawing closer together and now with the release of the 580EXII with the auto sensor, access to digilogicIII, improved communication between peripherals and the other extra stuff, remote is really exciting ~ bad news one cannot so far, remotely switch out of live view to AF, but we’ll see ~ this flash promises to be as good as the Nikon system and their iTTL, iTTL is where Nikon got their flash working finally, heretofore with ETTL Nikon were ahead of Nikon’s TTL, read ETTLII for the Nikon TTL, both systems worked the same way and are pathetic.

Read iTTL as ETTLIII ~ finally, just at the point when I was about to second guess my decisions and future of the Canon product lineup.

Now I’m planning to system switch and buy the lot in one go, two cameras, two flashes, one WiFi [or 2 if necessary] one new16~35mm lens.

Any increment taken separately is only so-so, but the cumulative effect will be staggering, just staggering.

Originally Posted by kc7dji

Everyone is talking a lot about the Mark III (I'm not impressed) but what about the new Speedlight 580ex II?

Has anyone had their hands on this? Does it really (really) have a metal shoe on it?

I'd love to hear more!