Evaluating D Mark Ilcompatible Speedlites
At this writing, three Canon non-macro flash units — the 220EX, the 430EX II, and the 580EX II — are in the stores and are compatible with the 5D Mark II. For macro work, the Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX or Macro Twin Lite MT24EX are available and provide shadowless lighting. If you have an older Speedlite, such as the 580 or 550, for example, they perform adequately with the 5D Mark II and can be used wirelessly for multi-flash setups, which I discuss later in this chapter. Even older Speedlites easily found via online auctions can be used in multiple light setups, as long as their output can be set manually and they can be triggered remotely.
Here's an overview of the currently available Speedlites, followed by a comparison of features in Tables 7.1 and 7.2.
► 580EX II. This is currently the flagship Speedlite for all-around general photography. The 580EX II offers a metal foot for reliability and rigidity, a 20% improvement in recycling time, and more weather-proofing than its predecessor, the 580EX. It also features a 180° swivel in either direction, white balance information communication with compatible cameras, an external metering sensor for non-TTL automatic flash exposure control, and a PC socket for use with nonded-icated slave triggers.
Image courtesy of Canon
7.2 The Canon 580EX II Speedlite
Image courtesy of Canon
7.2 The Canon 580EX II Speedlite
► 430EX II. The 430EX II features the same basic appearance and layout as the 430EX but adds a metal shoe with the same locking mechanism as the 580EX II and 1/3 EV step output control in Manual mode. The 430EX II can also be fully configured via the rear LCD menus of recent Canon dSLRs as well as from its own LCD control panel. The recycling time of the 430EX II is 20% faster than the 430EX, and recycling is much quieter. Like the 430EX, the 430EX II can act as a wireless slave but not as a wireless controller.
► 270EX. The all-new 270EX is the least expensive and is intended as an entry-level Speedlite, far surpassing the power and features of popup flashes included on board other EOS cameras. This Speedlite features a 90° tilting zoom head. It also offers a near-silent recycling in a time of just 3.9 seconds and a guide number of 27 m. Powered by two AA batteries, this flashgun is compatible with all recent Canon cameras.
► Macro Twin Lite MT-24EX. This dual-light macro unit alleviates the flat lighting look that a single ring light flash can create by providing two separate flash heads that you can move around the lens, aim sep-
Image courtesy of Canon
7.3 The Canon 430EX II Speedlite
Image courtesy of Canon
7.3 The Canon 430EX II Speedlite
Image courtesy of Canon
7.4 The Canon 270EX Speedlite
Image courtesy of Canon
7.4 The Canon 270EX Speedlite arately, or remove from the holders and mount off-camera. The MT-24EX is E-TTL-com-patible with the 5D Mark II and allows wireless flash with one or more 550EX or 430EX Speedlites as slave units. You can also control the lighting ratio of each flash head's output for more than a 6-stop range.
7.5 The Canon Macro Twin Lite MT-24EX Speedlite
► Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX. This flash unit is compatible with E-TTL and features two circular twin-flash tubes that can fire at even power or be varied between them over a 6-stop range. You can use compatible non-macro Speedlites, such as the 550EX, as wireless slaves. The controller has an illuminated LCD panel and accepts optional high-capacity battery packs.
Image courtesy of Canon
7.6 The Canon Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX Speedlite
Image courtesy of Canon
7.6 The Canon Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX Speedlite
7.7 Even though it's said to produce shadowless lighting, the ring light actually does produce a distinctive soft shadow that outlines the subject as long as the background isn't too distant from the subject.
Table l.1 5D Mark Il-Compatible Canon Speedlites (Non-macro)
|
270EX |
430EX II |
580EX II | |
|
Type |
E-TTL II, ETTL, TTL |
Mode: E-TTL II, E-TTL, TTL |
E-TTL operation with all EOS dSLRs |
|
Guide Number |
72 feet at ISO 100 |
141 feet at ISO 100; flash head at 105mm zoom setting |
190 feet at ISO 100; flash head at 105mm zoom setting |
|
Number of Flashes |
« 250 to 1,700 |
= 200 to 1,400, with fresh AA-size alkaline batteries or AA-size Ni-MH fully charged batteries |
= 100 to 700, with fresh AA-size alkaline batteries |
|
Recycle Time |
0.1 to 3.9 seconds |
= 0.1 to 3.7 seconds (AA-size alkaline batter-ies)/0.1 to 2 seconds (AA-size Ni-MH batteries) |
= 0.1 to 6 seconds, with fresh AA-size alkaline batteries |
(continued)
(continued)
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital Field Guide
|
270EX |
430EX II |
580EX II | |
|
Flash Range |
2.3 feet to 51.5 feet at ISO 100 |
At ISO 100, with 50mm f/1.4 lens at f1.4; for normal flash: « 2.3 to 79.7 feet; for high-sync speed (EF flash): « 2.3 to 39.4 feet |
At ISO 100, with EF 50mm f/1.4 at f/1.4: « 1.6 to 98.4 feet |
|
AF Assist Beam |
Built-in; linked to center focusing point; = 13.1 feet; periphery: = 11.5 feet in total darkness |
Built-in; covers all focus points in EOS cameras up to nine AF points; effective range: « 2.3 to 32.8 feet at center; « 2.3 to 16.4 feet in total darkness at periphery |
Built-in; covers all focus points in EOS cameras with 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, or 45 AF (autofocus) points; distance range: 2 to 32.8 feet at center; 2 to 16.4 feet at periphery |
|
Custom Functions |
Shoe lock provided; two Custom Functions |
Six user-selectable Custom Functions built-in; set on Speedlite's LCD panel |
14 Speedlite Custom Functions built-in; set on Speedlite's LCD panel |
|
Power Source |
Two AA-size/LR6 alkaline batteries |
Four AA-size alkaline batteries (6V) or four AA-size NiMH (4.8V) |
Four AA-size batteries: alkaline, lithium, or rechargeable Ni-MH |
|
External Power Source |
N/A |
N/A |
External power supply; compatible with dust and water-resistant external power pack, Canon battery pack CP-E3, and Transistor Pack E |
|
Dimensions |
2.5 x 2.6 x 3.0 inches |
2.8 x 4.8 x 4.0 inches |
3.0 x 5.3 x 4.5 inches |
|
Weight (without batteries) |
5.1 oz |
11.6 oz |
13.2 oz |
|
Other |
Supports 50mm up to 28mm coverage; basic Speedlite with head that doesn't tilt, swivel, or zoom; and has no manual power adjustment |
Supports up to 14mm coverage. A lens wider than 24mm requires the pull-out and flip-down diffuser panel to be used for complete frame flash coverage. Flash coverage: Fixed condenser lens with inner zoom: (1) Auto Zoom, (2) Manual Zoom, (3) Wide Panel. Zoom positions: 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 70mm, 80mm, 105mm; indicated by numerals on the LCD's focal length display. Image Size Zoom Control: With cameras compatible with auto zoom, it zooms automatically to match the camera's image size. |
Supports up to 14mm coverage. A lens wider than 24mm requires the pull-out and flip-down diffuser panel to be used for complete frame flash coverage. Flash coverage: Fixed condenser lens with inner zoom: (1) Auto Zoom, (2) Manual Zoom, (3) Wide Panel. Zoom positions: 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 70mm, 80mm, 105mm; indicated by numerals on the LCD's focal length display. Image Size Zoom Control: With cameras compatible with auto zoom, it zooms automatically to match the camera's image size. |
|
Macro Twin Lite MT-24EX |
Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX | |
|
Type |
Macro flash unit with adjustable and removable twin straight flash heads; separate Controller Unit attaches to camera's hot shoe |
Ring Lite, twin circular flash tubes, and separate Controller Unit |
|
Guide Number |
72 feet at ISO 100 (with both tubes firing at full power) |
46.2 feet at ISO 100 |
|
Flash Duration |
Modeling Flash: 1-second burst at 70Hz in E-TTL or Manual flash mode, showing ratios; with C.Fn IV-01 (on MT-24EX), uniform 1-second burst at 70Hz with any EOS body by pressing the Controller Unit's test button; a 72C Macro Lite Adapter is required when using the MT-24EX with the EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens |
Modeling Flash: 1-second burst at 70Hz in E-TTL or Manual flash mode, showing ratios (possible only with EOS-1v and EOS-3); with C.Fn IV-01, uniform 1-second burst at 70Hz; works in TTL mode |
|
Flash Control System |
Flash Exposure Compensation, Flash Exposure Bracketing, FE Lock, FP sync, Ratio Control of left:right (A:B) flash tubes over a 6-stop range (8:1 to 1:8 lighting ratios), and wireless E-TTL with off-camera 550EX and/or 420EX slave units |
Controls in E-TTL mode: FP sync, FE Lock, Flash Exposure Compensation, Flash Exposure Bracketing; controls in Manual mode: Flash Exposure Compensation, Flash Exposure Bracketing; Ratio Control in Manual mode: left:right tubes (A:B) in full steps over 1/1 to 1/64 range, full steps; setting method: LCD panel on the Controller Unit (illuminated), similar to 550EX Speedlite |
|
Exposure Control Modes |
Variable from full (1/1) to 1/64 power; Ratio Control of left:right (A:B) flash tubes from 1/1 to 1/64 power possible |
N/A |
|
Custom Functions |
Nine Custom Functions on MT-24EX, in addition to any in-camera); set on MT-24EX Controller LCD panel |
Seven on the MR-14EX (in addition to any in-camera); set on flash LCD panel |
|
Power Source |
Four AA batteries in the Controller Unit (alkaline, lithium, rechargeable Ni-Cd, or Ni-MH AAs) |
Four AA batteries in the Controller Unit (alkaline, Ni-Cd, Lithium, and Ni-MH type AAs) |
|
External Power Source |
Compact Battery Pack E or E2 and Transistor Pack E |
External battery packs, Compact Battery Pack CP-E2, Transistor Pack E |
|
Weight (without batteries) |
20.6 oz |
15.1 oz |
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