580ex II advice

[ronaldbyram]

Hey there Gang.  Question... I have a speedlite 430 ex ii which has been great for me and for Christmas to myself I got a NEW 580 EX ii to use on my 60D.  question should I have just spent the extra $ for the 600 or did I do ok just going to the 580?
I know there is a NEW 430 replacement coming in 2013.  Just having post purchase 2nd thoughts..

[Plato the Wise]

I have the 580ex2 and it is a great flash. The only thing that I wish it would have is the radio wireless of the 600. Line of sight off camera flash is a pain and makes it impossible to use it for some lighting set-ups.

[Random Orbits]

If you are planning on staying with the 60D for a while, then the 580 is fine.  The 60D can't take advantage of radio features of the 600, so you can't use without upgrading the body.  Plus you could always use 3rd party triggers that you can use with your current camera to get radio capability and that is often a cheaper path anyway.

[unfocused]

Hey there Gang.  Question... I have a speedlite 430 ex ii which has been great for me and for Christmas to myself I got a NEW 580 EX ii to use on my 60D.  question should I have just spent the extra $ for the 600 or did I do ok just going to the 580?
I know there is a NEW 430 replacement coming in 2013.  Just having post purchase 2nd thoughts..

Bury the buyer's remorse. What's done is done.

With your 60D you can remotely control both the 430EXII and 580EXII off camera without any additional purchases, using the camera's infrared controller. With the 600EX-RT, you could do the same thing, but you'd be paying extra money for radio control that you can't use at all with your 430EXII and can't use with the 60D without buying the $300 transmitter from Canon.

Infrared has a shorter range and must be line-of-sight, but I've found in real world use that is almost never a problem (just be sure you point the strobe's IR sensor in the general direction of the camera).

You'll be amazed at how much you can do and learn with two strobes off-camera. Now you can start collecting light modifiers (umbrellas, soft boxes, etc. etc.). If and when you reach the point where you really need radio control, you can either sell the 580 and 430 or invest in a third-party trigger.

[digital paradise]

I'd spend the extra $100. RT without additional triggers, etc is wonderful. May as well think of the future.

But be careful - you will get the bug. First the ST-E3-RT and then next another 600 RT (if they don't release a smaller RT one).     

[Krob78]

I think I've been seeing it lately for the same price as the 580Ex II, at $579...  I'd go with the new one!  Or buy two used 580 ex II's!

[Krob78]

The phottix Odin's are awesome!  They will allow you to shoot your 580 and 430 in ttl off camera!  Highly recomended and priced great!  Well, compared to PW's and some others anyway!  They work like they were made just for Canon flashes and camera's... seriously, great buy, you'll love the 580!

[RC]

Sold my 580EX II and two 430EX IIs earlier this year and bought a 600EX RT and ST-E3-RT.  Wow, love the freedom and flexibility.  For me it was worth the extra cost.   Plan to buy a couple more RT units--likely another 600 and maybe the newer smaller one if it gets released soon.

If you can spend a little more go for the RTs, otherwise pick up Syl Arena's Speedlighters handbook and an extra long (10 meter) ETTL cord. 

[Krob78]

Post-purchase dissonance is normal. We all suffer from it from time to time, usually just after we've spent a chunk of change whilst knowing that there is a slightly better (perhaps marginally superior) model a bit further up the product line.

Two things I will say though: (i) usually it is better to get the latest model, and pony-up the extra cash (after a few months or even years it will seem worth it), and (ii) the additional features in the newer model are typically there as a result of photographer demand e.g. the colour gel filters (and holder) that come with the 600EX-RT and of course the built-in radio trigger - line of sight is a real pain when you're using multiple strobes (I've triggered 3 flash units with the IR trigger in my 7D) especially with the annoying blinking red AF-lights on the slave units that I have to angle towards the direction of my DSLR.

Notwithstanding all of the above, Canon gear retains a decent used market price, so have fun with your strobes (stick your 60D on a tripod in the garden @ night and use 2nd-curtain on your 580-II and try painting with light, or stick a macro lens on and shoot Orchids close-up with 2 or more strobes in the dark, the results are fun), and when you've mastered flash photography, you can always trade-up.

++1 

[Calgary Canon Guy]

I have a 430 and a 580, both 2nd versions, and I use the Cactus V5 triggers. They work like a charm!