Buying Yongnuo Flash

[sandymandy]

Hi,

i decided to get a flash finally. Id prefer to get a wide aperture lens for low light shooting but thats just too pricy for me and i think a flash is handy anyway not only for low light situations.
Im gonna get the Yongnuo 468 II E-TTL version. Its kinda cheap and i think it will suit my style.
Question i have:

Ive seen many times ppl using really cheap cameras with an external flash. Even the Toy Story (tm) camera was used like that in a digitalrev video. How does it work? Just let the camera fire with flash and that will trigger the external flash? I got 1100D so there is a popup flash.
Ive seen in the video they redirect the (popup) flash so its like only the external flash lighting the scene up.

Does that work with the yongnuo im gonna get? Are there any special "flash redirection" tools? Or other option would be to get a flash transmitter right? Works with 468II ?

Im still wondering if there isnt some kind of "delay" between the first and 2nd (external) flash? Probably it gotta do with electronics working in microseconds but the shutter is just milliseconds?! I just dont understand really why its possible to use like _any_ camera (even cheap ass toystory camera) with an external flash :O

[CTJohn]

I bought one as a test, and it works fine with my 7D popup flash - same as my 430 EXII's.   I actually love this feature about the 7D and it's one of the things holding me back from buying a 5D or 6D. 

For the Yongnuo, just set it on slave S2 and set your camera built in flash function to wireless, and shoot away.  The preflash sends settings to the external flash units via ETTL II.  It can also work manually.

Much cheaper solution to Canon flash units, but I still wouldn't trust Yongnuo alone.  There are too many stories of flash failure.

EDIT:  Sorry, I was referring to the Yongnuo 568EX, not 468.  568EX works fine with ETTLII.

[JerryKnight]

Yes, the 468ii has an optical slave mode, which simply looks for a flash from another camera and fires its flash right after. (Like the FUQ690's they used with the Buzz Lightyear camera)

Don't try to understand the exact timing of flashes. They don't fire the exact moment the shutter opens, but as long as you stay under the minimum shutter speed (usually 1/180 to 1/250) you don't have to worry about the flashes missing the camera shutter. Optical slaves are fine for studios, but they're not that reliable in most other situations, as the Buzz Lightyear video should have demonstrated.

What I'm not sure about is if your camera has the ability to control off-camera E-TTL flashes. I know this is built-in to most Nikon bodies ("commander" mode) but I've never heard for sure if many Canon bodies have this ability. If you're intending on buying the flash for this purpose, you should make sure you don't need any other equipment to use the E-TTL features off-camera (you might need the Yongnuo version of the ST-E2).

[JerryKnight]

I bought one as a test, and it works fine with my 7D popup flash - same as my 430 EXII's.   I actually love this feature about the 7D and it's one of the things holding me back from buying a 5D or 6D. 

For the Yongnuo, just set it on slave S2 and set your camera built in flash function to wireless, and shoot away.  The preflash sends settings to the external flash units via ETTL II.  It can also work manually.

Much cheaper solution to Canon flash units, but I still wouldn't trust Yongnuo alone.  There are too many stories of flash failure.

This is very misleading confusing. According to the Engrish product description on their site:

"S2" mode --- it is designed for digital TTL flash. The special thing about this mode is the ability for detect the ingnore the tiny pre-flashes sent out by digital TTL systems before the shutter actually opens.

The S2 mode is still firing a manual flash, but it happens to work by ignoring the E-TTL preflashes. In S2 mode, this will not get you off-camera E-TTL.

EDIT: Okay, I (tried to) read the rest of their confusing product description and I'm not sure now. Obviously, if CTJohn can verify that it works in E-TTL with the built-in camera flash, then ignore what I'm saying.

EDIT 2: Sorry, more research has cleared things up. The EOS T3 (1100D) cannot control a E-TTL slave on its own. (Read this article, fourth paragraph). You would need a 580EXii or equivalent (or an ST-E2 or equivalent) in order to use the E-TTL features with an off-camera slave.

[ilkersen]

That S2 mode is unreliable.  On my YN-560 it doesn't work with preflashes from Canon60D (meaning the slave goes off anyway).  Turn off preflashes, and optical slave works just fine up to 1/160 shutter speed on my 5D3.  1/200 has sync issues, no big deal really. 

I like my YN-560s.  No need to buy II either, they are the same. For $50, no brainer.  I have Canon 580EX II for ETTTL, but I hardly ever use it.

[sandymandy]

My eos 1100d cant transfer signals to the flash if its not attached to the hoe shoe. No built in wireless or such.
Im hesitant to buy YN560 instead of YN468 II cuz ive never use a flash and im afraid manual mode will be too much trial and error for me. I wanna use it for candid portraits or street. if i had a studio id probably fiddle around with it.

So basically my camera must fire a flash first to trigger the YN flash, correct? Otherwise i would need a transmitter.

Well maybe u can recommend a cheap transmitter? Probably easier than having to rearrange my popupflash direction. Cuz i think if i use the "popup flash triggers external yongnuo flash" there will be 2 flash lights in the photo, isnt it? Unless i somehow redirect it...


*edit*

i just read yn 468 II doesnt support e-ttl in wireless mode. does that mean i gotta put my settings manually if i use it as an off-the-camera flash in optical slave mode? hmmm

*edit again 10000th time*

What about Yongnuo RF-602 + YN468 II (or another flash if u can assure me manually operating is a piece o cake)

Its the "off camera" flash setup im looking for, no?

@JerryKnight

 "Family Jewels FUQ690" flash. First i didnt get its just some tape they made themselves put on a Nikon flash. I actually searched on google for this brand lol

[pdirestajr]

(or another flash if u can assure me manually operating is a piece o cake)

You should start here:
http://strobist.blogspot.com/

And find tons more info here:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/strobist/

[ishdakuteb]

I rather buy used 480EX than buying a Yongnuo 468.  They are both around the same price (might be $20 more on 430EX).  I bought Yongnuos (560EXs and 622Cs on supporting me to learn off camera flash), I can say that they are all pretty good so far, but paying about the same price, once again suggest to get used 430EX

[Wildfire]

I have the YN560 and the Canon 430EX II. I'd say for a first flash you should stick with TTL and like ishdakuteb said a used 430EX II is the way to go.

As for the Yongnuo, I have found it to be excellent as a second, manual flash when combined with a TTL main flash. The Yongnuo S1 mode will flash when it detects another manual flash going off. In S2 mode it will flash when it detects a TTL flash going off. I have found both modes to work correctly as long as you use them in the right situation. If you use S1 mode with a TTL flash as the master the Yongnuo will go off but it won't show up in the exposure because it fires early (when it detects the TTL pre-flash). Likewise, S2 mode probably won't work if you try to trigger it with a manual flash.

In either case, the YN560 won't accept TTL commands from a Canon TTL master, it will fire as a manual flash even in S2 mode.

Yongnuo also makes TTL flashes like the YN565 and the YN568 which are comparable to the 430EX II if you can't find one used. None of those flashes has TTL master capability, but the newer Canon APS-C bodies have TTL master as part of their built-in flash (T3i, T4i, 7D, 60D).

[nightsky87]

I don't own any Yongnuo flash but I did consider them at some point. Its just that there were too many stories of flash failure for my taste. This is particularly true for the TTL models (468) I think.

Before anything, how much are you willing to spend on some flash? Maybe there are other viable options - especially since you want to use TTL.

[sandymandy]

I wanna spend the least amount i can spend while getting something valueable and useful in the long term. I got one old flash for free with an x-sync cable. Is it possible to use this with my 1100D in some way or is it electric overkill? Hotshoe is a no-go i know due to high voltage but is it the same for x-sync cable usage? Its Revue 280T and trigger voltage supposed to be ~10,5 volts

[AdamJ]

I haven't read all the posts so sorry if I'm repeating anyone else but here is a definitive answer.

The YN-468 II has E-TTL II functionality on-camera. It has E-TTL II functionality off-camera only when controlled with a pair of YN-622 triggers (or other E-TTL II triggers such as the Odin).

The YN-468 II does not have optical wireless E-TTL II capability. It does have optical slave modes (S1/S2) so that any other flash, including your 1100D's on-board flash, can trigger the 468 II off-camera. However, the flash must be set manually via its own controls if it is being fired optically this way.

Your 1100D's on-board flash does not have wireless E-TTL II master capabilities so it cannot provide optical E-TTL II control of any flash.

A pair of YN-622s would give you E-TTL II control over the YN-468 II, just as they would control a 565EX or 568EX, or Canon 430EXII, 580EXII or 600EX. In combination with the 622s, the YN-468 II is your cheapest entry to radio E-TTL II control.