New speedlites - Am I the only one...

[Z]

With the upcoming [CR3] announcements... am I the only one who's equally excited by the idea of a new speedlite with radio signalling built in?? The creative possibilities without spending literally thousands of dollars on expensive ETTL third party triggers - I'm nearly salivating.

Perhaps I'm getting a bit ahead of myself... it is still a rumour!

The only problem I face now is I currently have 3 580 EX IIs - Canon releasing a radio add-on for legacy speedlites really would be wishful thinking, wouldn't it?

[Viggo]

Save money with built in radio? The new flashes will be more expensive, and what are you going to trigger them with?

[Z]

Save money with built in radio? The new flashes will be more expensive, and what are you going to trigger them with?

Time will tell I suppose.  Unless they're $250 (plus 20% VAT and import duties, for me) more expensive - which would be the cost of an ETTL radiopopper, for example - I won't be complaining. Not to mention the presumed added reliability of having everything manufactured by Canon.

[Chuck Alaimo]

ok, been waiting for a topic about this to sprout up (was about to start one)...

I currently have 2 580exII's and have been wondering what the next move is.  I was seriously considering the phottix odin trigger system, then adding either a 3rd 580, or a 430 (to save some $$$ for the mkiii fund!)....

Now there is this 590 ex and its got me wondering if i should drop that plan?  Or what?...LOL...confused....

[Z]

ok, been waiting for a topic about this to sprout up (was about to start one)...

I currently have 2 580exII's and have been wondering what the next move is.  I was seriously considering the phottix odin trigger system, then adding either a 3rd 580, or a 430 (to save some $$$ for the mkiii fund!)....

Now there is this 590 ex and its got me wondering if i should drop that plan?  Or what?...LOL...confused....

I would say... wait it out and see if the 590EX suits you. Sit tight for now. 

[Chuck Alaimo]

uggg...too much sitting tight on too many fronts....lol...

A question i'd have though is this, would the radio controller in this new flash be compatable with something like the phottix odin system?  Yeah, this won't be answerable until this new model has a full spec sheet released.  But, if i were to spring for the phottix transmitter/receiver + an extra receiver - will the radio ability of the new 590 mean i can just buy a 590 and the built in radio would talk with the odin system?  I've been really trying to expand my portrait abilities and the ability to have both units off camera and maybe even inside a soft box is something I'd like to have in place sooner than later (especially if the 590 won't be really available till fall or beyond, which who knows who knows who knows...)...

For now I guess I will just use my 2 580's, but, I'm just thinking of overall image IQ, and maximizing what I can do with my 7D.... 

[Viggo]

Go for the Odin if the new flash doesn't provide more power.

[wickidwombat]

ok, been waiting for a topic about this to sprout up (was about to start one)...

I currently have 2 580exII's and have been wondering what the next move is.  I was seriously considering the phottix odin trigger system, then adding either a 3rd 580, or a 430 (to save some $$$ for the mkiii fund!)....

Now there is this 590 ex and its got me wondering if i should drop that plan?  Or what?...LOL...confused....

the odins are seriously good
once you have used them and see how easy it is to change groups, power group balance etc on the little screen you will wonder how you survived without them

[mrmarks]

Either the transmitter will be built into the upcoming bodies, or there will be an external transmitter like the ST-E2. Not sure if it will be a transceiver though capable of adjusting the 580 remotely.

[bryanwolfmd]

My question, which surprisingly hasn't come up, is:

What is the point of a radio controlled flash if you don't have built in triggers on your cameras? 

If this is true, isn't Canon just throwing business to third parties?  I suppose Canon could release it's own trigger system, but why do that when you've just released two flagship cameras? 

I would have thought the 1DX and 5D3/X would have utilized a radio system, if Canon had planned to release a radio controlled flash.  It's just stupidity on their part, if that's the case.

I realize that 5D3/X specs are speculation at this point, but there hasn't been the slightest rumor.  Plus, the 1DX has had an official announcement, without mention.  Is this something Canon could have left off the spec sheet and will enable with a firmware upgrade prior to launch, just to conceal the announcement of a radio flash unit?

Something about the above just doesn't sit right with me, but I guess we'll find out in 5-6 days...

[Mt Spokane Photography]

It sounds like the flashes will talk with each other by radio, so you will need one on your camera to control the others.  At $450 or $500 each, its a pretty big investment for 3 plus a backup.

[Maui5150]

My question, which surprisingly hasn't come up, is:

What is the point of a radio controlled flash if you don't have built in triggers on your cameras? 

If this is true, isn't Canon just throwing business to third parties?  I suppose Canon could release it's own trigger system, but why do that when you've just released two flagship cameras? 

I would have thought the 1DX and 5D3/X would have utilized a radio system, if Canon had planned to release a radio controlled flash.  It's just stupidity on their part, if that's the case.

I realize that 5D3/X specs are speculation at this point, but there hasn't been the slightest rumor.  Plus, the 1DX has had an official announcement, without mention.  Is this something Canon could have left off the spec sheet and will enable with a firmware upgrade prior to launch, just to conceal the announcement of a radio flash unit?

Something about the above just doesn't sit right with me, but I guess we'll find out in 5-6 days...

Simply that mounting a 590 EX on your camera, and having one remote, they no longer have to be line of sight.  The current Canon Flashes need line of sight to do Master/Slave, so changing to RF would be an upgrade and make sense

[RC]

With the upcoming [CR3] announcements... am I the only one who's equally excited by the idea of a new speedlite with radio signalling built in?? The creative possibilities without spending literally thousands of dollars on expensive ETTL third party triggers - I'm nearly salivating.

Perhaps I'm getting a bit ahead of myself... it is still a rumour!

The only problem I face now is I currently have 3 580 EX IIs - Canon releasing a radio add-on for legacy speedlites really would be wishful thinking, wouldn't it?

Very exciting for me and I'm just a hobbyist.  Question is will Canon offer transmitters and receivers for non radio bodies and Speedlights, and if so will they be affordable (love to have radio control over my 580 and 430s with my current body).  I doubt they will be offered and I expect the 590 EX will be a couple hundred bucks (US) above the current price of the 580 EXII.

So if the 580 is rumored to be EOL, do you expect the 430 also to be EOL?  If so that doesn't leave much desirable with the current Canon Speedlight lineup.  Hmmm, maybe more new radio controlled units will follow the 590.  Lots of excitement in the air right now.

[SPG]

One of the reasons that I've heard that Canon has used IR triggering instead of radio in the past is that there are too many restrictions and requirements in different countries to make it practical. Notice how there are different radio trigger frequencies for US and EU with Pocket Wizards?
I'm not sure if that same restriction exists for 2.4ghz frequency triggers like the Odin, but even that frequency has it's own issues with potential interference from WiFi.
This will be interesting to see what Canon comes out with.

BTW, I have an Odin setup so I already have easy control over my remote flashes, TTL, HSS, etc. Anyone who wants to upgrade to the 590 and sell off their 580's let me know...I'll be picking up a couple of them at least! 

[Chuck Alaimo]

BTW, I have an Odin setup so I already have easy control over my remote flashes, TTL, HSS, etc. Anyone who wants to upgrade to the 590 and sell off their 580's let me know...I'll be picking up a couple of them at least! 

I have been eyeing the Odin's myself.   I have not heard a bad thing about them really from anyone..  right now i am using 2 580's, one on cam one off and would really love to get that second flash off camera, and also pick up some soft boxes.  Even without the softboxes, that line of sight thing is killin me....

The 590 announcement made me waiver on pulling the trigger on odins, should i just pull the trigger and snag the odin?