New Canon Speedlites and ST-E3!

[Jamesy]

If one opted to purchase two 600-RF's and not get the ST-E3, would they get all the functionality in a 600-RF as they would a ST-E3? I would imagine the 600-RF would be of benefit to add fill in many situations rather than the ST-E3.

[briansquibb]

Roll-on YONGNUO...give them 5 or 6 weeks and they'll have the YN-600EX-RT for $199

I looked at the 580EX II for 499 euros, then saw a video on youtube for YN565 - a 580ex clone - so I bought that instead. It does everything a 580ex does except for high-speed sync (don't need master as 7d does that)

HSS is a key feature in flash photography. No HSS is very limiting in anything other than low light or infill/studio photography

[jwong]

If one opted to purchase two 600-RF's and not get the ST-E3, would they get all the functionality in a 600-RF as they would a ST-E3? I would imagine the 600-RF would be of benefit to add fill in many situations rather than the ST-E3.

From the releases, I believe so.  Either a 600 or a ST-E3 can be the master.  The ST-E3 is slightly less expensive and allows you to position one more flash off the camera.

[Pau]

Additional info at this link:
http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/product/accessories/speedlite_600ex_rt.do
Its funny that on the lower right there is a list of links, and if you watch the first link which is a video, it compares the 580EXII to the 600EX-RT and a mysterious 600EX. Does this mean that canon will release a version of the 600 without Radio triggering ?

[Jamesy]

I have seen that you cannot mix and match the RF and IR wireless modes. The 600's are compatible with the old 580's via IR wireless only (obviously). I wonder if you can control a 600EX-RT in a soft-box like the Westcott Apollo via the ST-E3 in the hotshoe with RF wireless and have the 600-EX-RT control the legacy 4xx/5xx flash via IR?

Has anyone seen reference to this?

[JurijTurnsek]

I found this clip to be very informative:
Canon 5D Mark III Review: Canon 600EX flash modes

But it does leave me wondering - will all Canon bodies (apart from rebels) have the full featured menu for controlling flashes over radio? Also, can you control flash settings by individual flashes (from the body)?

[Maui5150]

I have seen that you cannot mix and match the RF and IR wireless modes. The 600's are compatible with the old 580's via IR wireless only (obviously). I wonder if you can control a 600EX-RT in a soft-box like the Westcott Apollo via the ST-E3 in the hotshoe with RF wireless and have the 600-EX-RT control the legacy 4xx/5xx flash via IR?

Has anyone seen reference to this?

No Hybrid... It is one or the other... It is either Radio or IR.  The lack of a simple add on trigger for this system (i.e cannot control non 600EX-RT via radio) makes this system crippled and limited.  Shame.

[MikeHunt]

But it does leave me wondering - will all Canon bodies (apart from rebels) have the full featured menu for controlling flashes over radio? Also, can you control flash settings by individual flashes (from the body)?

Presumably any EOS body that supports ETTL-II flash in the hot shoe can have their menu system updated by a new firmware release (e.g. just as the 7D will require a new firmware update from 1.2.5 because of the new GP-E2 geo-tagging accessory)

[MikeHunt]

US$470 purported for the new ST-E3 is more than 2 x ST-E2 price. Of course, 3rd part 'cloners' will beat this by half

http://www.lightingrumours.com/yongnuo-st-e2-vs-canon-st-e2-review-published-689

Dozens of reviews/YouTube videos show the Yongnuo ST-E2 has better reach than Canon ST-E2 both indoors/outdoors and in all light conditions, so will the Chinese version of ST-E3 have an orange backlit LCD screen on their 'knock-off' replica when it comes out this summer??

[bycostello]

awsome system, but have 6 flashes and triggers to match....  just too much and while i'd like all canon it isn't really an upgrade to what i have..

[SPG]

Its funny that on the lower right there is a list of links, and if you watch the first link which is a video, it compares the 580EXII to the 600EX-RT and a mysterious 600EX. Does this mean that canon will release a version of the 600 without Radio triggering ?

There is a 600ex without radio triggering intended for sale in countries that don't have an open frequency policy for the 2.4ghz range. I'm not really sure what countries these would be since 2.4ghz/wifi is fairly accepted internationally. It will be interesting to see what (if any) price difference there will be between the 600ex and 600ex rt, and where we'd be able to buy them. Importing them back from Kreblakistan might make them more expensive than the RT version.

[Marsu42]

No Hybrid... It is one or the other... It is either Radio or IR.  The lack of a simple add on trigger for this system (i.e cannot control non 600EX-RT via radio) makes this system crippled and limited.  Shame.

Maybe shame, but hardly surprising - why would Canon cannibalize their 600ex sales by making the new, shiny system compatible with the tons of 580ex out there? Actually, I'm very happy about this and will get a used 580ex for a reasonable price soon :-p

[kpk1]

A few things:
The Gr mode doesn't allow more the minus one stop sync with older than 2012 cams. So if it's a 5D2 this means the sync is 1/100.
If you use a 5D2 or 7D you may use ratio mode ore no ratio to benefit from the HSS and sync.
The new RT system doesn't allow 2nd rear curtain (not sure if only in Gr mode).
Take those things with a grain of salt. Until we will get our hands on this is what I know.
The Gr mode is a 5 individual group controlled like Nikon's CLS system only that Canon's is a 5 radio groups. Each group has it's way independently: ETTL or M or off.
For those with studio strobes the 3rd party is the way to go since Canon doesn't provide radio for them.

http://pixsylated.com/blog/canon-600ex-rt-first-impressions/comment-page-1/#comment-3572

Charleston Dave says:
March 2, 2012 at 2:20 pm

Congrats on being a leader, Syl! Not a bad subset of features compared to your Speedlite wishlist for Canon from a year or two ago!

The form factor of this new 600/STE3 system is similar to the Pocket Wizard Flex/Mini/AC3 alternative I use. All of the shoots you demo would be easily accomplished with the PW system.

From your video, the new 600/ST-E3 offers these advantages over the PW system:
1. A beep when the remote flash is ready (one beep from the ST-E3 when all flashes are ready? or a beep from each flash?)
2. Up to 5 groups (not 3 as in PW)
3. Fancier LCD displays
4. Claimed longer range, although I have used the Flex/Mini system reliably at 120′ and haven’t needed anything longer than that.

whereas the PW system offers these advantages:
1. Works with pre-600 flashes
2. Offers 32 trigger channels, not just 15
3. Works with other PW triggers, making it easy to combine studio strobes with Speedlites.
4. Offers a mechanical flash power dial for each individual group in E-TTL or manual, instead of a single touch-panel.

The biggest missing piece of the puzzle is an under-$100 device that plugs into pre-600 Speedlites and communicates with the new ST-E3 radio transmitter. Those of us who have invested heavily in earlier Speedlites will be reluctant to discard our investment. You reference a combined radio/optical triggering arrangement but I’m dubious about the complexity of a hybrid system.

I'll add having a 600EX-RT on the cam, you have AF assist lamp and radio Gr mode.
If you use PW on the cam with an EX on it, you miss the AC3.

[GL]

What I really like about the system is that it's two-way, meaning you can trigger the camera from the flash unit. That means I can pose someone in a fixed position and then walk around them with a wireless flash taking different shots without needing a camera remote.

[Jamesy]

What I really like about the system is that it's two-way, meaning you can trigger the camera from the flash unit. That means I can pose someone in a fixed position and then walk around them with a wireless flash taking different shots without needing a camera remote.

I do this already with a $29 Yongnuo RF-602 flash trigger system. I hang a RF-602 via the included C3 Canon cord that attaches to the camera on one channel and then have a trigger on a different channel in the camera hotshoe to trigger the lights.

The two-way feature that is very cool with the new system is the reporting back from the slaves to the master via an audible beep that they are ready to go again - this is something I have always admired in Nikon's CLS system.