The speedlite 580EX II is a great performer... Should be an alternative to 600 EX series in terms of price though
Shouldnt have been discontinued imho
+1 Couldn't agree more. The 580EXII costs a lot less than the new 600EX, so from a pure pricing strategy perspective I cannot see why they're discontinuing it. Anyone shooting with an APS-C body who wishes to use HSS will automatically opt for a new/used 580EX.
Perhaps this is Canon Inc.'s attempt to maintain residual prices, that way they can charge more for new products. A bit like the Mercedes-Benz approach: a dealer can lose their franchise if they do not offer high trade-in values on buyers who are trading their old Merc in for a new one, thus keeping all values high (both used & new).