Review - Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT

[JVLphoto]

Hey Justin,

I have found HSS to be faultless in manual in pre 2012 bodies, but it does not work consistently in ETTL HSS.

Here is a test I did in manual HSS with a 1Ds MkIII, the model is cheap

It is actually three 600EX-RT's each in their own group and fired with the ST-E3-RT, just to see how it all worked and what I could expect from it. The most noticeable power "improvement" is the 200mm zoom, that is a great feature, the more I play with flash head zoom the more I like it and the more I wish the Canon system did it remotely, like the Phottix Odins do.

Very cool, and good point about the zoom function - though it doesn't matter as much after I drop them into one of my favorite light mods.

 

[Bruce Photography]

The review mentioned briefly the Nikon SB910. I know this is a Canon 600 RT review, but what is the equivalent TTL-BL function on the 600 RT? Also I haven't seen much info on slow rear syncing as I do with Nikon CLS lighting. Is there a book or article that compare CLS functionality with the equivalent SB910 functions. Yes I know the 910 is only optical and the new 600 RT is radio but I'm asking for the comparison between the two lighting systems independent of how they are triggered. Can you help? I have a bunch of Canon optical speedlights and the world of CLS seems (with the in-camera commander) so simple and yet very functional.

 

[Bruce Photography]

Edit: Canon have never done remote second curtain sync. Even the new RT system does not do second curtain sync. If you need that feature on a Canon then look at the Phottix Odin system.

Thank you so much for your very complete answer. Now I don't have to keep looking at Canon manual for rear curtain remote synch. Thanks again. Bruce

 

[Iodine]

Discuss our review of the Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT here.

Does anyone have experience with the 600EX RT (as master) and 430EX II (as slave) using manual flash output power setting? With each unit set to 1/16 power, I am unable to get more than two consecutive flash exposures in continuous shooting (5DIII) before the master flash misfires. Both flashes happily fire a long burst in continuous shooting at 1/16 power if separately mounted on the camera but when combined as master/slave I can only get two flashes before a misfire. I am using the optical wireless communication channel. Any ideas welcome.

 

[Iodine]

Thanks privatebydesign - much appreciated. I have discovered that this problem is not related to the 430EX II slave but is something to do with the 600EX RT used with optical wireless transmission. If I change to radio transmission I can get a long burst in high speed continuous shooting at 1/16 power. I only want to get a three or four shot burst using optical wireless transmission at 1/16 power to drive the 430EX II slave. If I change the 600EX to 1/128 flash power with optical transmission I can get a longer burst before a misfire but I also need 1/16 power. It seems like high speed continuous shooting with optical wireless transmission is discharging the flash tube capacitor much faster than it can be recharged by the batteries (Sony eneloop 2500 mAH). Using radio transmission this does not appear to be a problem at 1/16 flash power. Maybe I am expecting too much.

 

[danski0224]

I'll admit to using a small fraction of the capabilities of the 600EX-RT, but I can say that what I use hits the mark more often than the 580EXII.

I don't know if it is the extra power or something in the metering, but I have noticed a difference for the better.