Yongnuo YN600EX-RT and YN-E3-RT Features?

[Valvebounce]

Hi Folks.
I have been looking in to getting a pair of second hand Canon 600EX-RT flashes and so far I can't find any that meet the criteria of having all the original items included at a sensible price so the Yongnuo came to mind.
I have read both of the manuals and I see that the YN-E3-RT has the port for the camera remote cable N3 and mentions that it can trigger the camera, either via the hot shoe for newer cameras or via the port with the N3 cable for older cameras, what I cannot find is any mention in the YN600EX-RT manual that it can be used to trigger the YN-E3-RT (or another YN600EX-RT when used as a master)?
I am now thinking that this feature might only work when the genuine canon 600EX-RT flashes are used in conjunction with the YN-E3-RT.
So the question is, can anybody tell me if the Yongnuo YN600EX-RT and YN-E3-RT (or another YN600EX-RT when used as a master) combination can do the remote camera trigger trick?
Did I just miss the section explaining it, did I miss it due to translation losses, ??? or does Yongnuo call this function by a different name in the YN600EX-RT manual from the naming in the YN-E3-RT manual. :
Yes I understand that they may overheat quicker than Canon units, or not last as long, but I'm unlikely to earn money from them and they are probably more reliable at getting the shot than I am, plus 2 flashes and the E3 unit are less than half the cost of 1 new canon 600EX!
Thanks in advance for any help or clarification anyone can offer.

Cheers, Graham.

 

[Fritz_us]

Hi Graham,

I have the YN-E3-RT and the YN600EX-RT flashes and like you, have the same experience. The Yongnuo flashes do not have the REMOTE LINK built in, even though the remote YN-E3-RT does.

I'm on firmware 1.21 for the remote and 1.8 for the Flash units, but haven't seen anything in the firmware update notes to suggest a REMOTE LINK update. So as I understand:

• a Canon 600 FLASH will work both as remote shutter trigger and receiver
• and the Younguo YN-E3-RT will work as remote shutter trigger only triggering Canon 600 RT flashes.

My solution was buying the Vello FreeWave Plus remote.

Fritz

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Fritz.
I don't actually have the items yet, I was thinking about getting them but wanted to verify whether they were missing this feature, one that while I do see uses for it is not necessarily a deal breaker.
All I really wanted was to go forwards fully informed, or maybe I will not go forwards this way, I have wireless triggers and remotes, just it is not such a clean setup requiring cables and dangling recievers. :-\
Oh well it had to have some limitations for the price, I guess this is one of them.

Cheers, Graham.

 

[rfdesigner]

I have two of the YN600s

I am very happy with their performance and would not hand them back.. but you should know the battery doors can be weak, so far I've had two fail, both on one unit (which means one unit has been fine).

The doors can be bought off ebay for about £3 and are a trivial DIY replacement. At the current rate that means I probably need to spend on average of about £5 a year in doors per flash, so not terribly serious, and they can always be taped shut,

Compared to about £500 for a new Canon 600 flash it's an insignificant cost.

But keeping a spare door might be worthwhile.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi rfdesigner.
Thanks for this info about the doors, based on that if I buy them I will get a door just in case, no way I'm taping a door shut, I hate sticky tape residue, it can make such a mess in a very short time!
Are you able to confirm whether or not the YN600EX's do the remote shutter release thing please?

Cheers, Graham.

I have two of the YN600s

I am very happy with their performance and would not hand them back.. but you should know the battery doors can be weak, so far I've had two fail, both on one unit (which means one unit has been fine).

The doors can be bought off ebay for about £3 and are a trivial DIY replacement. At the current rate that means I probably need to spend on average of about £5 a year in doors per flash, so not terribly serious, and they can always be taped shut,

Compared to about £500 for a new Canon 600 flash it's an insignificant cost.

But keeping a spare door might be worthwhile.

 

[Roo]

Hi rfdesigner.
Thanks for this info about the doors, based on that if I buy them I will get a door just in case, no way I'm taping a door shut, I hate sticky tape residue, it can make such a mess in a very short time!
Are you able to confirm whether or not the YN600EX's do the remote shutter release thing please?

Cheers, Graham.

I have two of the YN600s

I am very happy with their performance and would not hand them back.. but you should know the battery doors can be weak, so far I've had two fail, both on one unit (which means one unit has been fine).

The doors can be bought off ebay for about £3 and are a trivial DIY replacement. At the current rate that means I probably need to spend on average of about £5 a year in doors per flash, so not terribly serious, and they can always be taped shut,

Compared to about £500 for a new Canon 600 flash it's an insignificant cost.

But keeping a spare door might be worthwhile.

Hi Graham.

I have them and unfortunately they don't act as a remote trigger.

Cheers

Phil

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Roo.
Thanks for that confirmation.

Cheers, Graham.

 

[Roo]

Hi Roo.
Thanks for that confirmation.

Cheers, Graham.

Welcome. That's not to say they're not good as they are very good value and offer a couple of things the canons don't such as rear curtain sync.

 

[privatebydesign]

First off, there is now a YN600EX-RT II, that is supposed to have enhanced triggering function, though I don't know what that means though it does list "radio transmission and reception for wireless triggering" as a feature. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1311157-REG/yongnuo_yn600ex_rt_ii_speedlite_for.html

Second of all, the original accessories that come with the Canon 600-EX-RT are not worth having! The gels and gel holder are a bad joke and the little bag for them just as useless, the only thing I'd insist on having in a secondhand unit is the actual soft case for the flash and preferably the little stand thing (though they break remarkably easily and shouldn't be relied on). The 600-EX-RT-II on the other hand has a very useful gel cover that doesn't fit the MkI.

Third, the main difference, I found, between the Yongnuo and Canon setups is the Yongnuo doesn't penalise pre 2012 bodies, that is Group mode works on pre 2012 bodies whereas it doesn't with Canon units. Also, for what it's worth, the Yongnuo does remote second curtain sync via radio, no Canon units do.

My YN-E3-RT came with a mini USB to N3 trigger cord. The YN-E3-RT didn't have the same port as the EX-E3-RT or 600-EX-RT it just had a mini USB so the Canon trigger cable SR-N3 didn't fit the Yongnuo. The Canon 600-EX-RT MkII dropped the pre 2012 trigger port all together.

I bought the Canon gear first and got the Yongnuo to supplement it and add the additional functionality. In a professional environment the Yongnuo units were not reliable enough for me so I sold them, I would happily use them in a more casual or non professional environment.

In summary, there are a lot of combinations and compromises in any choice across this gear. First off is determining the functions most important to you, then your camera body age, then price. For all bit the most fussy of pro uses the Yongnuo's represent incredible value for money though I do worry about the continued firmware support and wouldn't recommend them for people who regularly update their camera bodies. Now the MkII is out will the MkI ever get new firmware?

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi PBD.
Thank you for the detailed response, I was not aware of the additional positive aspects that the YN units have over the geniune Canon units.

I'm not too hung up on having the accessories, however I do believe that having them included speaks to the care of ownership. Also most of the units I have seen recently have not had anything other than the flash and I would not entertain a unit wihout the pouch and stand.

Cheers, Graham.

First off, there is now a YN600EX-RT II, that is supposed to have enhanced triggering function, though I don't know what that means though it does list "radio transmission and reception for wireless triggering" as a feature. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1311157-REG/yongnuo_yn600ex_rt_ii_speedlite_for.html

Second of all, the original accessories that come with the Canon 600-EX-RT are not worth having! The gels and gel holder are a bad joke and the little bag for them just as useless, the only thing I'd insist on having in a secondhand unit is the actual soft case for the flash and preferably the little stand thing (though they break remarkably easily and shouldn't be relied on). The 600-EX-RT-II on the other hand has a very useful gel cover that doesn't fit the MkI.

Third, the main difference, I found, between the Yongnuo and Canon setups is the Yongnuo doesn't penalise pre 2012 bodies, that is Group mode works on pre 2012 bodies whereas it doesn't with Canon units. Also, for what it's worth, the Yongnuo does remote second curtain sync via radio, no Canon units do.

My YN-E3-RT came with a mini USB to N3 trigger cord. The YN-E3-RT didn't have the same port as the EX-E3-RT or 600-EX-RT it just had a mini USB so the Canon trigger cable SR-N3 didn't fit the Yongnuo. The Canon 600-EX-RT MkII dropped the pre 2012 trigger port all together.

I bought the Canon gear first and got the Yongnuo to supplement it and add the additional functionality. In a professional environment the Yongnuo units were not reliable enough for me so I sold them, I would happily use them in a more casual or non professional environment.

In summary, there are a lot of combinations and compromises in any choice across this gear. First off is determining the functions most important to you, then your camera body age, then price. For all bit the most fussy of pro uses the Yongnuo's represent incredible value for money though I do worry about the continued firmware support and wouldn't recommend them for people who regularly update their camera bodies. Now the MkII is out will the MkI ever get new firmware?