Best Flash

[14thegipper]

I have:
7D
24-105 f/4
70/200 2.8 II

Is the Speedlite 600 overkill?

Or is there no such thing as overkill in this hobby?

Thanks!!

 

[neuroanatomist]

Get the 600, there's no such thing as overkill.

It's also just a damn good flash. You will have radio wireless control, should you ever decide to get the flash off camera. Either way, you want a flash where you can tilt the head to bounce, and preferably rotate the head as well. That means the 430, 580, or 600. The 580 and 600 rotate in a more convenient fashion. The other nice advantage they have over the 430, when bouncing flash, is the built in catchlight panel. Yes, there are third-party alternatives you can install on a 430, but having it built into the flash is much better.

 

[Marsu42]

Is the Speedlite 600 overkill?

Get the 600rt if you want...
- 200mm zoom setting
- great menu/wheel usability
- the power output of a "large" flash
- 1dx/5d3-compat af assist beam
- radio control (i.e. buy at least *two* 600rt)
- group mode (i.e. buy at least *three* 600rt or want to use a m-ettl mix) ... on 7d, you also need the Yongnuo yn-st-e3 controller as it's a pre-2012 camera body.

Don't get it but cheaper flashes if you use...
- your pop-up flash as an optical master
- max power setting a lot (fries the expensive flash sooner or later)
- or manual mode a lot
- softboxes and other modfiers that require multiple flash units

Do wait for Yongnuo's clone that's bound to arrive soon if
- you're ok with a simpler af assist beam
- want to save money
- want to use 2nd curtain remote

 

[m]

The 7D has built in off camera flash control via line of sight.
If this is not sufficient and you need the radio remote (going the 600 way) keep in mind that you need an additional sender to talk to the remote flash.

I think you should ask yourself:
Do I need to fire the flash remotely? If so, how? (radio, light or cable)
Do I need TTL?

I think a big strobe is way more overkill than a small speedlight could ever be.

 

[neuroanatomist]

I think a big strobe is way more overkill than a small speedlight could ever be.

Yes...until you discover that off-camera lighting yields much better quality, and putting the light in a modifier is even better, and then you end up selling your 430 flashes and buying the 600 flashes you should have bought at the outset.

 

[m]

I think a big strobe is way more overkill than a small speedlight could ever be.

Yes...until you discover that off-camera lighting yields much better quality, and putting the light in a modifier is even better, and then you end up selling your 430 flashes and buying the 600 flashes you should have bought at the outset.

Sorry, I don't understand how that relates to my post.
With "big strobe" I was referring to flashes bigger than speedlights which are always off camera and usually used with a modifier.

I tried to point out that if one's afraid that a 600 is overkill, put a Profoto B1 next to it and it doesn't look that overkill anymore.

 

[Janbo Makimbo]

Get the 600 EX-RT end of story..... you have some good gear and need a good flash to compliment it... better than buying cheap and regretting it. The 600ex-rt can be got faairly cheap at the moment!!

 

[neuroanatomist]

I think a big strobe is way more overkill than a small speedlight could ever be.

Yes...until you discover that off-camera lighting yields much better quality, and putting the light in a modifier is even better, and then you end up selling your 430 flashes and buying the 600 flashes you should have bought at the outset.

Sorry, I don't understand how that relates to my post.
With "big strobe" I was referring to flashes bigger than speedlights which are always off camera and usually used with a modifier.

I tried to point out that if one's afraid that a 600 is overkill, put a Profoto B1 next to it and it doesn't look that overkill anymore.

Sorry, I didn't understand your point. I assumed 'big strobe' was a 600, and a 'smaller Speedlite' was something like a 270 or 430.

Yes, for a large modifier like a 4 foot Octabox, I'd rather spend $500 on an Einstein than >$2000 on a set of four 600 flashes and a quad bracket.

 

[bholliman]

I agree with those recommending the 600EX-RT's. Well worth the extra money. I struggled with a 90EX master, 430EX II slave combo for about a year before investing in a pair of 600's. The 600's are much, much better. In addition to the advantages pointed out by others, they have a much better menu and control set-up. I wish i had started with the 600' s instead of starting with the smaller flashes.

 

[privatebydesign]

The 7D has built in off camera flash control via line of sight.
If this is not sufficient and you need the radio remote (going the 600 way) keep in mind that you need an additional sender to talk to the remote flash.

I think you should ask yourself:
Do I need to fire the flash remotely? If so, how? (radio, light or cable)
Do I need TTL?

I think a big strobe is way more overkill than a small speedlight could ever be.

No, the 7D on board flash can act as an optical controller for the 600-EX-RT, obviously it is line of sight or indoor use (where it very much is not limited to line of sight) but it does give you the ability to get the 600 off camera from the word go at no extra cost.

P.S. I am a get the 600 vote too.

 

[drjlo]

I would normally recommend other, less expensive, speedlites, but it looks like 600RT is going for $469 on Amazon (add to cart to see price), so why not? Get two..or three.

 

[mrphotographer]

If price is an issue, and if you don't need ttl, might take a look at the godox v850, they have a ttl version coming out with v860c. Kinda tired dealing with all these AA batteries!

Else, everyone is right, 600 is awesome.

 

[Jim Saunders]

I'd suggest the 600s for the sake of resale value if you want to get out of them later; They've made everything prior to them less attractive with all their new features.

Also all the new features. The wireless functionality is solid in my experience.

The Yongnuo 600 is worth a good look too.

Jim

 

[privatebydesign]

I'd suggest the 600s for the sake of resale value if you want to get out of them later; They've made everything prior to them less attractive with all their new features.

Also all the new features. The wireless functionality is solid in my experience.

The Yongnuo 600 is worth a good look too.

Jim

It might be if it existed, but even months after its announcement there is still no sign, or even reliable news, of when it might actually be available.

 

[Danielle]

I personally would rate Metz at the top, they could be worth a look too. Very good flashes. I almost brought the top one but got a 52 af-1 instead. Touch screen, works like a charm as optical slave from the 7D and better than the canon 430. Big bit cheaper than a 600rt or the metz 58 af-1. Touch screen too. I'd look at those before other third party flashes.

Food for thought I hope.

 

[Jim Saunders]

It might be if it existed, but even months after its announcement there is still no sign, or even reliable news, of when it might actually be available.

Seems Yongnuo has studied Canon in more detail than we realized...

 

[m]

The 7D has built in off camera flash control via line of sight.
If this is not sufficient and you need the radio remote (going the 600 way) keep in mind that you need an additional sender to talk to the remote flash.

No, the 7D on board flash can act as an optical controller for the 600-EX-RT, obviously it is line of sight or indoor use

I was talking about the radio remote. If the line of sight control is all 14thegipper needs, a 600 could be a very expensive way to do the same thing a 430/580 could deliver (not looking at output power)

I personally would rate Metz at the top, they could be worth a look too. Very good flashes. I almost brought the top one but got a 52 af-1 instead. Touch screen, works like a charm as optical slave from the 7D and better than the canon 430. Big bit cheaper than a 600rt or the metz 58 af-1. Touch screen too. I'd look at those before other third party flashes.

How's the touchscreen of the 52? I own the 50 and would like to add the 52 because it can be used as a master (50 is slave only)

+1 for Metz.

If you need more synch possibilities, a Phottix Mitros might be an alternative.
Again, it all boils down to how you want to use the flash:
on/off camera, radio/light-of-sight/cable synch, ttl?

 

[alexturton]

For the same price by 2x 430's and a set of pixel kings for off camera ettl. I use pixel kings on 5d3 for great ettl wireless control both manual and Ettl ratio. Plus (!) sync up to 1/8000 which 600 can't do over wireless

 

[privatebydesign]

For the same price by 2x 430's and a set of pixel kings for off camera ettl. I use pixel kings on 5d3 for great ettl wireless control both manual and Ettl ratio. Plus (!) sync up to 1/8000 which 600 can't do over wireless

Yes it can!

 

[privatebydesign]

m,

Your statement was ambiguous and made two distinct claims which contradicted each other. Yes the 7D won't do radio natively, but "you need an additional sender to talk to the remote flash" is not true, that is the part I was addressing.