Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT II Coming Soon [CR2]

[midluk]

Even better would be if they each worked like a repeater for the signal so you could string them together to make any distance needed.

Very unlikely. I don't think they can make that work with properly when taking into account the needed timing accuracy of about a micro second for the flash triggers.

 

[Etienne]

Surprising. That would be the shortest model cycle for a Speedlight that I can recall. But why not?

I won't be feeling professionally diminished when I turn up to jobs with my ancient 600 EX-RT MkI's... ;D

-pw

I'm still using the 580 and some YongNuos

 

[Quackator]

The interface of the Phottix Odin in a revamped ST-E3 RT would be nice.
Push group button -> turn dial -> adjust and ready.
And ALL groups visible at once.

 

[Don Haines]

My bet is the same physical packaging and slightly faster or slightly more powerful...

As time passes, newer components become available with better specs and eventually the old ones get hard to find... so out comes a new model.

 

[scottkinfw]

Those are all nice features, but not enough to entice me to part with $600.00. My 600'3 X 2 work flawlessly, and do everything I ever need- for now.

Sek

 

[davidmurray]

Another thought: with the 600RT didn't Canon have a problem with some other outfit making imitations of this model?

It would be natural for Canon to want to rule a line under this by moving forward to a new model.

 

[BLFPhoto]

The number one thing...the only thing, really...that I would want to see updated in the speedlight itself is the heat handling. I'm tired of shooting events and running into the heat slowdown mode.

And yes, update the ST-E3-RT to include focus assist.

 

[IglooEater]

Right now I'm looking hard at the godox witstro ad360II-c; if canon were to come out with a bare bulb like that I'd bite for sure. I doubt this however.

 

[kphoto99]

The number one thing...the only thing, really...that I would want to see updated in the speedlight itself is the heat handling. I'm tired of shooting events and running into the heat slowdown mode.

There is a very simple solution to the heat slowdown problem, when it happens swap to a second flash.

 

[Don Haines]

The number one thing...the only thing, really...that I would want to see updated in the speedlight itself is the heat handling. I'm tired of shooting events and running into the heat slowdown mode.

There is a very simple solution to the heat slowdown problem, when it happens swap to a second flash.

Hopefully, Canon will have learned from this... perhaps we will see some thin metal on the sides with corrugations and internal heat pipes to help dissipate heat... This issue alone is good justification for an update....

 

[pwp]

Canon should also update their ST-E3 RT and just add AF assist which would be very useful for field use. Also I was hoping we would see update to 320ex with RT support(slave mode only) before seeing update to 600ex-RT which has been selling quite well.

Absolutely agree - AF assist its a MUST !!!

As a rule I don't tend to buy third party stuff, but in this instance I chose the Yongnuo ST-E3 RT clone which is functionally identical but has the AF assist. I doubt I'm the only one!

-pw

 

[unfocused]

I'm hoping the 600 RT I will drop a little in price. I'd probably buy another one or two if the Canon refurbished store discounts them some more.

 

[JonAustin]

How about something like colour matching with RGB LED and colour sensor or even using the camera to learn the lighting colour.

Then when mixing flash and ambient light you can always hit bang on colour balance automatically without having to muck about with gels.

Could you not also do video or stills with the same unit if going for LED?

There are no doubt technical issues which would accompany such a design, but the concept is brilliant. I'm far from an expert in this field, but I would think that maximum output power would suffer with an RGB LED array in place of the light tube in a conventional flash design, and I also wonder if an LED can cycle full power on/off in the same nearly instantaneous durations of conventional flash.

Are there already steady-illumination RGB LED on-camera lights for video applications? I've seen the all-white ones, with / without attachable color filters.

 

[Quackator]

Last NAB featured LED panels who could do exactly this: Adapt to/learn from ambient.
However, there are no LEDs available today that can mimic output and flash duration
of current top of the line flashes for stills work. Motion freezing is extremely hard to do.

The domain of LED panels remains video.

 

[YuengLinger]

If you bounce from a stand often enough, zoom control becomes a nice feature for fine tuning the spread without having to bring the thing down. Especially if you are short (in height) to begin with.

What would be terrible is if Canon brings out a new st-e3-rt with AF assist, but it only works with the new speedlites.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

If you bounce from a stand often enough, zoom control becomes a nice feature for fine tuning the spread without having to bring the thing down. Especially if you are short (in height) to begin with.

What would be terrible is if Canon brings out a new st-e3-rt with AF assist, but it only works with the new speedlites.

Canon usually has a fallback mode when its technically possible. If AF assist is added, they could even fallback to controlling older flashes. I doubt they will do that, but it would cause the unit to sell if it could control various Canon flash units and have AF assist.

 

[Chuck Alaimo]

Just tossing this out there, but, the canon 600's can do second curtain when triggered from a YN transmitter. So the flash itself isn't limited, it's the transmitter that is limited (both the st-e3 and the master controls from the flash).
,,
I have both the st-e3 and the YN knockoff, it's really nice that both systems are interchangeable. Yes the canon is a better unit. But, I lost 2 to falls last season. That's a lot. So I supplemented with YN flashes. They are kind of disposable, but work great. So I hope it's not too cut YN out. It's nice to have cheap use in rugged conditions cause if they break whatever units. With a $500 deductible on insurance replacing isn't covered.

Either way, the YN transmitter can link to canon 600's and it can fo second curtain sync. So the flash is capable.

 

[Ozarker]

Right now I'm looking hard at the godox witstro ad360II-c; if canon were to come out with a bare bulb like that I'd bite for sure. I doubt this however.

If I could have a do over I would get 3 Flashpoint Streaklight 360WS (Same as the Wistro and Godox) instead of the Canon Speedlights. Go for it. You won't be sorry. Love my Canon gear, but those strobes are something special for the money. Fantastic light from them. I use the dome diffuser and point the light into a diffused 72" umbrella.

Since there is now a 600WS second model available, I would go for that. Great product!

 

[rfdesigner]

How about something like colour matching with RGB LED and colour sensor or even using the camera to learn the lighting colour.

Then when mixing flash and ambient light you can always hit bang on colour balance automatically without having to muck about with gels.

Could you not also do video or stills with the same unit if going for LED?

There are no doubt technical issues which would accompany such a design, but the concept is brilliant. I'm far from an expert in this field, but I would think that maximum output power would suffer with an RGB LED array in place of the light tube in a conventional flash design, and I also wonder if an LED can cycle full power on/off in the same nearly instantaneous durations of conventional flash.

Are there already steady-illumination RGB LED on-camera lights for video applications? I've seen the all-white ones, with / without attachable color filters.

LED flash modules are already available.. not sure about their power yet though.

http://www.samsung.com/global/business/led/it-c/mobile-led/flash-led

http://www.lumileds.com/products/flash-leds/luxeon-flash

Both of these are white but lighting LEDs are avaialble in a range of colours, it ought to be possible for canon to at least produce two colours (yellow / pale blue) and then balance the light from the two units for a range of colour temperatures.

 

[KimH]

Just a try on what could be discussed here rather than "Canon Sucks" when they are too slow AND when they are too fast.

ST-E3 would have been a better solution WITH a focus assist "beam" - that one was a mistake from Canon IMO

I would be first in line for that one!

The second curtain SYNC, i have been thinking about why it is NOT part of the current line-up and in my wisdom landed on a technical challenge which was not solvable - clearly it is not one of those where Canon thinks about ruining their line-logic, it is nowhere to be found in their line-up.

Is the challenge maybe that the RT protocol is "too slow" to handle a "delay" or is it the lack of a trigger "pulse" when second curtain actually happens (or both). A good discussion about that would be great!! I for sure could learn something from listening to inputs in this forum.

Last thought....

If it is going to arrive soon (as in the same time the 5DIV apparently is set to be announced)

What would justify a new flash system for 5DIV, which feature could make a difference for that one - enough to break a rule about a PLC of 3-6 years? Let's have a good argument about that!

or is it

1: ST-E3 replacement with FA
+
2: FW update for the existing RTs

Over to y'all