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

[Loswr]

If I were to guess... Full configuration and adjustment of slave units remotely.

What can't be configured and adjusted remotely now? Aside from head zoom, which aside from being part of AvTvM's 'perfect MILC for HIM' or because it's there like Mount Everest, I honestly can't see why it would be useful.

Wild guess – switch to Bluetooth? Range is decent for small data packets, and perhaps country-specific regulations are lighter (no need for two models).

 

[ScottyP]

Maybe they have redesigned the exterior to feature a red ring on the head. No added functionality, but it could command a 200% premium as a 600EX RT L.

If you can't compete with full featured Chinese flashes on price, then just stupify customers with a blindingly high price and experience suggests they will dig into their wallets.

 

[AE-1Burnham]

Huh. I agree with all: very strange.
Perhaps the "recall" regarding limited number of units syncing is part of the justification for a short life-cycle?
What are we missing from current model beyond off camera 2nd camera sync? ...nothing unless there is a new TTL or something,-which would be in 1DX2, right?! ...dare I suggest, better video support with LED hotlight uselessness? :-\
Happy weekend y'alls. Get out and shoot!
-J

 

[jeffa4444]

I bought the Phottix Laso trigger & receivers and carried on using my EX 580 II & 2x EX 430 II units as wireless flash guns and they work perfectly fine and can be all controlled from the Phottix Laso trigger and from the 5DS. For the amount I use off camera / on camera flash it certainly was not worth buying three new flash guns at Canon prices.

 

[midluk]

Wasn't there some rumor about a new version of ETTL metering being in the works some time ago? I think it was supposed to be already implemented in recent bodies (perhaps disabled/hidden until a firmware update) but the flash still needed some work. This might be it.

Regarding 2nd curtain sync, Canon has not even managed to do that properly without wireless (http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=29388.0). Wanting that with RT is asking for the impossible! :

Other than that I think the new flash will feature the user interface of the 430EX-III RT.

And perhaps it will also have a dedicated food mode (whatever that does) to be a perfect match for the 1300D.

 

[JonAustin]

Canon should also update their ST-E3 RT and just add AF assist which would be very useful for field use.

+1

When I replaced my 3 580EX-II's and 420EX, I would have purchased 3 600EX-RT's and an ST-E3 RT, but decided to go with 4 600's instead, due to the ST-E3's lack of AF assist.

I have no doubt Canon has some good reasons (at least to them) for updating the 600's, but for me, they're practically perfect. I got so fed up trying to get line-of-sight for optical triggering with the pre-RT models in many applications. And with the new menu system in the 600's, I never have to refer to a manual. Back when I was using the 580's, if I was doing anything more complicated than single, on-camera flash, and I didn't have a manual handy during setup, I was screwed.

 

[Orangutan]

I'm wondering what new tech advancements could be driving the need to update?

If I had a choice which flash to update, I'd go with the MT-24...to go with a new MP-E65

I'd suggest maybe brighter - LED based and with TTL 3?

Perhaps it will be powered by a Mini Mr. Fusion (™), and produce 1.21 (Ws)^9 of output.

 

[Ozarker]

That's just great! Now my 7 Speedlights are useless and obsolete. Probably the transmitter too!

Sony.

If they worked so far why would they become useless and obsolete? Out of depression or what...

Because they will. They'll now suck. I feel completely ripped off. I bought those flashes all within the last four years and now Canon goes and does this quick lifecycle thing. I would expect Canon to at least wait 8 years between updates.

Ebay... here I come. Stupid Canon.

Sony.

 

[privatebydesign]

As a reasonably heavy 600EX user I'd like a bigger screen to cover all five Groups without scrolling (like a couple of other companies) I'd like five group buttons (like other companies) and I'd like one or two button presses for the most used functions (like other companies).

Although the interface is considerably 'better' than the earlier EX's there are many other companies out there with very similar design layouts that are much simpler and faster to use, having to use a button, then a dial, then a button then the dial again to adjust the power in one Group is clumsy in the extreme.

Oh, and I actually had an application where I could have used remote zoom the other day, so that would be nice.

 

[romanr74]

That's just great! Now my 7 Speedlights are useless and obsolete. Probably the transmitter too!

Sony.

If they worked so far why would they become useless and obsolete? Out of depression or what...

Because they will. They'll now suck. I feel completely ripped off. I bought those flashes all within the last four years and now Canon goes and does this quick lifecycle thing. I would expect Canon to at least wait 8 years between updates.

Ebay... here I come. Stupid Canon.

Sony.

They just stopped working... that's terrible.
And the 5D sissies complain that the 5D mkIII is already 4 years old...
Stupid Canon indeed...

 

[dennirussel]

Off camera Second Curtain wirelessly? ;D
Seriously, get it together canon.

YES PLEASE!!!!!

 

[IsaacImage]

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 !!!

 

[Ripley]

Head rotation like the Sony HVL-F60M would be nice.

 

[Big_Ant_TV_Media]

didnt u guys post several months ago that canon was making new improved flash system ?
and upgrading/replacing all there good flashes? if so i guess there flagship flash unit will be 1st
good hope its out by the time the 5d4 is out

 

[wsysock]

For everyone complaining about having to use the display on the flash to change settings. If your camera is from 2012(when the 600EX was released) through the current time. You can use the display on the back of the camera to change the flash settings. On the 7D Mark II all you have to do is push the flash button/lightning bolt on the front of the camera to bring up the flash settings. I use this all the time and find it very useful. Please forgive me if you already know this. I just wanted to help out the people that did not know about this feature.

 

[Jopa]

Head rotation like the Sony HVL-F60M would be nice.

Sony doesn't allow to flip the head 180 deg to shoot against a wall. So it's somewhat good, but also not perfect. A combination of both would be really nice

 

[ashmadux]

2ND CURTAIN SYNC OVER RADIO

Nuff said

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I expect a more secure communication protocol. Certain brands have apparently hacked the Canon wireless protocol, so it will be encrypted.

 

[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?

 

[adventure]

If they came out with new ones with increased working distance (via radio), I'll have a dozen 600EX-RT v.I strobes for sale.

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. I'm often hoping for more distance and the most I can usually get reliably is like 75-100'.