to 600rt + st-e3 or not....

[ScottyP]

I went with the Phottix Mitros+ , which has the Odin built into it. It is probably as respected as it gets for non-OEM equipment. It really works well. It actually does 2 things which (as i read) the 600 cannot. It does 2nd curtain sync off-camera, and it adjusts the telephoto zoom remotely.

I just bought 3 flashes. Here is a neat starter set with one flash and one original Odin transmitter.

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/6057726672876664758?sclient=tablet-gws&safe=off&client=safari&hl=en&q=mitros%2B+plus+odin+canon&oq=mitros%2B+plus+odin+canon&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.&bvm=bv.70138588,d.b2U,pv.xjs.s.en_US.cqlOfy5Invw.O&biw=768&bih=928&tch=1&ech=1&psi=Lw22U_37FrC-8AGvw4HIDw.1404439856978.9&ei=gg22U-HgDqfC8QGj7IFQ&ved=0CIwBEKYrMAM

 

[privatebydesign]

I went with the Phottix Mitros+ , which has the Odin built into it. It is probably as respected as it gets for non-OEM equipment. It really works well. It actually does 2 things which (as i read) the 600 cannot. It does 2nd curtain sync off-camera, and it adjusts the telephoto zoom remotely.

I just bought 3 flashes. Here is a neat starter set with one flash and one original Odin transmitter.

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/6057726672876664758?sclient=tablet-gws&safe=off&client=safari&hl=en&q=mitros%2B+plus+odin+canon&oq=mitros%2B+plus+odin+canon&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.&bvm=bv.70138588,d.b2U,pv.xjs.s.en_US.cqlOfy5Invw.O&biw=768&bih=928&tch=1&ech=1&psi=Lw22U_37FrC-8AGvw4HIDw.1404439856978.9&ei=gg22U-HgDqfC8QGj7IFQ&ved=0CIwBEKYrMAM

When I was looking to upgrade my flash system the Mitros+ wasn't out, just the Odin transmitter and receivers, the Mitros+ does tidy it all up and even pre the integration was the only other remote flash system I seriously considered.

As for different feature sets, most people will find the differences minor, but the 600EX-RT does zoom to 200mm (which is very useful) to the Mitros+'s 105mm, the 600 does five groups to the Mitros+'s three groups.

 

[Loswr]

As for different feature sets, most people will find the differences minor, but the 600EX-RT does zoom to 200mm (which is very useful) to the Mitros+'s 105mm, the 600 does five groups to the Mitros+'s three groups.

With more recent bodies, the Canon RT system also lets you control all flashes with the camera's main LCD menus.

 

[jdramirez]

I went with the Phottix Mitros+ , which has the Odin built into it. It is probably as respected as it gets for non-OEM equipment. It really works well. It actually does 2 things which (as i read) the 600 cannot. It does 2nd curtain sync off-camera, and it adjusts the telephoto zoom remotely.

I just bought 3 flashes. Here is a neat starter set with one flash and one original Odin transmitter.

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/6057726672876664758?sclient=tablet-gws&safe=off&client=safari&hl=en&q=mitros%2B+plus+odin+canon&oq=mitros%2B+plus+odin+canon&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.&bvm=bv.70138588,d.b2U,pv.xjs.s.en_US.cqlOfy5Invw.O&biw=768&bih=928&tch=1&ech=1&psi=Lw22U_37FrC-8AGvw4HIDw.1404439856978.9&ei=gg22U-HgDqfC8QGj7IFQ&ved=0CIwBEKYrMAM

I miss the ability to do 2nd shutter... but I've maybe used 2nd shutter 5 times in the past year... and each time with the speedlite on the body (obviously).

 

[wopbv4]

I'm with neuro, privatebydesign, and Random Orbits on this one. Get the 600/ST-E3-RT setup. Everything about the reliability and power of the system is true, and the convenience of making adjustments from the camera/transmitter is wonderful.

I used to have three 580s with st2 and finally I changed over to three 600s and the ste3.
It was as if stepped into a different world. No more line of sight requirement, able to trigger the 600s over very large distances, up to 100 m and last but not least the ease of control and setup using the camera menu is just fantastic.

Probably the best upgrade i have have done in last five years, worth every dollar

Hope this informs

Ben

 

[winglet]

I do feel like we're ganging up on poor Chuck a bit here, obviously the opinion of people who already own/use a bagful of 600's + ST-E3-RT is going to be a bit biased! ;D But FWIW I must concur that I can't really speak highly enough of this combo for speedlite work.

Comparing studio strobes is a problematic comparison, although necessary when considering cost to power ratio. But for what the OP is shooting it would seem that the limitations inherent in big lights take them out of the running. (Now if those new Profoto lights didn't cost more than my first couple of cars, THAT would be something!!)

I went from 580EXII's + TTL Pocketwizards, to the 600RT system and it was the best money I ever spent. Funny how for so long everyone moaned about how far Canon was behind Nikon with small flashes but the engineering on the Canon RT system absolutely kills other solutions in the category now. (In my humble opinion! heheh). Of course things aren't perfect, a couple of features missing, no focus assist light on the ST-E3 and so on. Still miles better than anything else.

This isn't to denigrate other solutions, I admit I've been impressed with some of the 3rd-party gear especially Phottix. But for the price of that B&H package you mentioned, perhaps modestly offset a bit by the sale of the gear it replaces, I think it would be an investment that would be recouped by your time/efficiency gains alone. That has been my experience with the system.

 

[jdramirez]

The only issue... and this is minor at best... with the 600's and the st-e3 is knowing which flash is a and which is b... I know I can just look... but I get lazy and I say screw it... I just want a 2:1 ratio and I'm good enough. But I'd like to be able to say... set off A alone... and I probably can do it... but how doesn't come to mind.

 

[Loswr]

The only issue... and this is minor at best... with the 600's and the st-e3 is knowing which flash is a and which is b... I know I can just look... but I get lazy and I say screw it... I just want a 2:1 ratio and I'm good enough. But I'd like to be able to say... set off A alone... and I probably can do it... but how doesn't come to mind.

Put labels on the flashes, and/or have a system. A is key, B is fill, C is hair/rim, D is background, etc. You can disable groups from the master (I use the camera menus) – that's great for setting up, so you can optimize the power for each flash (e.g., the amount of fill) in isolation for each light, all without stepping away from the camera.

 

[Chuck Alaimo]

I do feel like we're ganging up on poor Chuck a bit here, obviously the opinion of people who already own/use a bagful of 600's + ST-E3-RT is going to be a bit biased! ;D But FWIW I must concur that I can't really speak highly enough of this combo for speedlite work.

Comparing studio strobes is a problematic comparison, although necessary when considering cost to power ratio. But for what the OP is shooting it would seem that the limitations inherent in big lights take them out of the running. (Now if those new Profoto lights didn't cost more than my first couple of cars, THAT would be something!!)

I went from 580EXII's + TTL Pocketwizards, to the 600RT system and it was the best money I ever spent. Funny how for so long everyone moaned about how far Canon was behind Nikon with small flashes but the engineering on the Canon RT system absolutely kills other solutions in the category now. (In my humble opinion! heheh). Of course things aren't perfect, a couple of features missing, no focus assist light on the ST-E3 and so on. Still miles better than anything else.

This isn't to denigrate other solutions, I admit I've been impressed with some of the 3rd-party gear especially Phottix. But for the price of that B&H package you mentioned, perhaps modestly offset a bit by the sale of the gear it replaces, I think it would be an investment that would be recouped by your time/efficiency gains alone. That has been my experience with the system.

I'm a big boy, no worries about the ganging up, and without context of what I'm doing/directions I have already gone down and abandoned (studio lights).

I kind of thought I'd hear lots of praise for the 600's, no surprise, but thought i'd hear more giving the nod to the cheaper method. I think I am now sold!

 

[Loswr]

I kind of thought I'd hear lots of praise for the 600's, no surprise, but thought i'd hear more giving the nod to the cheaper method. I think I am now sold!

Usually, when you go for a cheaper solution you're giving something up. In the case of hotshoe flashes and triggers, what you're usually giving up is reliability. If you'll be using them occasionally, in non-critical situations, that may be a worthwhile trade-off. For you, it's probably not.

 

[jdramirez]

The only issue... and this is minor at best... with the 600's and the st-e3 is knowing which flash is a and which is b... I know I can just look... but I get lazy and I say screw it... I just want a 2:1 ratio and I'm good enough. But I'd like to be able to say... set off A alone... and I probably can do it... but how doesn't come to mind.

Put labels on the flashes, and/or have a system. A is key, B is fill, C is hair/rim, D is background, etc. You can disable groups from the master (I use the camera menus) – that's great for setting up, so you can optimize the power for each flash (e.g., the amount of fill) in isolation for each light, all without stepping away from the camera.

I usually put my a's to my left and in the alphabetical order going from left to right... but I was lazy yesterday and didn't feel like getting up from my kneeling position.

 

[Chuck Alaimo]

ok, path selected... Going with the 600's and the st-e3...fun fun fun!

 

[Viggo]

Got my second 600 the other day, and I often choose ettl for the kids, because I get
Absolutely no second chances, or even a first chance most of the time. And they work really good in ettl. And HSS is always a problem solver at 1.4.

Couldn't be happier.

 

[wopbv4]

The only issue... and this is minor at best... with the 600's and the st-e3 is knowing which flash is a and which is b... I know I can just look... but I get lazy and I say screw it... I just want a 2:1 ratio and I'm good enough. But I'd like to be able to say... set off A alone... and I probably can do it... but how doesn't come to mind.

Put labels on the flashes, and/or have a system. A is key, B is fill, C is hair/rim, D is background, etc. You can disable groups from the master (I use the camera menus) – that's great for setting up, so you can optimize the power for each flash (e.g., the amount of fill) in isolation for each light, all without stepping away from the camera.

I usually put my a's to my left and in the alphabetical order going from left to right... but I was lazy yesterday and didn't feel like getting up from my kneeling position.

Press "test" button" on ste-e3 and the 600s will fire in sequence according to the groups they are assigned to.

Easy way to find out which group is which

 

[privatebydesign]

The only issue... and this is minor at best... with the 600's and the st-e3 is knowing which flash is a and which is b... I know I can just look... but I get lazy and I say screw it... I just want a 2:1 ratio and I'm good enough. But I'd like to be able to say... set off A alone... and I probably can do it... but how doesn't come to mind.

Put labels on the flashes, and/or have a system. A is key, B is fill, C is hair/rim, D is background, etc. You can disable groups from the master (I use the camera menus) – that's great for setting up, so you can optimize the power for each flash (e.g., the amount of fill) in isolation for each light, all without stepping away from the camera.

I usually put my a's to my left and in the alphabetical order going from left to right... but I was lazy yesterday and didn't feel like getting up from my kneeling position.

Press "test" button" on ste-e3 and the 600s will fire in sequence according to the groups they are assigned to.

Easy way to find out which group is which

Only in Group Mode, and they fire pretty close together, but it is a nice feature.

 

[Jim Saunders]

Press "test" button" on ste-e3 and the 600s will fire in sequence according to the groups they are assigned to.

Easy way to find out which group is which

Fact, and I learned this; I learned also that your transmitter must be in group mode with each group in ETTL to fire groups D and E.

Jim

 

[wopbv4]

The only issue... and this is minor at best... with the 600's and the st-e3 is knowing which flash is a and which is b... I know I can just look... but I get lazy and I say screw it... I just want a 2:1 ratio and I'm good enough. But I'd like to be able to say... set off A alone... and I probably can do it... but how doesn't come to mind.

Put labels on the flashes, and/or have a system. A is key, B is fill, C is hair/rim, D is background, etc. You can disable groups from the master (I use the camera menus) – that's great for setting up, so you can optimize the power for each flash (e.g., the amount of fill) in isolation for each light, all without stepping away from the camera.

I usually put my a's to my left and in the alphabetical order going from left to right... but I was lazy yesterday and didn't feel like getting up from my kneeling position.

Press "test" button" on ste-e3 and the 600s will fire in sequence according to the groups they are assigned to.

Easy way to find out which group is which

Only in Group Mode, and they fire pretty close together, but it is a nice feature.

Indeed, sorry forgot to mention that

 

[Viggo]

Turn a group off and you'll also find out, or use letter stickers.

 

[eyeland]

Would you guys advice against getting the yongnuo st e3 to save a few bucks? Also, is there a reason why you cant get an st e3 receiver/transceiver?

 

[jdramirez]

Would you guys advice against getting the yongnuo st e3 to save a few bucks? Also, is there a reason why you cant get an st e3 receiver/transceiver?

There's a thread discussing the st-e3. With flash... you want it to work everytime... otherwise you will miss a shot that maybe that means you lose money... or maybe you just simply lose the shot and you are cursing under your breath a little.

Either way, the canon st-e3-rt works... beautifully... every time. The yongnuo... according to others... doesn't.