Cryptic Emails
Received some info about a new flash that will be launched in the winter.
This is what I think the email was saying.
Specs
ETTL-III
Guide Number: 205′ / 63m
18mm-250mm Metering
Weather Sealed
Faster Recycle Time
USB Port (??? not sure what that means)
No other specifics at this time.
History
“ETTL-II” was launched with the 1D Mark 2.
cr
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USB port like in the Metz 58AF-1…for firmware upgrades…
A new flash and a new metering mode is very good news!
I hope it won’t be to expensive…and that the E-TTL-III will work with the 7D (firmware upgrade)
Interesting… a competitor to the SB900?
I hope it’ll bring down the price of the (overpriced) 430 and 580.
It would be nice if the ST-E2 was upgraded for those that don’t have a 7D. Then again, I just bought an ST-E2, so I hope they don’t upgrade it :)
Very criptic indeed. “Faster Recycle Time” – faster than what?
I’m guessing that the “USB port” is just a PC terminal like on the current 580 II.
From the other specs it looks like 580III. I just hope that weather sealing will be “superior”.
P.S.
“Guide Number: 205”
205 ft is 63 meters
will this be named ‘630EX’?…
Crap! I better sell my 580ex I fast now while I can get a price for it!
I hope it and 1D4 have wireless RF built in.
el st-e2 deberÃa ser reemplazado. es absurdo que solo funcione de manera TTL. qué les cuesta poner una función manual y que tenga mayor cobertura? y una opción de disparo sin el doble destello para sincronizarlo con flashes de estudio.
sobre la 580ex y 580exII, todo el mundo se queja que sub expone. yo mismo lo probé y me sucedió lo mismo.
what the heck does ETTL III mean for us? lol
apparently from ETTL to ETTL II you got one or the other and couldn’t have a camera that supported both? if this is true then will the same happen again?
I assume alot of this is related to the remote triggering however, that makes perfect sense since the 7d is giving them native remote triggering so they need a flash that supports all those new fangled features natively.
that makes since given their current nomenclature, although it may be something other than ‘EX’ since it is a new metering system…
Not necessarily. EX series flashes support both E-TTL and E-TTL II, while the older EZ series only support A-TTL. The difference between E-TTL and E-TTL II is mainly one of bodies and lenses. So I don’t see an immediate need to rename the EX series.
Faster Recycle Time means Draining your Batteries Harder. Which means that you’ll need lithium or so to avoid killing your batteries ;)
it would be called 2050EX with that guide number
Yes, guide numbers usually give meters of reach @ ISO 100, but I don’t think that Canon will build a 205-meter-flash.
It would be huuuuuge and definitely not light enough to be carried by one man.
+1
i’m still hoping for a 700EX…
205 is the value in ft. The metre-value would be 63, and that is not too much compared to the 58m of the 580EX.
The USB port *could* be for firmware updates like the Metz 58 AF-1.
Just saying, s’all.
Hopefully it will zoom to 200mm coverage like the SB900. Great for a real punchy light with decent throw.
It makes sense that Canon would respond to the extended reach of Nikons SB900. Price will undoubtedly be high though :)
As long as it is easier to operate Im all for a new flash. If it inst, Ill keep my Nikon SB-80DXs They never failed me.
all i care about is how many direct print buttons it has
As above, integrated RF would be really cool.
Sounds right.
I was able to get a 580II for $469CDN couple weeks ago and even Blacks is selling them for $499CDN.
USB port means the ability to upgrade via firmware the same as Metz and Pocket Wizard and your camera…
won’t happen unless they are going to make two versions of the camera – one for USA and one for Europe. One of the problems with all wireless companies is the need to have different frequencies for various parts of the world. I would like it to just simply not produce RF so that it can work with the PW’s like the 430EX2
if this new flash is true, then it will even be more expensive than the sb900 :(
Here in asia, a 580exII and sb900 cost almost the same 440usd.
It is impossible as ETTL is camera function, and not implemented in the flash.
If there will be ETTL III flash, there is no camera can make use of it. So it must be released together with a new camera.
Would be really great when you are using multiple flashes in master and slave mode to get the flash in 2nd curtain sync mode.
It will work on the 7D and the new Mark 4 (whatever), but like the others it will not be backward compatible no matter what Canon says. My old Metz 45 CL5 works better and is more consistant than my 580 EX II. Here’s a thought, Canon buy Metz and use their flashes!
“EOS numerique” (French fanboy website) sent a list of questions to Canon, here are the answers :
http://www.eos-numerique.com/forums/f105/les-reponses-de-lexpert-canon-128036/
I wonder if Canon can build a single battery flash that is smaller than the 270EX, maybe a 170EX.. something that doesn’t need to bend for bounce, something to put on a 5d/5d2 that takes the place of the built in flash for the 7d/50d for a light, low power, easy to carry fill-flash.
USB port could be that you can update firmware from your computer, a number of Metz hot shoe flashes have this feature.
PW’s can’t pass TTL2 except for the new ones, but will they be able to pass TTL3?
multiple frequencies should be relatively easy to implement, and then activate/deactivate through firmware &/or menu selection.
the main thing is that the strobe doesn’t radiate RF noise that can interfere with reception of PW signals.
ideally I’d like to see Canon license PW tech and embed it into their strobes, but still have their current wireless system as an option.
*ETTL*
But they could make a WiFi based system like the Skyports which is compatible throughout the world.
Even if it was RF based, they could easily change the frequency with a dip switch or a firmware change through the USB port.
Radio Mics (for recording audio) all have this frequency change ability for use in different markets.
No, lithium batteries will lengthen your recycling times. Lithium batteries have a stronger built in resistance that most others. Ni-Cad are one of the fastest, but problem with charge memory and depletion come into play. I have found that Ni-Zn (Nickle-Zinc) rechargeable batteries recycle the fastest, hold at least 2,500 mWh, which is almost 4,000 mAh, almost twice the capacity of Ni-Mh, and are the easiest of all the consumer battery formulas to recycle. Plus they can survive greater extremes and are 1.6 volts, Ni-Mh’s are 1.25v, most compact digital cameras, and dslr flashes require 1.6v. Get Ni-Zn’s. I own two 1-hour chargers and 24 batteries, and don’t even bother with Ni-Mh’s anymore.
hahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Its called the Sunpak RD2000
Agreed about the higher resistance, but they’re 3.6 (or 4.2-ish) V instead of the 1.2-1.5V of normal batteries. All added they can pump out more W. I don’t know much about the NiZn-edition, but i do know that pushing NiMH (or the higher-resistance, lower-amps alkalines) hard means far less capacity than stated, and a good chance of frying batteries quickly. Oh, and charging quickly is one, but i prefer my batteries to last more than just 5 flashes :(
ps. You flipped the mWh and mAh ;)
I’m buying! I won’t sell a workhorse for a new commer specially with canon and specially when one don’t really need the new features. :)
Well I know I get about a hundred full pops with the Ni-Zn’s before I start to see a difference in performance. And Ni-Zn’s are rechargeable (less money spent over time), and greener and just as stable as lithiums. Lithiums may last a while, but so far that’s the only thing I see that they have going for them. I’ve also done a lot research on the different battery technologies, so I’m gonna stick to Ni-Zn’s, and keep recommending them to anyone who asks.
P.S. The watt/amps are not switched. If you can find a converter, 2500 mWh is almost 4000 mAh.
Doesn’t anyone read these before posting something? I counted at least five different times where someone said that the USB port would be for firmware updates “like the Metz 58AF.” Duh, what else would it be for?
What I want is a double tilt feature. I don’t know why, but for some reason I want to be able to tilt up, then tilt right to one side or the other. There is really no special need for, I know, but just something I fancy.
I’d like something with gyroscopes in it (or whatever). I hate shooting in landscape and then switching to portrait means I have to adjust the flash to get the same bounce angle. It’s a right bloomin’ faff and it slows me down. If the flash could detect this and then a motor does the movement automatically then that would be ace.
Switching frequency bands won’t ever be as easy as a menu selection. Antenna design depends significantly on frequencies, and the more gain you want out of an antenna the tighter its band will be.
Is that because you’ve done the math and know that you need a guide number of 70m?
I wish Canon would get in bed with Profoto, and Profoto would make a true pro flash for Canon. Something where the Profoto flash would talk to the 1ds4. Something much more powerful than the 500. There is a need.
Maybe it will hold 5 batteries for better recycling time and longevity.
Hahah, fat chance… :)
-Mario
There’s no “direct” conversion between mWh and mAh – it’s mathematically dependent on the voltage. You’d need to be talking about 0.625V batteries for 2500mWh to be 4000mAh.
Radio Mics have the ability to change channels within a band, so that rented and owned equipment can co-exist on a particular show. They can’t (normally) leave a narrow band, because the antenna and electronics are performance-optimized for that band. Example: wireless lavalier mics use the cable from beltpack to mic as the antenna, and they work horribly if the cable is bunched up.
Some of the new fractal based Antennas are very efficient and fairly wide band.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractal_antenna
for example in cell phones
http://www.scienceprog.com/wp-content/uploads/2007i/fractal/cell_antenna.gif
Would the Metz flashes built by Canon still work then or would they be messed with by Canon to be as consistent as their current flash line?
Be careful what you wish for…
Does this flash do the laundry too?
(spec list is a dreamer’s wishful thinking)
When is the “winter” that you were referring to? sorry i’m living in a tropical country. No seasonal changes here…
My journey with DSLRs began back in 2003 with the original Digital Rebel. DSLRs changed my photography for the better like nothing else. Five years and some 25,000 shots later, it’s still going strong. Along the way I upgraded to the Canon 30D, which is a fantastic camera as well. When the 40D was announced, I decided to wait until the 50D sometime in 2009, but wanted a newer backup/second body for my photography needs. So when the XSi/450D was announced, it sounded like a perfect fit for my needs.
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Surely you mean ‘alas’, not ‘alos’? Do they come with gyroscopes?
Here is a wild idea, put blue tooth in the flash and upgrade the ST-E2 to ST-E3 with blue tooth and add a-b-c grouping. Use off the shelf blue tooth chipset (lower cost), make an iphone/ipod touch app to set flash via blue tooth. No need for dip switches just pair the flash with you command device and don’t worry about other photogs triggering your flash. You could probably get 30 ft range easy which in most cases would be sufficient.