| Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash for Canon EOS Digital SLR Cameras |
My generic Quantaray flash broke recently (read below for how), so I upgraded to a Canon Speedlite 580EX II, probably the best and most widely used flash on the planet. Some type of 'beamer' extension is often used with these flashes for bird photography, the most popular being the Better Beamer. The Canon advertises a zoom of 110mm and the Quantaray of 80mm, but I generally hear of the Beamer being used at 400mm and up.
At the time I was actually happy with the Quantaray Flash, because the older model cost under $100 and allowed me to shoot in manual mode at 1/200, and that was usually a fast enough shutter speed to get the results I wanted. I had six settings for overexposing or underexposing the shot. Many of my first hummingbird photos were taken this way. A newer Quantaray Flash, the Sunpak PZ40X Power Zoom Digital Flash, is about 1/2 the price of the Canon Speedlite 580EX II, and has a number of new features. But at the time I was a complete amateur, and not just an regular amateur, and to photograph hummingbirds some people use many (I've heard up to 8) flashes synchronized. And if you have just one
flash, you need the very best.
Ok, this article is not finished, check Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash for Canon for more info. The most important feature is that the Canon flash allows shooting at any shutter speed, in High-Speed Sync mode, called 'fill flash', so photographing penguins or puffins in the sunlight is possible. The flash is used for filling in the shadows and blacks; without it you can't get proper exposure on both the whites and blacks. The Canon unit is also more solidly constructed than the Quantaray unit, and for people like me who carry their camera hiking, this does matter. It is easy to bump the flash and have it break at the plastic shoe mount connector.
There are advanced features if the 580EX II I will describe later, one being multiple flash synchronization.
Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash for Canon EOS Digital SLR Cameras
Further development of Canon’s flagship Speedlite has led to the production of the 580 EX II. This is the premier Speedlite for all photographers, including professionals. Newly designed to match with the EOS-1D Mark III in terms of improved dust- and water-resistance, body strength, and the ability to control flash functions and settings from the camera menu (EOS-1D Mark III only). Other features include improved communication reliability through its direct contacts,[mcse 2003] and recycling time is both 20% shorter than the 580EX and is completely inaudible. Speedlite 580EX II Flash Highlights Approximately 20 percent faster recycling time compared to 580EX Superior build quality, including a metal foot for higher rigidity Max Guide No. 58 at 105mm setting (GN 190, feet) Auto conversion of flash coverage with compatible digital SLR cameras White Balance info communicated instantly to compatible digital SLR cameras Full swi
Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash for Canon EOS Digital SLR Cameras
By the invention and subsequent automation and miniaturization of electronic flash revolutionized photography. If you’re a photographer you’re no longer tied to available light. A reliable and portable light source is immediately at your disposal if you choose.[mcitp certification] But on other hand, flash photography has always been a very difficult technique to master on any camera system. It’s easy to take a snapshot of your friends in a restaurant and get that hideously blown-out rabbit-in-the-headlights look from built-in automatic flash. But using electronic flash well - achieving natural-looking images - is quite tricky.
Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash for Canon EOS Digital SLR Cameras
More development of Canon's flagship Speedlite has take to the utilization and production of the 580 EX II. This is the premier Speedlite for all photographers, including professionals[mcdba]. Newly designed to match with the EOS-1D Mark III in terms of improved dust- and water-resistance, body strength, and the ability to control flash functions and settings from the camera menu (EOS-1D Mark III only). Other features include improved communication reliability through its direct contacts, and recycling time is both 20% shorter than the 580EX and is completely inaudible.