Canon ST-E2 Speedlite Transmitter

Yes, radio flash with strobes is better, but this item acts similarly to a radio-controlled studio, but with much more portability! No need for wireless transmitters and receivers, as the Canon Speedlites you surely own already accept signals from this thing!

Canon ST-E2 Speedlite Transmitter for Canon 580EX II, 430EX, 430EX II Speedlites

If you need portability with your portraits, this item is for you, since lugging around Speedlights and lightweight stands is easier than heavier strobes with bulkier stands. This makes location shooting much easier.

If you're on a budget, this item is for you, since you won't need to invest in additional strobes and trancievers and power packs. Just combine this with any Speedlites you already own.

If you want a quick and easy backup to your expensive, heavy strobe setup, this is for you, as you're likely to have your Speedlites in your camera bag anyway, and this item takes up about as much room as a Sto-Fen diffuser. You can't go wrong with such a small item enabiling near-full studio capability.

There are only two faults with this item:

• Firstly, you need to be line-of-sight with your Speedlites. Indoors, the Speedlites can be pointed in a relatively correct direction and work. However, outdoors the line-of-sight is critical, with a turn of a few degrees off line causing transmission to fail.

The Canon STE2 Speedlite Transmitter as seen from the back (the side you would see if taking a photograph)

• Speedlites are NOT strobes, and can never match the light output of strobes. You lose continuous modeling light capability and a couple hundred watt seconds of light when you use Speedlites instead of strobes. Don't expect to light massive groups of people or large subjects like trucks with a Speedlite setup.

One oddball curiosity with this item is that if you shoot pets and young children, they get easy distracted by the red blinking panels of the Speedlites in slave mode. I'm sure slave mode users know this. Nothing major, just something to keep in mind as their heads will tend to point toward your light stands during shoots.

Technical Details

• Wireless flash controller for the Canon 420EX and 550EX and other Canon flashes.
• Indoor transmission range of approximately 40 to 50 feet
• Outdoor transmission range of approximately 26 to 33 feet
• 1,500-transmission battery life
• Turns off after 90-second idle

The Canon Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2 is compatible with Type A EOS cameras (E-TTL, auto flash) and Type B EOS cameras (manual flash). The ST-E2 is designed to control slaved Canon 550 EX flashes,

A side view of the Canon STE2 Speedlite Transmitter showing the hot shoe lock switch.

enabling simultaneous flash use in professional settings. The wireless controller has a flash ratio control, allowing for several different A:B ratios, 1:8 to 8:1 in half-step increments, as well as slave confirmation via a test transmission button, which sets off slave A, followed by slave B, at 1/64 output.

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Canon Speedlite 580EX II Review

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, 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 swivel, 180 degrees in either direction
• AF-assist beam, compatible with all AiAF points on every EOS SLR
• Dust- and water- resistance to match the EOS-1D Mark III

Product Description
Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash Light. Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash Light Further development of canons flagship speedlite has led to the production of the 580 EX II. 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. Features: Approx. 20% 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 swivel, 180 in either direction AF-assist beam, compatible with all AiAF points on every EOS SLR Dust- and water- resistance to match the EOS-1D Mark III Dimensions: 4.5"L x 3"W x 5.3"H

Pros:

• Fast recycle time. I can take several burst shots in 1 second and the flash fires each time. You won't miss many pictures because the flash isn't ready (like with the built in flash).
• TTL is awesome. This flash is much smarter than I'll ever be. Shots are almost always perfectly exposed.
• Lots of manual controls, easy to override TTL.
• Very powerful.
• On rechargeable double A's I get 400-500 shots easy without recharging.
• High speed sync lets you take pics at any shutter speed with a flash (although the distance the flash travels is greatly reduced).
• Tilt 90 degrees /Turn 180 degrees lets you bounce of ceilings or off a wall behind you.
• AF assist is much less invasive than the horrible on camera flash assist and it really helps you focus in low light. Just a red light is send out instead of the crazy electricity storm the XTI sends out for AF assist.
• Well built. Sturdy metal foot, nice locking mechanism.
• Rear sync lets me get sharp pictures indoors with any lens I own at 1/30 of a second or even less at times.

Close up of rear panel. Pilot (ready) light is on, flash is in ETTL and Master mode.

 Cons:

• The buttons are hard to push if you have big fingers.
• It's big and adds weight to the camera.
• It can't control any other flashes you may own. This flash can only act as a slave.
• Flashes are addictive, I wish I had a second or a third.
• If you're thinking about the 580exII:
• The 580ex II can act as a master flash over other canon flashes without losing TTL.
• It's more powerful(58m vs 43m at ISO 100).
• The batteries last from 100-700 pics.
• It can swivel 180 degrees both ways instead of just one way and it can tilt downwards slightly.
• It's dust and water resistant
• Included bounce tab (you can just use an index card).
• It's a lot more expensive.
• It's a little bigger and heavier.

Stop procrastinating and just get it. You'll be happy you did. :)

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