I am impressed with the 580 EX

[song4themoon]

Well the saturday wedding was my first opportunity to use this flash. I used it at the reception after it got so dark outside that high ISO and slow shutter couldnt keep up anymore. I used the white card on it to bounce some light back for facial highlights and bounced the flash itself off the ceiling. Looking at the pics now there really are no shadows that are usually associated with flash (or at least straight on flash). I am pleasantly surprised and will use this more from now on. However I still havent figured out all the options I have with this flash, specially the manual settings.

One drawback... I did a few testshots at home with the speedlight and the batteries were gone in no time... and I really mean no time!!

[SuzyView]

I use rechargable Energizers, bought 20. I have 3 sets ready to go and one set in the flash. I take about 100+ shots at an event with it, but usually switch out at around 80 so I don't have to wait too long between shots. Those batteries are amazing. I have 2 flashes, so I need the extra sets. The 580EX does not hog up juice like the 550EX. I used to go through regular batteries like gum drops. :(

[Rachellebee27]

Care to share any of our pics? I'd love to see how it turned out.

[Lisa1976]

I have just bought the 580EX flash and have no experience with external flashes, I've had a look through the leaflet that came with the flash but that doesn't give alot a way. Is there anywhere specific that I could learn how to use this flash. I have tried using it on auto but would like to see what else it can do.

[liza]

http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/

[Lisa1976]

Thanks Liza

[tim]

Bounced flash takes lots of power, set your ISO up to 400 or higher if you need to. ISO 100 needs twice as much power as ISO 200, ISO400 needs four times as much as ISO100, etc.

Good article re NiMH batteries. Free registration required for the site, great site btw.

http://www.shootsmarter.com/infocenter/wc039.html

[song4themoon]

Tim, I had the ISO set on 1600 :) But when I practised at home I didnt, thats probably why it took so much battery.

[tim]

You should get lots of shots at ISO 1600 and a wide aperture, the problem there can be that the flash can't go low enough, but that mainly happens if you're shooting with direct flash, wide apertures, and close ranges. I'd get some good NiMH batteries - I take 4-6 sets with me to weddings, and use anywhere between 1 and 6 sets.

[jj1987]

Has anyone used the quantum battery backs for the 580? The photographer I work with has them for both of the flash we use, and the recycle times are great.......just have to be careful to slow down before it breaks.

[song4themoon]

Tim, yeah during the wedding the batteries didnt burn out for me, I changed them when I needed the flash because I realized the other was empty from just a few testshots. At first I was freaking out, thought the flash was broken or something because the last thing I thought was that the battery would be empty after like 20 testshots. Well now I know :)

[tim]

Get yourself good quality batteries, a good charger, and try again at home :) Flash batteries rarely run out on me, if you use the flash a lot get a CP-E3 and 8 more batteries - recharge time is really quick and they last ages.

[LuisE]

Get yourself good quality batteries, a good charger, and try again at home :) Flash batteries rarely run out on me, if you use the flash a lot get a CP-E3 and 8 more batteries - recharge time is really quick and they last ages.

Tim, Do you really think a CP-E3 is a good investment, instead of the quantum which is really expensive?? I am in need on something to improve my flash performance (recycling time). I am also studying to improve my skills with no flash and do not want to waste money that I will need to get my 70-200 in a few months.
Thanks for your comments.

LuisE

[ssim]

I have the Quantum battery 1+. The only thing that I don't like about this is the way the Quatum cells fit into the 580. You have to hold them in by partially closing the flash door and then holding it in place with Velcro. The recycling time is good and I have yet to run out of power.

[jj1987]

I have the Quantum battery 1+. The only thing that I don't like about this is the way the Quatum cells fit into the 580. You have to hold them in by partially closing the flash door and then holding it in place with Velcro. The recycling time is good and I have yet to run out of power.
I just dremel tool'ed the top part with a notch barely big enough to fit.

[jj1987]

Tim, Do you really think a CP-E3 is a good investment, instead of the quantum which is really expensive?? I am in need on something to improve my flash performance (recycling time). I am also studying to improve my skills with no flash and do not want to waste money that I will need to get my 70-200 in a few months.
Thanks for your comments.

LuisE
I dont know, but I would be interested to see. The quantums are so heavy that they really get annoying by the end of the day. :cry:

[JaertX]

I have the Quantum battery 1+. The only thing that I don't like about this is the way the Quatum cells fit into the 580. You have to hold them in by partially closing the flash door and then holding it in place with Velcro. The recycling time is good and I have yet to run out of power.

must work a lot different than mine...I have the Quantum Turbo and the cable to plug it into the side of the 580EX...it works very well. It was pretty expensive, but so far I'm not regretting it one bit.

I do keep a set of nimh in the flash for the "computer" power, but so far it's worked well. I guess I'll find out if I'm doing it wrong when it blows up! eck.

[jamiewexler]

I have a CP-E3 and it works great. I can shoot a whole wedding on one set of rechargables, and it recycles as fast as I can pull the trigger.

[Su-Hannie]

I really love my 580EX and the white card bouncer and the diffuser is also great! As said above take at least 4 sets of batteries with.

[Pinto]

Bounced flash takes lots of power, set your ISO up to 400 or higher if you need to. ISO 100 needs twice as much power as ISO 200, ISO400 needs four times as much as ISO100, etc.

Good article re NiMH batteries. Free registration required for the site, great site btw.

http://www.shootsmarter.com/infocenter/wc039.html
Hi, I just ordered a 580EX. Not much experience with portable flash. Would you be kind enough to help me with a couple of questions.
I've read that the NiMH rechargeables take a loooog time to charge. Is there a real drawback to the quick-chargers I see offered? Some show just an hour and a half.
Also, Tim, do you have any personal experience with the Ansmann and Maha brand batteries recommended in the Smartshooter article?
How about the offerings from Sterlingtek? With their BP11s held in such high regard, I haven't seen any reference to the quality of their NiMh rechargeables.
Thanks.

[tim]

NiMH batteries take 60 minutes to 24 hours to charge. The faster you charge them the shorter the battery life. In my opinion get the 2-4 hour chargers and replace your cells every 1-2 years - they're cheap. thomas distributing is a good source for chargers and batteries, maha are good, so are energiser you can buy anwhere.

Never used Sterlingtek AA cells, I have Power-2000 cells from B&H that work great. I used a charger I purchased locally, the P2000 chargers didn't work well for me (especially after I plugged a 110V charger into my 220V supply!)

[Pinto]

NiMH batteries take 60 minutes to 24 hours to charge. The faster you charge them the shorter the battery life.
Thank you for your response, Tim. I knew that was a problem some years ago, but wasn't aware if newer technology had overcome it.
P2000 chargers didn't work well for me (especially after I plugged a 110V charger into my 220V supply!)
I'm sure that might have a slight adverse effect on it!
Thanks.

[tim]

I'm sure that might have a slight adverse effect on it!

It went bang and blew a bunch of fuses. I thought it was an auto-sensing power supply, like a switched mode one, but it had a little switch I needed to flip. Oh well.

[Pinto]

Thank goodness the fuses worked, or you might have had a real mess!!

[tim]

I could tell you the story about the time I was changing a fuse while the line was live...

[Pinto]

Now I fully understand the quote in your sig: "The more I learn, the less equipment I need."
That obviously translates to: "As I learn from my experiences, the less equipment I fry!!!" :lol:

[tim]

That's kinda what my sig is about. It's more than when I started I felt the equipment was very important, whereas now I realise that skill, understanding light, and understanding weddings is more important. I could shoot a wedding with a single standard prime and a hotshoe flash and get good photos, but with my array of equipment I could obviously do much better.

[md_129]

I just dremel tool'ed the top part with a notch barely big enough to fit.

did you have a picture of this mod?

[LuisE]

Finally, I ordered a CP-E3 from amazon. Let see how it works specially during group shoots. I do not like people waiting for long recycling times and I use to take at least two shots of every formal.
Thanks for the advice.

[tim]

The CP-E3 will help recycle speed a lot LuisE, down to about 2 seconds. It means you can, if you like, have the flash shooting into an umberella at full power, and the recharge time is ok - though your AB will be faster. Shooting a flash at full power beware that it doesn't get too hot and burn out. The AB400 will fire all day quite happily.

[LuisE]

The CP-E3 will help recycle speed a lot LuisE, down to about 2 seconds. It means you can, if you like, have the flash shooting into an umberella at full power, and the recharge time is ok - though your AB will be faster. Shooting a flash at full power beware that it doesn't get too hot and burn out. The AB400 will fire all day quite happily.

Thanks Tim for your advice. I have used also the AB400 but some times you have to go very fast, outdors for instance. Now I have to decide about the batteries, I got the CP-E3 and 50pack Memorex Alkalines($10 at amazon), but I am in need to get some rechargeables.
Thanks,

LuisE

[tim]

LuisE, get some energiser NiMH rechargables, the big consumer electronics stores in the states all sell them. Alternately I use Power-2000 from B&H which work great.

[jamiewexler]

My favorite nimh rechargables are the "Digital" brand from Wal Mart. $16 for a one hour charger with 4 batteries, and $6 a 4-pack for just the batteries. I bought 3 chargers (+ batteries) and 4 extra sets of batteries and never want for juice at an all day wedding! The three chargers let me charge up 3 sets at ounce, so I can charge my whole kit in about 3 hours.

[cbybee]

I use the Canon Battery Pack and have never had to change flash batteries. I use the 580 EX and sometimes take as many as 600 flash photos during a large event and it has worked perfectly for me. I have also only purchased one set of rechargeable AA batteries and have used them for over a year. (36 weddings).

[mackb]

As a backup you can put some Energizer Lithium (disposable) batteries in your bag. They are $10 for 4 batteries, but it's great if your flash is dead!