Canon vs Metz

[Brianbar]

I have a 30D and looking for a replacement for my 420EX.
I'm looking for feed back on the Canon 580Ex II vs the Metz 58AF-1

Brian

[rhys]

I have the 580EX2. I find it's great but haven't tried the Metz.

[Rudeofus]

I have a 30D and looking for a replacement for my 420EX.
I'm looking for feed back on the Canon 580Ex II vs the Metz 58AF-1


I have the Metz and it works well. It is fully compatible with both E-TTL and wireless E-TTL, I use it together with my ST-E2. In Europe it's substantially cheaper so it's quite popular here.

The haptics are quite different. Instead of wheels and lots of buttons youu have 4 buttons and an LCD display telling you what each button does in the given situation. While some people have complained about this, I found it quite ok. My impression is that people who use flash every day have it easier remembering all the buttons on the Canon and get their work done faster with the 580. Folks who use flash once in a while prefer the Metz with its menus, since you don't need the manual even for obscure functionality.

What else is different? You can't fire the Metz in manual mode remotely from an ST-E2. The Metz has a builtin secondary reflector which saves you from using bounce cards. The Metz is made in Germany while the Canon is made in China. The 580EX is made by Canon, hence will be compatible with newer cameras/lenses. The Metz has a USB socket for software updates, unfortunately the software update only works under MS Windows :evil: It may take a while until software updates are released, so if you plan on buying the latest and greatest, do some tests upfront or be prepared to wait for the Metz firmware update.