YN-E3-RT | my first impressions

HERE is my blog post with more information.

Bottom Line
A) it delivers autofocus assist light capabilities
B) it work in Gr mode with pre-2012 cameras
C) it is easy to update firmware via the USB connection

I think Canon may have just sold their last ST-E3-RT.

I should probably have put mine on the sale forum before I made this post.

Price?

The Loft Studios wrote in post #16532105
Price?

Around $140 from thephotogadget or YN's ebay store.

Wonder if they will publish a mac firmware tool?

jptsr1 wrote in post #16532284
Wonder if they will publish a mac firmware tool?

I doubt if there will be a MAC firmware update tool. Engineering design/programming tools are generally PC based, with few Linux based tools.

110yd

In my email exchange with GL the implication was Windows only. I had the same situation with Pixel updates as well. Pocket Wizard did their updates in a utility that runs on the Mac but its a much more elaborate process and not anything that Yongnou or others should want to emulate.

Thanks for posting a shot of the AF assist beam. Would you say that this provides coverage of all 61 AF points in the 5D3/1DX?

Also thanks for testing it with a large lens. It wouldn't be a deal breaker for me if my 300 did block the AF assist(BTW the hood is just under 150mm(5.75") and is about 430mm(17") long with 2x TC) but I do like to set up speedlites near the feeders in the evening so the AF assist would only help for song birds as I prefer to shoot the hummers in flight(Ai-servo).

I'm not sure that I get how this supports groups any different for pre-2012 bodies from your review. You did it the same way on the XSi as I do it with my 1DIV and ST-E3-RT, except for my this combo it doesn't reset anything if I go into the in camera flash menu. I do remember reading that the YN was going to allow 5 groups instead just 3 is that all there is, or is something else?

Anyway I'm going to order one, wish I had it last night as AF-assist would have been helpful.

Have you tried out 2nd curtain sync yet? (haven't read your blog yet)

lovemyram4x4 wrote in post #16532672
Also thanks for testing it with a large lens. It wouldn't be a deal breaker for me if my 300 did block the AF assist(BTW the hood is just under 150mm(5.75") and is about 430mm(17") long with 2x TC) but I do like to set up speedlites near the feeders in the evening so the AF assist would only help for song birds as I prefer to shoot the hummers in flight(Ai-servo).

I'm not sure that I get how this supports groups any different for pre-2012 bodies from your review. You did it the same way on the XSi as I do it with my 1DIV and ST-E3-RT, except for my this combo it doesn't reset anything if I go into the in camera flash menu. I do remember reading that the YN was going to allow 5 groups instead just 3 is that all there is, or is something else?

Anyway I'm going to order one, wish I had it last night as AF-assist would have been helpful.

It supports all the Gr features that are available in the 600EX-RT menu. So, A through E, each group can be set for ETTL, Auto, Manual, or turned off. Each group is indecently controlled for power or FEC if ETTL. Way past anything that the Canon optical system can offer.

kobeson wrote in post #16532697
Have you tried out 2nd curtain sync yet? (haven't read your blog yet)

Not yet but its on the list.

Thanks David. I just pulled the trigger on one.

dmward wrote in post #16532387
In my email exchange with GL the implication was Windows only. I had the same situation with Pixel updates as well. Pocket Wizard did their updates in a utility that runs on the Mac but its a much more elaborate process and not anything that Yongnou or others should want to emulate.

Well that stinks. I'll have to go in the basement and dig out an old laptop or something I guess.

dmward wrote in post #16532818
It supports all the Gr features that are available in the 600EX-RT menu. So, A through E, each group can be set for ETTL, Auto, Manual, or turned off. Each group is indecently controlled for power or FEC if ETTL. Way past anything that the Canon optical system can offer.

I'm pretty sure I can do all that with my ST-E3-RT on my pre-2012 body except for only group A-C. I don't use my Canon RT system on my older bodies often, but it seemed like all I was missing was changing group powers in camera menu and what I've read that it can only do 3 groups(I've only used 2 as I currently only have 2 RT speedlites).

In fact I just used my 1DIV to take a product shot of my 5DIII with my new tripod/panning set up and lens, set group A:B to 1:2(from ST-E3-RT) and used FEC +1(set in camera). Couldn't your XSi also do that with your ST-E3-RT? I haven't tried it on my 40D as I'm only holding on to it because it's the body I have a complete underwater set up for at this time.

I never owned any of the Canon optical systems so I'm not very familiar with how limited they are compared to their RT system.

lovemyram4x4 wrote in post #16533094
I'm pretty sure I can do all that with my ST-E3-RT on my pre-2012 body except for only group A-C. I don't use my Canon RT system on my older bodies often, but it seemed like all I was missing was changing group powers in camera menu and what I've read that it can only do 3 groups(I've only used 2 as I currently only have 2 RT speedlites).

In fact I just used my 1DIV to take a product shot of my 5DIII with my new tripod/panning set up and lens, set group A:B to 1:2(from ST-E3-RT) and used FEC +1(set in camera). Couldn't your XSi also do that with your ST-E3-RT? I haven't tried it on my 40D as I'm only holding on to it because it's the body I have a complete underwater set up for at this time.

I never owned any of the Canon optical systems so I'm not very familiar with how limited they are compared to their RT system.

I got the 600EX-RTs and ST-E3-RT when they were first introduced. I still had one 5DII along with my 5DIII.

The bottom line is there are significant give aways when using an ST-E3-RT on a pre-2012 body. I watched the Syl Arena videos, and did the same work arounds, but the only way to get all the features is to mate the ST-E3-RT with a 2012 or later body. Can it emulate an ST-E2 sure. But that's just like using older speedlites in optical mode.

The YN-E3-RT delivers, based on my preliminary testing, to ALL the 600EX-RT system capabilities to pre-2012 cameras. That's a significant additional benefit, in my view.

jptsr1 wrote in post #16533057
Well that stinks. I'll have to go in the basement and dig out an old laptop or something I guess.

Or install Parallels (or other similar) and Windows on your Mac.