Need a new flash

bumpintheroad wrote in post #17495045
If you're not using ETTL you can get YN-560 III or IV with built-in RF receivers and a YN-560-TX RF trigger that will allow you to configure the flash settings remotely. You can get two flashes plus the trigger for under $200, and they are widely available on Amazon and eBay. Want faster recycling time or longer battery duration: get a pair of CP-E4 battery pack clones for another $60.

Exactly! Since you are manually adjusting your flashes anyway. get a few manual flashes for 60 each!

samueli wrote in post #17495302
One reason I'm not using ETTL is because I could not. In the end, I probably don't need it since I've been fine without it and don't know if I'm missing anything. Hmm... So now it's back to nice equipment or cheaper equipment. There is a reason I kept away from these boards, lol.

The Cheetah/Godox are presented so very nicely. What about the Lithium batteries? Is that way better than 5lbs of double As? In all my camera stuff, with aftermarket replacement batteries, I have around a 25% fail rate on rechargables. Decisions, decisions...

Wow, the Yongnuo equipment looks pretty sweet as well, and I can get twice as much equipment for the price.


Thanks for all the responses!

B&H now sells Yongnuo stuff now too. So you'll have first class service with the items.

samueli wrote in post #17495304
Does that work for the 430? I remember getting a schematic from Canon that required board modifications. I eventually decided against breaking out the soldering iron.

You can disable the auto power off using Custom Function 01.

Would that solve your trigger problems?

CFn 02 applies to settings that run while the unit is active as a Canon Wireless Light/IR type 'slave'.

With PCB or any other M 'non wake-up' triggers, it's CFn 01 to 1 that disables sleep on both 430Exs & all 5xxExs.

samueli wrote in post #17495302
One reason I'm not using ETTL is because I could not. In the end, I probably don't need it since I've been fine without it and don't know if I'm missing anything. Hmm... So now it's back to nice equipment or cheaper equipment. There is a reason I kept away from these boards, lol.

The Cheetah/Godox are presented so very nicely. What about the Lithium batteries? Is that way better than 5lbs of double As? In all my camera stuff, with aftermarket replacement batteries, I have around a 25% fail rate on rechargables. Decisions, decisions...

Wow, the Yongnuo equipment looks pretty sweet as well, and I can get twice as much equipment for the price.

Lithium's give you more power per size/weight for faster recycle and longer duration between swaps/charges. AA batteries are ubiquitous and comparatively inexpensive. You need to decide which is more important to you. I decided to stick with AA because I get good reliability out of Eneloop (and Amazon basics white) AA's and always have the ability to buy alkaline AA's in a pinch. Also, I don't need yet another charger on my desk (or in my bag). But if you're shooting weddings or other fast action events, Lithium's faster recycle and longer duration could be worth the minor extra hassle.

OceanRipple* wrote in post #17495366
CFn 02 applies to settings that run while the unit is active as a Canon Wireless Light/IR type 'slave'.

With PCB or any other M 'non wake-up' triggers, it's CFn 01 to 1 that disables sleep on both 430Exs & all 5xxExs.

Thanks for the correction. I did mean to say CFn-01

Hmm... yn-560 III and yn-560 IV are the same price at Amazon. I could see getting the "IV" version, if I can enable/disable the flash on the one connected to the camera as master, as I see fit. Is that how it works?


And this custom function thing: Do you connect the flash to camera, make change and it stores the change inside the flash?

samueli wrote in post #17495592
Hmm... yn-560 III and yn-560 IV are the same price at Amazon. I could see getting the "IV" version, if I can enable/disable the flash on the one connected to the camera as master, as I see fit. Is that how it works?

Really no reason not to get version IV as far as I know.

ptcanon3ti wrote in post #17495307
B&H now sells Yongnuo stuff now too. So you'll have first class service with the items.

Unfortunately they don't seem to be able to keep them in stock.

bumpintheroad wrote in post #17495602
Unfortunately they don't seem to be able to keep them in stock.

Not surprising considering the bang for the buck. There are tons of vendors though.

Hi, The flash has a CFn button. Change CFn 01 to show 1 instead of 0 and press Set.

samueli wrote in post #17495592
Hmm... yn-560 III and yn-560 IV are the same price at Amazon. I could see getting the "IV" version, if I can enable/disable the flash on the one connected to the camera as master, as I see fit. Is that how it works?

Not really. Most folks would get the IV if they wanted the flash on-camera to fire as well, otherwise, they'd just use a YN-560-TX as the on-camera transmitter. Understand, though, that the YN-560-TX can only control the power levels on YN-560III/IV flashes. It can't control the power on a 580EX or 430EX. And, of course, you're manual only and stuck at your sync speed or slower. Also know that the despite the guide numbers, your 580EX is more powerful than the YN-560 models--they're about halfway between a 430EX and 580EX in terms of power.

And YN also makes a 600EX-RT clone.

If you had MkII flashes, you could do it this way, and it's easier to know what you're setting to what with the camera menu. But on the MkIs, you have to change the setting directly on the flash itself.

1. Hold down the backlight/C.Fn button until the C.Fn icon shows up.
2. Press the left/right buttons until the Custom Function you want to change is displayed (01 - 06)
3. Press the SEL/SET button until the display flashes.
4. Press the right/left button to change the setting value (see the chart in Mike's post above).
4. Press SEL/SET to set the value.

I was checking out the Pixel Mago now as well and I feel good about them. I'm also reading that transmitters between Yongnuo, Pixel, Godox are compatible to a certain extent.

I don't know I can't make a decision, nor do I have the time to research this for hours every night. I think the only way to figure this out is to buy two Yongnuo flashes and a transmitter, and two Pixel Mago flashes with it's respective transmitter, testing them and seeing what works with what I currently have, how reliable they both are, etc; then returning one set. I'm going to be that consumer that I hate.


Part of my thinking here is, "hey maybe I'd like to try TTL". So that pretty much knocks Yongnuo out of the line up. Arggg.

GeeMack wrote in post #17494630
I'd go with a couple of these flashes: http://www.amazon.com …keywords=yongnu​o+600ex-rt

And get this to get them off camera: http://www.amazon.com …keywords=yongnu​o+600ex-rt

Wait a minute, my answer is right here in the second post!

Ohh... Except this is a 600ex system only... Sigh.

samueli wrote in post #17498027
Wait a minute, my answer is right here in the second post!

Ohh... Except this is a 600ex system only... Sigh.

If you don't want the 600 series (Canon's latest) you can get what I have now.

http://www.amazon.com …-catcorr&keywords=yongn​uo

http://www.amazon.com …K77M/ref=pd_bxg​y_p_text_y

In my opinion this allows the most flexibility for the least money and it's very reliable. The downside is there is no external power port on the flash.