st-e2 or 550ex/580ex?

Hi

I'm looking at the st-e2 transmitter for triggering my 430EX off camera. but in the UK the cheapest I can find it is around £125. I can get a used 550EX for around £200, or a new 580EX for £280

Would you recommend just saving up a little longer and getting the 550/580? They would only be used for triggering and also additional light, but I figure the 550/580 woudl give more flexibility.

Finally, is there any difference in usage between the 550 and 580? Used on a 350d, not worried about size as they'll only be used indoors with the 430EX

I'd go with the 580. The 580 will compensate for the crop factor of the 350D not sure the 550 does that. Aso you can either use the 580 in a 2 light setup or turn it off to just trigger the 430 of camera. Plus the 580 has a few more option that the 430 doesn't that you might like to have down the road anyways.

thanks.

In general for 'normal' portrait work, would you manage having the 580EX on camera (perhaps portrait mode so slightly to the left/right) as fill?

I'm wondering if there are many situations where you'd want two flashes away from the camera, then just getting the 580 won't do that, as it'll be tied to the camera to be master.

For portrait work i'd like to have 4 flashes off camera, if you have time to set it up (main, fill, backlight, hair light). You can make use of the sun for the last, and the fill can easily be a speedlite on the camera (so long as it reliably fires the slave). I'd definitely get another flash instead of the ST-E2.

I debated that as well and just ordered a 580EX to trigger my 550EX off camera. I have reflectors in my set up so the sun and one other flash is actually pretty good.

Good luck!

i believe the 550 does do that.

The 550EX is the TTLI, not TTLII, I think.

You may want to have a look at this;
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=145016

Will the on camera 580EX "pre flash" be an issue?

E-TTL I/II is a camera function, not flash. If the camera supports E-TTL II, and the flash is a Canon compatible flash, it too will be E-TTL II (I believe).

The 430EX and 580EX are the only flashes that compensate for sensor size.

sorry, to chime it like this, but does anybody know if the 580 fits on the 350d, or do you have to buy an extra adapter?

I 2nd what cdi-ink said - there's a lot of misinformation in this thread.

md_129, and EX flash will work directly on any EOS body, so there's no problem with 350D/580EX.

I use a 580EX on my XTs. ANY Canon compatible flash will work on any EOS body like Tim said. You can even use some non-Canon compatible flashes provided the sync voltage doesn't exceed the 6V the camera can handle, but you'd be in full manual operation.

Thank you, Tim.

Thanks for the info, cdi-ink.com.

not sure what you meant by the preflash? My 430EX can use its IR assist but not fire for focus. Its a custom function in the 350d

is it only when set to master for controlling off-camera? that could be a problem but I wouldn't buy a 580EX unless I was planning to use it for fill - otherwise I'd buy the cheaper ST-E2 (hence this thread)

I suppose the rollercoaster ride goes as follows

- buy 430EX, use on camera
- want off camera, so buy 580EX. Now I can have two flashes
- blooming flash keeps preflashing when I don't want it to now I have to buy an STE2
- Canon laughs all the way to the bank.


how come a lot of Canon things seem to be similar? There isn't an overall complete solutoin without buying *everything*. Buy the ST-E2 - oh, only two groups. Buy the 580EX - oh, it'll always fire. Buy the OCS2 - oh its only 2ft long

these aren't crazy niche desires, they are basic usability/functional issues