Off-brand Flash for Canon

22 sec. ago | #1
Does anyone have experience/advice for using brands other than Canon speedlites? I am looking at this one in particular:
https://www.bhphotovid​​eo.com ...reless_ttl_speedlit​​e.html (external link)

Any disadvantages to using non-Canon brands? I've done some research and I just don't see the need to spend hundreds of dollars more than necessary for a Canon brand - unless I am missing something?

Thanks,

Tim

Unfortunately your link goes to the main BH page. Many users here have had excellent experiences with the YN flashes. They offer great value and there are many to choose from within the range. It would be helpful if you describe what you want to achieve with the flash as there are factors to consider beyond basic costs.

Heya,

You'll hear anecdotal evidence for Canon and for Third-Party.

For the cheap stuff:
Right now, Godox is doing a great job and has a lot of attention with the R2 system. Very good system.
Yongnuo has great flashes too.

And there are third party systems that cost more than Canon. But if you're looking at third party initially, I'm assuming this is not the reason.

And Canon flashes fail and have variation in the copies too, before we even go there.

Very best,

Copy paste was a giveaway that this came from another forum too.

Op's intended link: https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …reless_ttl_spee​dlite.html

Nothing wrong at all with YN brand, you get what you pay for. Getting them serviced might be an issue if they break.

Will second the vote for godox. Their product innovation is second to none right now, with no end in sight. Probably a better option especially if you think you will expand your kit later on.

It depends upon for what you're looking.

Do you want:

1. A cheaper flash than Canon - I've got a Sigma EF500 DG Super flash that I've had for the better part of ten years. As I recall, at the time I purchased it, it was significantly cheaper than a Canon flash. I've never had any problems with it. I used it the night before last (see the images in the Macro forum).
   
2. a CHEAP flash - I've read more than enough first hand accounts to put me off of Yongnuo, to include VERY well documented fixes (including how-to videos on applying them). Were I to go for a significantly less expensive flash, it'd probably be a Flashpoint. If you have a problem, you don't have to send those back to China ON YOUR OWN DIME to get them fixed.
   

Thx MalVeaux.

Temma - thanks. Looking for a cheaper (less-expensive) flash, not a cheap (inferior) flash. Thank you!

I've had a great experience with Cheetahstand, which is in the Godox family. (There are a bunch of nearly identical units with different branding that all seem to come from Godox or some other parent company.)

First, on off-camera flashes in general: I've found that Canon's own speedlight offerings are expensive, slow to recycle, battery hungry and have somewhat frustrating designs. I bought the 430ex (original version) many years ago and thought it was great until I tried a third-party flash which was significantly less expensive but far more capable. Granted, the new versions of the 430ex are greatly improved; however, it seems you pay more for the name than for the actual function. Third-parties can do everything the Canon ones can do, including TTL.

On Cheetahstand: I went with this brand on the recommendation of a trusted photographer friend who shoots for some major publications. I've been impressed with the quality of the units, the quick recycle time, the long battery life, the strong compatibility with my camera, the quality of light and the reasonable price. Plus, the owner is super responsive if you have any trouble, and there's a good community on Facebook surrounding this particular brand. (I'm not being paid to rep Cheetah in any way.) Honestly, you'd probably be fine with any Godox varietal. (Once while shooting a volleyball game, one of my speedlights got hit by the ball and knocked to the gym floor from about 10 feet in the air - on a stand, of course. It didn't break, and it still works just fine.)

If you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to ask me.

tspencer1 wrote in post #18379146
22 sec. ago | #1
Does anyone have experience/advice for using brands other than Canon speedlites? I am looking at this one in particular [YN-685]

A few years ago, Yongnuo was a great choice. Today, Godox is probably better. The first of three main reasons is that Yongnuo's triggering systems (60x/560, 622, -RT) are all more or less incompatible with each other. Mixing TTL and manual-only gear is a pain. And while you can fire everything together, you basically go lowest-common-denominator and turn your TTL/HSS capable lights into manual-only lights to do that. With Godox, you can mix TTL and manual-only gear and it's all in the same triggering system, you retain TTL features on TTL-capable lights, and everything works with HSS.

As an example. If you buy a YN-685, the best trigger you can use it with is probably a YN-622-TX (the screen makes it easier to operate than a 622 transceiver). There is no flash with a built-in transmitter in the 622 system yet, so adding on-camera light requires using a 622's passthrough hotshoe. And if you want to add lights in that system, you either get more YN-685s, or you get Canon eTTL-capable flashes and add YN-622s to the foot. A YN-685 is $100. You can't add a YN-660 or YN-560IV directly to this setup. The receiver in this only works with the RF-60x triggers, or a YN-560-TX, or a YN-560IV/YN-660 as the master. You can set off 622s by putting them into 603 mode, but then they won't have TTL/HSS capabilities. On the Godox side of the fence, you can blow $120 on a TT685, and $50 on an X1T-C. And then add $70 TT600s into your setup. You'll still have HSS over the TT685, and you'll have HSS over the TT600s, and remote power control over everything. And the TT685 has a built in transceiver, so you can also use it directly as a master unit.

That's not to say Godox is fault-free. The UI/UX of the YN 622 system is better--particularly if you shoot with a pre-2012 Canon body, since they fake up Gr mode for you. You also have zoom control over individual groups. But. Weighed against HSS, and control over Godox's bigger lights (AD200, AD360II, AD600), this may not be worth it. The second reason you'll want to consider Godox is that they offer larger lights than speedlights, so there's a clearer upgrade path that still uses the same triggering system and gives you remote manual control and HSS over all lights.

The third reason to go Godox is that they're expanding TTL/HSS support from Canon/Nikon/Sony to micro four-thirds and Fuji X. So if you ever plan to add mirrorless to your gear, you won't have to rebuy the lights; just add new transmitters. (See Flash Havoc overview of the Godox system).

The main disadvantages come from the fact that cheap Chinese gear is a) made in China (so getting warranty service typically means shipping the unit back to Shenzhen. At which point, you've effectively totaled a lot of the speedlights). Buying from a retailer that offers a warranty or good return policy (e.g., B&H, Adorama, CheetahStand) can help ease the pain if you get a lemon in the copy lottery (see point c).

b) It's usually reverse-engineered, so that certain functions aren't identical in performance with OEM units (TTL consistency, AF assist functions) or aren't available (lever locks, ID codes, etc.) and backwards/forwards compatibility may not be great. Reverse-engineering typically means some bits of the system are still black boxes of I/O, with no idea of how the internals are designed or likely to change in the future. Reverse-engineered gear tends to work great with the system as it stands now. Not so great with how it was 10 years ago or will be in 10 years. Getting a flash with a firmware upgrade capability can ease future-compatibility fears. But as an example, I have a Yongnuo YN-586EX (Canon). It works great on the hotshoe of my 50D. If I put it on the hotshoe of my Powershot G9, it won't fire. And it won't communicate with the camera at all. My 580EXII, otoh, works just fine on my G9 and can even have its power level set through the P&S's menus. It clearly has a variant of the EOS hotshoe. Just my personal opinion, but for heavy on-camera event run'n'gun usage, a used OEM may be a better purchase than a TTL-capable 3rd-party cheapie. But 3rd-party cheapies are better suited and more able than OEM flashes for off-camera use.

c) The low-low price has to come from somewhere, and that somewhere is most likely going to be in the rigor of QA practices. This doesn't mean you'll get a bad unit. Just that the consistency from copy-to-copy of assembly and components (where they're relying on other cheap Chinese manufacturers who are probably skimping on QA as well) may vary more widely than with OEM units. Some folks have great luck. Some folks have lousy luck. The anecdotes are thick and fast on messageboards. If you're a hobbyist shooter, though, the money you save can be worth it just to get spares or to treat these as disposable items. For professional shooters, where hard wear and reliability count for more, it may not.

Inkista - great info - thanks!

i love using my Nissin Flashes on my canon! make sure you check the compatibility list though. not every nissin flash works with every canon body. I called Nissin in the US and asked.

My own fondness for the Godox flash units continues to grow.

Most recently, (this past weekend) I was at a destination wedding where the photographer/assitant were shooting a combination of Canon (5D4, 5D3) and SONY (A7RII) with Canon and Leica glass.

The flash? All Godox ( Adorama version in fact)
He had my favorite ZOOM Li-on on his SONY and 5D4,. and when we got to the big dinner/dance, he had the barn and tent lit by pairs of the same on stands triggered remotely by the main units, or a XT-1 controller.

He never had to change the batteries, and did not have any big pack, just the included internal Lithium ion packs. The Canon and SONY both could trigger the stand lights, and I gather both were doing it ETTL.

Thanks Blake.

Wow - good info and impressive - thanks.

I've used the Canon 600EX-RT system, Nissin Air and Godox X system

If you shoot only Canon, and want ONLY speedlites, and your camera is compatible with the 600EX-RT version of ETTL, then the Yongnou products that support the 600EX-RT system are a great choice.

If you have any desire to use more than speedlites then Godox X system is by far, currently, the best option.

The lights work with Canon, Nikon, Sony, 4/3 and soon Fuji for TTL, HSS and manual operation.
There is no one in the industry with similar capability and breadth of light units options, ranging from mini-speedlites to 600Ws strobes.

If you make your Godox system purchases from Cheetahstand or Adorama, you also get US based customer service and support that is probably as good as or better than Canon.