Is the canon st-e2 the only way to keep ettl?

I'm a newbie to off camera flash lighting and am contemplating buying the st-e2 to control my 580 EX II and my 430 EX off camera. I understand it's infrared and not radio and so it has it's line of sight limitations. However, do all radio transmitters lose ettl and force you to go manual on your flash? If that is the case do you need a separate light meter? So the main benefit with radio is the increased distance but the disadvantage is losing ettl? Why doesn't canon come out with their own radio transmitter with ettl?

Your options for off camera ETTL are the ST-E2, an off shoe cord, or another flash. You could probably get a used 550EX for not much more money than the ST-E2. You would have the advantage of a fill light on camera and greater range than the ST-E2.

I don't know why Canon hasn't done it, but someone else has come up with a solution. Radio Popper is a new device that attaches to your existing 580EX, 550EX, or ST-E2 transmitter and converts the light signal to a radio signal. This allows you to have the convenience of ETTL but without the line of site and range limitations of the master flash.

^^^^^^^^^^^Excellent reply^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^De​ad On^^^^^^^^^^

Be aware the radio poppers dont actually exist yet (at least as far as the public is concerned) but hopefully will be available soonish.

As for why canon/nikon/everyone else doesnt do radio instead of 'IR', its so they dont have to deal with the FCC and FCC like entities around the world, hopefully this will change now that there are global radio standards

nadtz wrote in post #4333656
Be aware the radio poppers dont actually exist yet (at least as far as the public is concerned) but hopefully will be available soonish.

As for why canon/nikon/everyone else doesnt do radio instead of 'IR', its so they dont have to deal with the FCC and FCC like entities around the world, hopefully this will change now that there are global radio standards

It may also have to do with the fact that triggering a flash via RF has been patented by pocket wizard in 1994. Yes, you do get a few alternatives, but they're either directly from China (where US patents don't apply), or they don't use a CPU in the flash side unit (thereby circumventing the patent but achieving inferior performance).

the Chinese stuff doesn't work anyway. I have a Chinese set and am trying to get my money back on it all.

The STE-2 or another 580EX are the only two ways of firing Canon flashes remotely. They do retain full ETTL2. The radio-popper is an interesting idea unlikely to come to fruition.

rhys wrote in post #4346130
the Chinese stuff doesn't work anyway. I have a Chinese set and am trying to get my money back on it all.

It doesn't work for you, you mean. They aren't 100% reliable by any means, but they are about 10% the cost of PW's.

rhys wrote in post #4346130
the Chinese stuff doesn't work anyway. I have a Chinese set and am trying to get my money back on it all.

The STE-2 or another 580EX are the only two ways of firing Canon flashes remotely. They do retain full ETTL2. The radio-popper is an interesting idea unlikely to come to fruition.

Or, you know, Pocket Wizards And I don't see any reason Radio Popper is unlikely to come to fruition; they've finalized the design, and plan to go to production soon...

bieber wrote in post #4346225
Or, you know, Pocket Wizards And I don't see any reason Radio Popper is unlikely to come to fruition; they've finalized the design, and plan to go to production soon...

There's many a slip betwixt cup and mouth. The Foveon sensor was due to be mass-produced as a 1.3mp insert for existing SLRs some years ago. Thus far only Sigma uses the Foveon sensor. The SLR conversion was due to go into production imminently too - never happened.

I hear Pocket Wizards work. I hear ebay gadgets work. The fact is I have never tried pocket wizards and I found from personal experience ebay gadgets do not work.

I have the STE-2 now so the matter is entirely academic anyway.

Just to chime in... I tried the ebay units as well. The range was horrible. They wouldn't trigger a light from one side of my basement to the other (say 25ft) without obstructions in the way. I've tested PW from the other side of the house and around corners without any hiccups whatsoever.

For the OP, your cheapest (good) route is to get another flash like a 550ex. As others have mentioned, cost won't be much more than an ST-E2. Plus, you can use easily found rechargables in it, where the Transmitter requires a special battery. Hope you always have a spare if it dies during a shoot. Plus, a 3rd flash gives you the option to use it as a background, hair, or rim light for more creativity.

Looks like 550 is discontinued, would a 430EX be a replacement?

Yes, you can use a 430ex as well, but it is lower power. The 430ex should be in the same price range as buying a used 550 if you can find one. Otherwise, the 580exII is the current replacement for the 550ex.

John E wrote in post #4332414
I'm a newbie to off camera flash lighting and am contemplating buying the st-e2 to control my 580 EX II and my 430 EX off camera. I understand it's infrared and not radio and so it has it's line of sight limitations. However, do all radio transmitters lose ettl and force you to go manual on your flash? If that is the case do you need a separate light meter? So the main benefit with radio is the increased distance but the disadvantage is losing ettl? Why doesn't canon come out with their own radio transmitter with ettl?

Why don't you just use your 580 and 430 within the Canon wireless system? You don't need another thing.

what rubbish.. for something that 'doesn't work' - a lot of people are very happy with it's performance..

Love the little ones i got off eBay! Work good. The odd time they don't fire. However worth it for only £20ish