ST-E2 vs. 580 EX II

Can 580 EX II do everything the ST-E2 can do and more? What would be the need for the ST-E2?

nicolasonline wrote in post #4948659
Can 580 EX II do everything the ST-E2 can do and more? What would be the need for the ST-E2?

Yes, the 580EX can do all that and more (e.g. control 3 groups instead of 2). What it can not do is be invisible on the photo (the E-TTL control pulse to fire the flashes is visible in the photo under certain conditions), weigh little and cost little.

Rudeofus wrote in post #4948753
Yes, the 580EX can do all that and more (e.g. control 3 groups instead of 2). What it can not do is be invisible on the photo (the E-TTL control pulse to fire the flashes is visible in the photo under certain conditions), weigh little and cost little.

True, but I'd rather spend the money on an additional flash.

It's much lighter. Kind of like a speelight can trigger the strobes in the studio, why do I need a PW?

Lotto wrote in post #4948829
It's much lighter. Kind of like a speelight can trigger the strobes in the studio, why do I need a PW?

PW is wireless radio. No line of sight needed versus the infrared on the flash/ST-E2 and perhaps other cool features.

Lotto wrote in post #4948829
It's much lighter. Kind of like a speelight can trigger the strobes in the studio, why do I need a PW?

PW acts like and ST-E2, but you need one on the camera and one for every flash you're triggering. Can get expensive. If you want to go off camera cheaper, Elinchrom Skyports are very reliable and cost half the price...

I don't know why I keep telling people that though...I showed up to a Strobist meet in DC and I was the only one there with PW's...That sucked...

Village_Idiot wrote in post #4956061
PW acts like and ST-E2, but you need one on the camera and one for every flash you're triggering. Can get expensive. If you want to go off camera cheaper, Elinchrom Skyports are very reliable and cost half the price...

I don't know why I keep telling people that though...I showed up to a Strobist meet in DC and I was the only one there with PW's...That sucked...

What do you mean you were the only one there with PW's? What did everyone else have? I have a set of PW's which I haven't opened yet. Before I open it, I want to know how the 2 580ex II works first together using it as a master and slave. I just haven't gotten around to doing it.

nutsnbolts wrote in post #4956386
What do you mean you were the only one there with PW's? What did everyone else have? I have a set of PW's which I haven't opened yet. Before I open it, I want to know how the 2 580ex II works first together using it as a master and slave. I just haven't gotten around to doing it.

Skyports and other various triggers.

If I understand it right, one 580ex II on camera controls the second off camera with a burst of the flash that relays the TTL data. I'm not really up on how TTL works, but that's about the basics I got out of what PacAce was describing.

It can have it's limitations and you always have some sort of direct light coming from the camera.

indoor conditions it works perfect, outdoors forget it. I say bypass the ST-E2 and get the real deal.

Rudeofus wrote in post #4948753
Yes, the 580EX can do all that and more (e.g. control 3 groups instead of 2). What it can not do is be invisible on the photo (the E-TTL control pulse to fire the flashes is visible in the photo under certain conditions), weigh little and cost little.

I've heard the ST-E2 controls for ETTL only. Can it fire a 580EX II master in manual mode?

also if you use the 580ex II in place of the ST-E2...
can you turn the flash off on that unit? and say... fire other flashes via infared only?

You can turn of the main flash on the master but you still have a low power 'control flash' which can throw light on the subject if it is close enough. The ST-E2 can fire the slaves in any mode ETTL, Multi or Manual. I have found that outdoors when the sun shines on the slave flash sensors the ST-E2 can't trigger them, I had to make a sunshade for the sensor out of card.

how do you turn it off?
is it in the custom functions?

i had to -3 ev onthe flash

It is in the sel/set function button on a 550....just keep pressing it to cycle throughto that option. I guess a 580 is much the same....have a look in the manual otherwise

SnlpeR wrote in post #4962920
also if you use the 580ex II in place of the ST-E2...
can you turn the flash off on that unit? and say... fire other flashes via infared only?

I would like to add to DaveMcBride's comment (which should answer your question mostly) that the 580EX does not communicate through IR but through visible light pulses created by its main flash bulb. The ST-E2 also uses a flash bulb for its signals but has a filter in front of the bulb, so mostly IR gets transmitted.