Just a quick announcement to say that registration is now open for the free Speedliting seminar that I will present at Canon’s Hollywood Tech Center on Tuesday, June 12. I will be discussing the many ways to shoot wireless flash with Canon Speedlites — including a [...]]]>

Just a quick announcement to say that registration is now open for the free Speedliting seminar that I will present at Canon’s Hollywood Tech Center on Tuesday, June 12. I will be discussing the many ways to shoot wireless flash with Canon Speedlites — including a demonstration of the new 600EX-RT Speedlite and ST-E3-RT Speedlite Transmitter. Again, the event is free (thanks to Canon’s support). Seats are limited. Pre-registration is required. For the details and registration page, click here.

Location:
Canon Hollywood Professional Technology & Support Center
6060 Sunset Blvd
Hollywood, California 90028
map here

Date/Time:
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
6:00-8:00pm

My Buttons and Dials Tour of the new 600EX-RT Speedlite and the ST-E3-RT Speedlite Transmitter has been published on the Canon Pro Network site. Click here to check it out. You’ll find the video clips interspersed with additional insights and pix from several shoots that I did with the new [...]]]>

My Buttons and Dials Tour of the new 600EX-RT Speedlite and the ST-E3-RT Speedlite Transmitter has been published on the Canon Pro Network site. Click here to check it out. You’ll find the video clips interspersed with additional insights and pix from several shoots that I did with the new lighting gear.

As for availability of the new Speedlite and Wireless Transmitter, I’ve received reports from several PixSylarians that they recently received their new gear. You can check out more details about the 600EX-RT and ST-E3-RT  on B&H.

Also, my Strobes and Speedlights workshop in Paso Robles will feature the new Canon system (although the workshop  in non-denominational and covers big lights too.) The workshop is scheduled for June 4-8. You’ll find the details here.

In July 2009, I published an article titled ‘My Canon Speedlite Wishlist’ on PixSylated. Having just finished a two-week series of workshops with Nikon flashmaster Joe McNally, I brainstormed and daydreamed about the features that I wish I had on my Canon [...]]]>

In July 2009, I published an article titled ‘My Canon Speedlite Wishlist’ on PixSylated. Having just finished a two-week series of workshops with Nikon flashmaster Joe McNally, I brainstormed and daydreamed about the features that I wish I had on my Canon Speedlites.

In the Wishlist, I explained why I wanted features like:
• a wireless switch on the outside of the flash
• getting rid of ratios for multi-Speedlite control
• offering a digital control unit
• incorporating radio technology
• stretching out the zoom
• a gel holder.

The post went viral on the web. Over 500 photographers added their insights and desires. Some of the most-requested features included:
• a battery meter
• the ability to read custom functions on the flash LCD
• the ability to shut individual groups off
• a beep when a flash recycles.

Was Canon listening? It’s now obvious that they were. I’ll go through the details after the jump. Oh wait…that happened a week ago when Canon announced the 600EX-RT Speedlite and the ST-E3-RT Speedlite Transmitter.

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SO, here’s a rundown of the points raised in ‘My Canon Speedlite Wishlist’”

1. Put the wireless switch back on the outside. YES—we now have a dedicated wireless switch on the 600EX-RT Speedlite. So getting into and out of wireless is only a couple of button pushes away.

2. Design the external wireless switch with four options. BETTER—I wanted the wireless switch to be incorporated into the power switch. Canon came up with a better solution by assigning wireless functions to a dedicated button and adding a Lock setting to the power switch. So, when you get the settings where you want them, slide the switch to Lock and you don’t have to worry about bumping the power setting by accident.

3. Come to understand that not everyone lights from the front. YES—Canon’s new radio technology gives us the freedom to put Speedlites virtually anywhere around the subject.

4. Adopt a better icon for wireless mode. YES—We now have a unique icon for radio transmission (that actually resembles a radio antenna) and an upgraded icon for optical transmission.

5. Ditch the “Master / Slave” language. NO—we still call them masters and slaves. Interestingly, in the manual for the SB-900, Nikon does too. So, I no longer feel as politically incorrect as I did in 2009.

6. Call groups what they are—groups. YES—The term ‘Slave ID’ has been retired. Groups are now groups.

7. Get rid of ratios. NO & YES—Canon has carried forward all of the functionality of the previous generation of Speedlites. So, if you like Flash Exposure Bracketing or multi-light ETTL control via Ratios, then you’ll still find them in the new gear. However, for those of us who’ve lusted after Nikon’s more direct approach of dialing EV up or down for each ETTL group…hurrah! the new Group mode enables us to do this (but you have to have a 5D Mark III or 1D X to access this new functionality).

8. Create a true 3- or (better yet) 4-group control system. BETTER—In fact, in the new Group mode, we now have five groups. Again, this functionality requires a 2012 camera.

9. Offer a digital control unit. YES—The ST-E3-RT is an elegant, low-profile digital control unit. So, I no longer lust after Nikon’s SU-800.

10. Add a built-in optical trigger. NO—If you want to mix your Canon Speedlites with other brands of gear (such as when shooting with studio strobes), you still have to use radio triggers (like PocketWizards) or attach an optical slave circuit. [For details on using optical slave circuits, read this article.]

11. License the RadioPopper technology. BETTER—I still think that Kevin King is a hero for inventing the RadioPopper and, thereby, showing the world that radio-based ETTL control is possible. Canon’s integration of 2.4 GHz radio offers more flexibility than RadioPopper because I do not have to have different models for different countries.

12. Add a couple more stops of Flash Exposure Compensation. NO/SORT OF—We still have a three stop range of FEC. The easy workaround is to switch into Group Mode and then dial power for a specific group up or down in Manual.

13. Stretch out the Zoom. YES—The zoom on the 600EX-RT now ranges from 20mm to 200mm.

14. Include a dome diffuser. NO—I still wish that Canon would provide this 25-cent bit of plastic. The size, shape, and design of the 600EX-RT is different enough from the 580EX II that Sto-Fen will likely have to tool up for a new model.

15. Include a gel holder. YES—we now have a dedicated gel holder and a sensor that communicates to the camera when a stock gel is in place. Right now, Canon includes what appears to be a CTO and a half-CTO get. I’ve yet to test the system with other gels.

16. Ditch the penguin. YES—we now have a blonde in the lighting diagrams (shown below).

17. Give me a breath of hope that Canon actually cares about their Speedlite system. YES—it was a long wait, but the answer is now obvious. If I could afford a ticket to Japan, I’d head over and buy the Speedlite engineers several rounds of beer.

What about the reader requests?

1. Battery Meter. YES—while we do not have a battery meter that indicates all voltages, we do have a low-battery icon that gives a warning that it’s time to change batteries.

2. Ability to read custom functions on Speedlite. YES—the new dot-matrix LCD makes a wide range of words and icons possible. So, now it’s actually possible to change Custom Functions in the field without having a cheat sheet in your pocket.

3. Ability to shut individual groups off. YES—The new Group Mode enables individual groups to be turned on/off. It also enables individual groups to be run in different modes and control for up to five groups. Again, you must have a 2012 camera to access Group Mode. Our current cameras can’t even think this way.

4. Beep, beep, we want a beep. BETTER—Canonistas have long lusted after Nikon’s humble beep as an indicator that a Speedlite has recycled. Canon has designed far better functionality. Thanks to the 2-way radio in the new Canon gear, each slave actually reports to the master when it has recycled. Then, when all the slaves in a group have recycled, the master displays a ready-icon for that group. Then, when all the slaves have checked in as recycled, the master sound the long-awaited beep! So, even when there’s a wall or window between you and your slaved Speedlites, you’ll know when they are ready to go. And yes, the beep can be turned off for quiet places like churches.

From the 600EX-RT user manual...the new blonde.

Workshops Featuring the New Canon Speedlite System

Strobes & Speedlites on Location, Paso Robles Workshops, April 23-27, 2012

Canon Speedlites Demystified, Maine Media Workshops, August 19-25, 2012

Other Stories About the New Canon Speedlite System

Video: Hands-On With The Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite & ST-E3-RT Speedlite Transmitter

First Impressions: Testing Canon’s Speedlite 600EX-RT & Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT

For the past week, I’ve had the good fortune to be able to shoot a trio of Canon’s new 600-EX-RT Speedlites and the new ST-E3-RT Speedlite Transmitter (shown above). The gear was provided to me by Canon-Europe for evaluation. Next week, you will see my expanded thoughts about putting [...]]]>

For the past week, I’ve had the good fortune to be able to shoot a trio of Canon’s new 600-EX-RT Speedlites and the new ST-E3-RT Speedlite Transmitter (shown above). The gear was provided to me by Canon-Europe for evaluation. Next week, you will see my expanded thoughts about putting the system to several tests on their Canon Pro Network site.

If you want the short version of my assessment, then I’ll say “Canonistas, hold your heads high. Again, we are on the cutting edge of technology. Welcome to the future of Speedliting!”

I have a ton of info to share about the new system. I also have a couple of videos coming very soon. In the first (here), I put the new Speedlite system through a number of shoots on location. The second (coming soon) is a detailed tour of all the buttons and dials.

Here are my first impressions and observations:

Two-Way Radio — Canon has broken into new territory by adding 2.4 Ghz radio to the system. For the first time ever, the slaves can send messages to the master. So, not only did I control slaves outside the building, they sent messages back to the master when they recycled. So now, we do not have to guess when remote Speedlites are ready to fire. This is a huge advantage over the previous generations of Speedlites.

Range — I controlled and fired Speedlites from 340′ (100m) away. I was able to switch modes, dial in power and FEC adjustments, etc. This was done in open countryside with no RF interference. In urban environments, the range will be much shorter. The draft user manual that I received states the range at 98′ (30m). Frankly, I’ve never come upon a situation where I wanted to first a Speedlite at 340′.

Sync Speeds — I shot at all sync speeds, up to 1/8000″ in High-Speed Sync, on both my 5DM2 and my 60D. I used both a 600EX-RT Speedlite and the ST-E3-RT transmitter to trigger. In hundreds of frames over the past week, I have not had one sync issue. The manual says that on pre-2012 cameras (anything other than 1D X and 5DM3), the system takes a one-stop hit in sync speed and that HSS is not possible. This will be an interesting area to watch as others begin to use the gear.

The new Group mode allows individual control of up to five groups.

5 Groups / Individual Control — There is a new wireless mode (Group – Gr.) that enables individual control of up to five groups. The mode for each group can be set independently. Each group can be turned on/off at will. To make this work, you must use a 2012 camera (1D X, 5DM3). For me, this functionality is a compelling reason to upgrade both Speedlites and camera.

Larger, Brighter LCD — The dot-matrix LCD is a quantum leap beyond the previous systems. The icons and menu options are easier to read. The backlight can be set at green or orange. I have normal and master modes in green and slave in orange. This made it easy to confirm wireless configuration in dim light. The screen will also turn red if the unit gets too hot (which I have yet to see).

The new LCD is larger, brighter, and sharper. 580EX II on left. 600EX-RT on right.

Interactive Menu System — Thanks to the functionality of the new LCD, the interactive menu system is much more intuitive to control. No longer do we have functions hiding under functions. You just keep pressing the Menu button on the right side to see additional menu options. I go through this in detail in the second video (to be online Friday afternoon).

Dedicated Wireless Button — Far better than the Off-Master-Lever on the 580EX and the Press-And-Hold-Forever button on the 580EX II…we now have a dedicated button for the wireless system. You can see it in the photo below — left side with the sideways flashbolt. The button can be configured to cycle through radio only, optical only, or radio and then optical wireless.

The channel scan shows with of the radio channels are the strongest.

15 Channels, 10,000 Wireless IDs, and a Channel Scanner — The radio works on 15 channels in the 2.4 GHz range. So does your cordless phone, your Bluetooth earbud, your wireless router, and your microwave oven. The channel scanner provides insights on which channels are the cleanest. In addition to the master and slaves being on the same channel, they must also be on the same Wireless ID. Since these run from 0000 to 9999, there are literally 10,000 wireless IDs for every channel.

Wider & Longer Zoom — The zoom now ranges from 20mm to 200mm. For a guy like me, this is a very welcome addition…not because I can shoot flash farther now (which is true). Rather, I like to use the zoom to tighten the pattern of my light and create natural vignettes.

Is The 600EX More Powerful Than The 580EX II?  – In a word, no. Thanks to the 200mm zoom, the Guide Number table has been expanded. If you look at the Guide Number for 105mm, you will find that it matches that of the 580EX II.

How Is The ST-E3-RT Transmitter Different From The 600EX-RT Speedlite? Well, the ST-E3-RT runs on two AA batteries (rather than four). It also lacks the flash head and the Auto-Focus Assist Light. The ST-E3-RT has a sleek, low-profile design. In terms of buttons, dials, and menus, they are basically identical twins. And, yes, I wish that the ST-E3-RT had an AF-Assist light.

Compatibility With 580EX II and Earlier Speedlites — Canon has done a good job of maintaining backwards compatibility with the existing line of Speedlites. The new 600EX-RT system works in radio mode or optical mode — but not both at the same time. This means that you can use the 600EX-RT with earlier generations of EX Speedlites by using optical transmission for wireless mode. Yes, it’s fair to say that, in optical mode, the 600EX-RT a better looking 580EX II.

Dedicated Gel Holder & Gel Sensor — I haven’t shot with this thoroughly yet. The Speedlite came with two gels — presumably a CTO and Half-CTO. There is a sensor on the bottom of the head that will advise the camera of the presence of the gel. One area that I will explore is how this interacts with gels other than CTO and Half-CTO.

Is There A 600EX? There are some countries that do not use the 2.4GHz band for unlicensed wireless devices. I’m told that, in these countries, Canon will sell the Speedlite without wireless using the model name 600EX.

Can the 600EX-RT and ST-E3-RT Be Used Anywhere? It’s my understanding that the new system can be used in any country that uses the 2.4 GHz band for unlicensed wireless devices. This includes most of the developed world.

Will The ST-E3-RT Work With The 580EX II? The ST-E3-RT is a radio-only device. The 580EX II is an optical only device. So, no, the ST-E3-RT will not control older Speedlites.

Videos and more info to come… 

In the video: putting the new Speedlites to the test during one crazy shoot.

For all who have inquired over the past several months, I’ve just decided to hold a five-day lighting workshop, April 23-27 in my hometown (Paso Robles–halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco).

If you’ve ever wondered how to combine strobes and small flash, this workshop is for you. Over the course of five [...]]]>

For all who have inquired over the past several months, I’ve just decided to hold a five-day lighting workshop, April 23-27 in my hometown (Paso Robles–halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco).

If you’ve ever wondered how to combine strobes and small flash, this workshop is for you. Over the course of five days, we’ll combine large strobes (think Profoto D1 Air on a battery pack) and small flash (think Canon Speedlites or Nikon Speedlights). We’ll shoot on a variety of locations–both indoors and outside.

In this workshop, I’ll combine everything I learned over 15 years of shooting large lights with all I know about using small flash. Both systems have their strengths and challenges. I’ve found, by using both, that there can be a great synergy between the two.

The week also promises to be a great one in terms of food and scenery. As the hub of California’s central coast wine district, Paso Robles is a town for foodies. So, each day, we’ll walk a few minutes from the studio and have lunch at some of my favorite cafes and restaurants.

For more details, click here.

Getting The Most Out Of Canon Speedlites, the third in my series of presentations in the Event Space at B&H Photo’s NYC superstore, is now on YouTube. In this video, I talk about how and when to use a single Speedlite on- and off-camera. For [...]]]>  

Getting The Most Out Of Canon Speedlites, the third in my series of presentations in the Event Space at B&H Photo’s NYC superstore, is now on YouTube. In this video, I talk about how and when to use a single Speedlite on- and off-camera. For tips on shooting wireless, check out my December talk at B&H, Multi-Flash Speedliting (here on YouTube) .

Getting The Most Out Of Canon Speedlites: HD version.

Getting The Most Out Of Canon Speedlites: standard-def version.

In the presentation, I talk about:

• How To Set The Power in ETTL and Manual
• Speedlite Settings: Sync, Zoom, Pan, & Tilt
• Hard and Soft: Shaping Light To Match Your Vision
• My Favorite Modifiers For Speedlites

For a more detailed look at how I shoot with flash, including footage from a number of studio and location shoots, check out my two online courses at Kelby Training: Working With Speedlites: One Flash and  Working With Speedlites: Multi-Flash.

I’m a sucker for great photographs of people doing things I don’t have the guts to do. As proof, I buy the photo annuals of mags like Snowboarder and Surfer. Yesterday, the March-April, 2012 issue of Sierra Magazine landed in my mailbox. In it, I found an insightful article by Jonathan Thesenga (former editor-in-chief [...]]]>

I’m a sucker for great photographs of people doing things I don’t have the guts to do. As proof, I buy the photo annuals of mags like Snowboarder and Surfer. Yesterday, the March-April, 2012 issue of Sierra Magazine landed in my mailbox. In it, I found an insightful article by Jonathan Thesenga (former editor-in-chief of Climbing magazine) that surveys the work of five climbing photographers.

The good news is that you can read Jonathan’s article and see the pix right here on the Sierra mag site. Afterwards, use the links I’ve collected below to learn more about these amazing shooters.

• Jimmy Chin – Portfolio, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Nat. Geographic Bio

• Jonathan Griffith - Portfolio, Alpine Exposures Bio

• Dan Fidelman – Stone Nudes Project, Facebook, Bio on Climbing.com

• Keith Ladzinski - Portfolio, Vimeo, Adventure Photography Workshop

• Tom Evans – ElCap-Pics.com, Blog, Facebook

In 2008, when I started blogging, I created PixSylated as a platform to talk about the world of imagemaking at large. I covered digital photography, the birth of HDSLR cinematography, copyrights, lighting, and whatever else I found to be of interest.

In 2010, as I went deep into [...]]]>

PixSylated + Speedliting = PixSylated

In 2008, when I started blogging, I created PixSylated as a platform to talk about the world of imagemaking at large. I covered digital photography, the birth of HDSLR cinematography, copyrights, lighting, and whatever else I found to be of interest.

In 2010, as I went deep into the world of small flash for my Speedliter’s Handbook project, I created Speedliting. The idea was that I would cover lighting on Speedliting and everything else on PixSylated. Try as I did, I never maintained the momentum to feed two blogs. Remember…blog rhymes with flog and slog.

So, now that it’s 2012, I’ve merged the content of Speedliting into PixSylated. Going forward, I will again cover the world of light and imagemaking from a larger perspective. You’ll soon see articles and videos on how I use large lights and how I shoot motion as well as my continuing work with Speedlites. You’ll also see coverage of anything in the realm of light and imagemaking that I find to be of interest.

Now for a bit of housekeeping—Subscriptions: 
1. If you were an email or RSS subscriber of Speedliting, you are now subscribed to PixSylated and will continue to receive new posts automatically.
2. If you were an email or RSS subscriber of PixSylated (or would like to be), you need to (re)subscribe to PixSylated. For a free, email  subscription to new posts, just enter your email address below and then look for an activation link in your mailbox. For an RSS subscription, follow the normal steps for your browser.