Speedlite 600EX-RT full review
A new purchase to go with my EOS 70D (and existing 6D inspired me to write this review.
But this review needs some context. I have been using Canon flashguns (for some reason, the Japanese prefer the word 'speedlite') for 30 years. I have probably owned 20 different models since the days of the film era Canon F1 and FTb. In the late 60's right through to the late 70s, it was relatively unusual to use a marque speedlite (e.g. Canon, Nikon, etc). Third party products like Hasselblad / Metz and later Vivitar dominated the market. Flash exposure, initially manually controlled, was later replaced by 'thyrister' auto flash, which still used external ambient light calculations to control flash exposure.
In the 70s, we began to get more accurate through-the-lens flash metering (introduced by Olympus I believe) and dedication (e.g. setting flash sync speed on the camera and flash charge indication in the viewfinder). The central hot shoe co-axial contact became supplemented by dedication contacts. With TTL metering and dedication, the camera manufacturers were able to steal a march on the third party manufacturers, who struggled to keep up with the innovation. Hence, I used speedlites like the 155A, 199A with cameras like the AE1 and the superb A1.
What is the relevance of all this nostalgia? Well, Canon didn't introduce a TTL system until the FD era T90 in 1986. This landmark camera allowed spot metering with flash and multiple flash set-ups, among other things, using the 299T and 277T speedlites. This system was used with other cameras like the T50 and T70. The system came to be known as A-TTL and was carried over to the EOS system in 1987 onwards. For example, the chunky early EOS speedlites like the 300EZ and the 540EZ. But there was a problem. The system was prone to inaccuracies. Burnt out highlights could be a problem. Or a single bright spot in a scene (for example a reflective strip on a jacket) could cause the whole image to be underexposed. When EF system digital SLRs came to the fore in the early to mid- noughties, the problem got worse due to limited dynamic range of the early CMOS image chips.
Canon introduced the E-TTL system with the 1-series targeted 550EX, which was more closely integrated with the camera's metering system to produce better exposures. The first 430EX and 580EX speedlites introduced with the 5D and 1DS used the new system. The system worked well but it still wasn't as good as Nikon's. I was a big critic of Canon's ordinary metering algorithms too, such as on cameras as the 5D (an otherwise excellent 12mpx camera of course) - more often than not I used manual, as auto settings often overexposed.
So, two things happened. Canon brought out the iFCL metering system, which was much more accurate and they also launched the E-TTL mk2 flash system with the likes of 430EXII and 580EXII and now the 600EX. The 600EX is the best Canon flashgun I have used. I trialled it with the EOS 70D and found it gave the best flash exposures I have had with the Canon system and certainly in the digital era. The exposures were very good indeed and even the usual pitfalls such as white tablecloths or pastel coloured walls didn't burn out. Fill flash and ambient flash exposure out of doors worked well and I needed to use flash exposure compensation far less than hitherto.
The 600EX comes with a 100- odd page English manual, and well needs it. It is suitably complex as befits a £600 rrp speedlite. But basic operation is a joy. It is powered by just four AA batteries. There's a clear, illuminated LCD rear panel, bounce and tilt head (with autozoom, of course), high speed sync, exposure compensation, built in wide and diffuser and catch light bounce panel and this speedlite comes with a diffuser and coloured gel holder. It is weatherproof, has fast recycled function, external power connector for the CP-E3 and CP-E4 battery packs and co-axial cable connector and flash bracket, etc. And there are over 20 custom functions. The speedlite can also be fully controlled and customised from the camera's menu system. The speedlite has both optical wireless flash and the new radio wireless system and has an IR focus assist function too and can even do non-TTL flash exposures on a non-dedicated camera. Multiple flash is possible in both optical and radio wireless mode and the unit can be a slave or master. In conclusion, I haven't explored all the functionality fully yet but this is by far and away the most wholeheartedly I would recommend a Canon marque speedlite. Further update to follow...
But this review needs some context. I have been using Canon flashguns (for some reason, the Japanese prefer the word 'speedlite') for 30 years. I have probably owned 20 different models since the days of the film era Canon F1 and FTb. In the late 60's right through to the late 70s, it was relatively unusual to use a marque speedlite (e.g. Canon, Nikon, etc). Third party products like Hasselblad / Metz and later Vivitar dominated the market. Flash exposure, initially manually controlled, was later replaced by 'thyrister' auto flash, which still used external ambient light calculations to control flash exposure.
In the 70s, we began to get more accurate through-the-lens flash metering (introduced by Olympus I believe) and dedication (e.g. setting flash sync speed on the camera and flash charge indication in the viewfinder). The central hot shoe co-axial contact became supplemented by dedication contacts. With TTL metering and dedication, the camera manufacturers were able to steal a march on the third party manufacturers, who struggled to keep up with the innovation. Hence, I used speedlites like the 155A, 199A with cameras like the AE1 and the superb A1.
What is the relevance of all this nostalgia? Well, Canon didn't introduce a TTL system until the FD era T90 in 1986. This landmark camera allowed spot metering with flash and multiple flash set-ups, among other things, using the 299T and 277T speedlites. This system was used with other cameras like the T50 and T70. The system came to be known as A-TTL and was carried over to the EOS system in 1987 onwards. For example, the chunky early EOS speedlites like the 300EZ and the 540EZ. But there was a problem. The system was prone to inaccuracies. Burnt out highlights could be a problem. Or a single bright spot in a scene (for example a reflective strip on a jacket) could cause the whole image to be underexposed. When EF system digital SLRs came to the fore in the early to mid- noughties, the problem got worse due to limited dynamic range of the early CMOS image chips.
Canon introduced the E-TTL system with the 1-series targeted 550EX, which was more closely integrated with the camera's metering system to produce better exposures. The first 430EX and 580EX speedlites introduced with the 5D and 1DS used the new system. The system worked well but it still wasn't as good as Nikon's. I was a big critic of Canon's ordinary metering algorithms too, such as on cameras as the 5D (an otherwise excellent 12mpx camera of course) - more often than not I used manual, as auto settings often overexposed.
So, two things happened. Canon brought out the iFCL metering system, which was much more accurate and they also launched the E-TTL mk2 flash system with the likes of 430EXII and 580EXII and now the 600EX. The 600EX is the best Canon flashgun I have used. I trialled it with the EOS 70D and found it gave the best flash exposures I have had with the Canon system and certainly in the digital era. The exposures were very good indeed and even the usual pitfalls such as white tablecloths or pastel coloured walls didn't burn out. Fill flash and ambient flash exposure out of doors worked well and I needed to use flash exposure compensation far less than hitherto.
The 600EX comes with a 100- odd page English manual, and well needs it. It is suitably complex as befits a £600 rrp speedlite. But basic operation is a joy. It is powered by just four AA batteries. There's a clear, illuminated LCD rear panel, bounce and tilt head (with autozoom, of course), high speed sync, exposure compensation, built in wide and diffuser and catch light bounce panel and this speedlite comes with a diffuser and coloured gel holder. It is weatherproof, has fast recycled function, external power connector for the CP-E3 and CP-E4 battery packs and co-axial cable connector and flash bracket, etc. And there are over 20 custom functions. The speedlite can also be fully controlled and customised from the camera's menu system. The speedlite has both optical wireless flash and the new radio wireless system and has an IR focus assist function too and can even do non-TTL flash exposures on a non-dedicated camera. Multiple flash is possible in both optical and radio wireless mode and the unit can be a slave or master. In conclusion, I haven't explored all the functionality fully yet but this is by far and away the most wholeheartedly I would recommend a Canon marque speedlite. Further update to follow...
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