Canon Speedlite 580EX II

Canon offers a wide range of camera flash units, giving a boost to the bog standard flash capabilities of the digital camera and turning it from a holiday snap happy unit to a more professional camera that is suitable for business use, or just giving the enthusiastic photographer some extra functionality. The Canon Speedlite 580EX II is at the top end of the price scale, and will set you back almost $500. However, are you paying for the promise of a name or does the unit really deliver?

Design

The Canon Speedlite 580EX II is rather cute in its appearance, thanks mostly to the little plastic foot, meaning that it will actually stand on a flat surface. However, there is concern amongst those in the know that this is also the Achilles heel, as no one is convinced that this is going to prove tough enough and not get snapped off. The little robot like flash is similar in design to Canon’s other units particularly its predecessor, the 580 EX, having the top section devoted to the light, some branding in the middle and the red indicator light centered at the bottom. On the back of the unit are the controls; however, these can be bypassed and the flash can be controlled from the LED screen of compatible cameras. If you should need the controls on the unit itself, not much has changed from the 580EX, just the on off feature has gone from a push button to a flick switch, there is still the familiar LED screen, and all other buttons remain unchanged.

Actual user review:
“I read a quote where someone said they’d rather have a good flash than another lens. Bingo! And this is a GREAT flash. I didn’t own the original 580, so I can’t comment on that. I do however own the 430EX and this is a terrific upgrade from that already very capable flash. The 580 – in case you don’t know – is capable of serving as the master in a master/slave relationship with other Canon flashes. It can, when used in ETTL mode, configure and determine the flash needs of up to three sets of flashes. You can set ratios, create sets and program everything from this one flash.
Alone, it’s one powerful little beast! True, it’s not a studio monolight, but try taking a set of those out to the park – or even the front yard – to get shots of the kids on prom night. This is a lot bigger than my 430, but not so big that it isn’t part of my ‘everyday’ kit. If I could do it all over again, I’d certainly purchase the 580 first, last and everything in between.” – A.Swanson (USA)

Performance

The older model has been replaced by the Canon Speedlite 580EX II which is a little surprising as the original 580 EX is not actually that old at all, but who are we to argue with the Canon boffins if this unit really is better? One of its features is an increased turn around on flash ready time. It has a 20% faster turn around time than the older unit, which is handy for continuous shooting, although the performance was good on the older unit anyway.

Canon has taken great care to improve the overall durability of this unit, and have added strength to the waterproof functionality and the dust protection of the unit. They have cut the noise level of the flash so much that it is now completely silent. You will just not hear this unit working at all.

Bottom Line

The Canon Speedlite 580EX II has been extremely well received in professional circles. This piece of kit is probably far too pricey and complex for anyone who does not use photography at a professional level, so in this case it is the professionals’ opinion that Canon will be seeking. It is generally accepted that this is the best of the best of the best, with very little bad to be said. A definite amount of head scratching is involved in trying to name any missing features, and overall big smiles from the users, so if asked our opinion we would have to say if you are a professional photographer look no further than the Canon Speedlite 580EX II. In fact, say cheese!

Average User Rating:

• “Like many photographers I used my 430EX as a flash, not a lighting tool. I set it to ETTL and fired away. I obviously required an additional unit and the 580EX II seemed to be the perfect choice. Powerful, feature rich, totally compatible with my Canon 30D, and rugged. With a guide number of 190 it produces all the light I will require. Fast, silent recycling, power on in .2 seconds, powerful AF assist and almost perfect exposure every shot. I use lithium-ion batteries to both hold the weight down and keep the recycling speed as fast as possible without resorting to an external power pac. One work of advise, read the manual. There is so much the 580EX II can do you need to use the manual extensively at first. One of the advantages of digital photography is you can experiment as much as you need to without wasting anything. The 580EX II gives you a studio lighting tool with none of the bulk and weight. Oh, yes. The 480 as a slave is a perfect partner.” – T.J.Loeb (USA)
• “I was in need of a flash for my Rebel XTI. I considered the 430 because I just did not want to spend the cash on the 580. Reading what others stated about how they were sorry that they did not get the 580 after first buying the 430 I bit the bullet and laid out the cash for the 580. I am glad that I did! The 580 is truly an amazing piece of equipment. It is intelligent and will change the way you take your pictures. It will add new dimensions of possibilities to your photography that the stock flash just could not do. If you have a zoom lens you will be surprised how far the flash will go. It will take some time to learn all the features if want to or you can just put it on the camera and take pictures in green mode and not learn anything. Recycle time is great. It will add some noticeable weight to your gear so prepare yourself for some added weight. In a nutshell I know that the 580 is not cheap but if you’re considering a flash for your EOS get this one it will not disappoint.” – R.F.Brennan (USA)

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