Canon Speedlite 4. EX II Flash Review. You are looking at one of the most popular DSLR accessories available - a shoe- mount flash. The Canon Speedlite 4. EX II Flash, at the time of this review, is Canon's middle child of standard Speedlite flashes. It contains a big amount of functionality, power and style in a modestly priced and sized body. The Canon Speedlite 4.
Very basic directions on how to change the settings in Manual Mode on your 430 EX II flash. 2 Thank you for purchasing a Canon product. The Canon Speedlite 430EX is a multi- feature flash unit for Canon EOS cameras. It works automatically with E-TTL II, E. Compatible Canon Camera Bodies. The 430EX II can be used with all digital SLR cameras from Canon in ETTL mode for first gen camera bodies and ETTL(II) with current.
EX II Flash replaces the Canon 4. EX Speedlite Flash, so let's start with a review of the upgrades.
You are looking at one of the most popular DSLR accessories available - a shoe-mount flash. The Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash, at the time of this review, is Canon's. Este es un video que pretende dar a conocer la información más relevante del modelo de flash Speedlite 430 EXII de la marca canon, es una producción con.
Enhancements include 2. EOS cameras, all Speedlite 4.
EX II settings can be controlled through the camera menu system as seen below. These enhancements are nice. The silent recycling is a change that I have mixed feelings about. Silent flash charging is definitely more professional and less distracting to others, but being able to audibly identify a full flash charge is useful to me.
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Overall, the 4. 30. EX II functions very well - I don't have any complaints. Actually, all of the current Speedlites work well, so to choose the right one(s) for you means looking at the other differentiators including power and features. Pinpointing the 4. EX II's position in the current Canon Speedlite system is helpful. All "EX" series Speedlites are compatible with all EOS camera bodies. I will include most of the discontinued EX Speedlite models at the bottom of the following feature and specification charts.
All dimensions are Wx. Hx. D. Batteries are not included in the weight specifications. AA Alkaline or Ni. MH rechargeable batteries - definitely use Ni. MH for both cost, environmental and performance reasons). The ST- E2 (not a flash - a flash transmitter - more later) utilizes a 2. CR5 lithium battery.
A not- in- your- face size observation is that the flash height helps the light clear large and wide angle lenses - . The height also helps reduce the red- eye effect. In the size and weight category, the Canon Speedlite 4. EX II Flash falls between the 2. EX and the 5. 80. EX II, but is closer to the 5.
EX II. The 4. 30. EX II is closer to the 5. EX II in the features category as well. Guide Number is based on a 1.
D which is based on 1. What is a "Guide Number"?
Guide Number = Distance × f/number at ISO 1. Put this formula into practice. For the 2. 20. EX Flash guide number of 7. How about another definition: Guide Number = Power. More power is better as the flash can adjust to lower power when full power is not required, but more than full power is never available. Angle of Coverage figures show the flash's native zoom head range and the wide angle coverage available by using the built- in (pull- out, flip- down) diffuser if so equipped.
Listed focal lengths are for a full frame body. A 1. 7mm focal length setting on a lens mounted to a 1. DSLR such as the. Canon EOS 5. 0D requires flash coverage of 2. Corners become darkened when using lenses wider than the angle of coverage. Flashes listed with a single focal length range do not have zoom heads (does that make them "prime" flashes?). Longer focal lengths can of course be used with any of these flashes, but light falling outside of the framed image will usually be wasted.
The Canon Speedlite 4. EX II Flash will automatically compensate for FOVCF when attached to compatible smaller- sensor bodies.
In my opinion, the Tilt/Swivel option is very important. It is a big differentiator between the flashes - I'll show you why later in this review. Recycle time specifications are based on new AA Alkaline batteries. Ni. MH batteries have much less internal resistance than alkaline batteries resulting in significantly shorter re- cycle times (around 3. Ni. MH batteries also give more consistent (full) power until they are discharged while alkalines will recycle the flash more and more slowly as they expend their life. Eneloop batteries - they hold their charge very well).
When two recycle times are given for a flash, the numbers are referencing rapid and normal charging modes respectively. All of the above- compared Canon flashes have an AF assist beam for enabling autofocus in very dark or low- contrast situations. With exception of the 5. D, these flashes project a visible red grid pattern (yielding both light and contrast) for the camera's AF to lock onto. This system works on even a white wall. This beam offers coverage for up to a specific number of AF points.
In the case of the 4. EX II, up to 9 AF points are covered. This matches Canon's current non- 1- Series bodies nicely. This does not mean the 4.
EX II cannot be used on the 4. Series bodies, but AF point coverage is not as optimal. The 4. 30. EX II's AF Assist beam is useful out to about 3. E- TTL II (Electronic- Through The Lens version II) is Canon's latest (as of this review date) flash exposure metering system. A preflash along with subject distance information (when available) is used to determine the proper amount of light to. E- TTL II also provides improved white balance when the camera is set to Auto or Flash white balance.
Slight variations in a flash gun's voltage and brightness can destabilize white balance in respective frames during continuous shooting. The Speedlite 4. 30. EX II compensates for this by transmitting color information from the flash to the camera. This information is then used to optimize the white balance setting for each individual image." [Canon]. Manual flash power is a very useful feature.
If your subject distance, light levels and camera settings are constant, determine and manually set the proper flash power. Every exposure will be correct. The Canon Speedlite 4. EX II Flash has 9 custom functions. These are adjusted using parenthesis- shaped buttons and the set button between them. Settings are displayed on the rear LCD panel while being reviewed/changed.
These nine functions are. C. Fn- 0. 0: Distance Indicator Display (ft/m)C. Fn- 0. 1: Auto Power Off Activation (On/Off)C. Fn- 0. 2: Modeling Flash (3 Enabled Button Options/Disabled)C. Fn- 0. 7: Test Firing with Autoflash (1/3.
Full Output)C. Fn- 0. AF- Assist Beam (Disabled/Enabled)C. Fn- 0. 9: Auto Zoom for Sensor Size (Enabled, Disabled)C. Fn- 1. 0: Slave Auto Power Off Time (6. Min, 1. 0 Min)C. Fn- 1. Slave Auto Power Off Cancel (Within 8 Hr, Within 1 Hr)C.
Fn- 1. 4: Flash Range/Aperture Info (Max Distance/Aperture Display). The little chart below says a lot.
Canon's wireless remote Speedlite Flash system opens the door for infinite creativity. To create a Canon wireless Speedlite system, you need a master (the controller) and slave (remote flash). From the chart above, it is obvious that the role the Canon Speedlite 4.
EX II Flash plays in this system is as a slave only. There are other methods for firing flashes remotely including the popular. Pocket Wizard Radio Transceivers. Canon's wireless system is based on light which requires direct line of sight (or surfaces that bounce the light). The radio- controlled systems easily penetrate objects such as walls and typically are useful over a much longer range. The 5. 80. EX II has a PC Synch In port that makes it easier to use these alternative devices. I'll give an example of remote flash use later in this review.
Here is what the current flashes look like (use mouseover links below images). All of these devices are well built. Aside from the 5. EX II's weather sealing, build quality is not a good reason to choose between them. On the front, each of these flashes (and the flash transmitter) has a red window - this is the source of the AF assist light.
A light from this window will intermittently flash while setup in slave/remote mode. The darker window on the 4. EX II and 5. 80. EX II is the remove/slave receiver. Do not block this area when using the flash as a remote. The size of the flash head varies somewhat between these flashes.
The larger the light source, the softer the light will be. Larger is usually desired and smaller can easily be made with accessories such as snoots. However, the differences seen here are not enough to matter unless you are shooting at macro differences. If you look above the pull- out/flip- down diffusers, you see a thin white line on the 5. EX II that is missing on the 4. EX II. This is a white bounce card that is useful for sending a little light forward for fill and catchlights when shooting in the bounce position.
Moving to the back of the flashes, the first thing I notice is that the slave/off switch is gone on the 4. EX II (the 4. 30. EX has one). Like the 5. EX II, this setting is changed on the 4.
EX II by holding the zoom button in. This feature is definitely not as quickly accessed via the button as the old switch - and many of us are not thrilled by this change. The 4. 30. EX II provides parenthesis- shaped push buttons for settings changes. EX utilizes a much easier/faster to use wheel. My medium- sized hands and fingers do not find the 4. EX II's push buttons easy to press (they are recessed and too narrow).
A sign of the 5. 80. EX II's weather sealing can be seen when comparing the 4. EX II and 5. 80. EX II back images. Metal from the hot shoe is visible on the 4. EX II while the weather sealing covers the 5. EX II's shoe. The 2. EX and ST- E2 both have plastic mounts.
Though not obvious in these pictures, the 5. EX II has an additional mode, Auto External, available via the mode button.
The 2. 20. EX, while cute, is nearly featureless on the back. The ST- E2 is very busy (but easy to use) with its ratio and channel settings and info on its back. The left side of the flashes is rather boring. The 4. 30. EX has a flash bracket mount (for a Canon SB- E2 Speedlite Bracket) under the small cover.
EX II adds a very nice feature for heavy flash users - an external power port. The 2. 20. EX battery door is on the left, the 4. EX II and 5. 80. EX II battery doors are on the right. The single- button tilt- swivel adjustment release is located on the right of the two larger flashes.
All of Canon's flashes come with a nice padded case. The newer ST- E2 cases are constructed of nylon like the 4. EX II and 5. 80. EX II cases. The glaring omission from the cases is a belt loop.