30-Oct-2007 update on functionality: Read this very informative thread started by Cityphotog about the limitations imposed by Canon on the External Metering mode of the 580 EX II when used with Canon DSLR cameras other than the 1D Mark III and 40D.
I bought the Canon 580EX II two days after I got my 40D.
It is beautifully designed and truly a work of art. Build quality is top notch, and I have no complaints whatsoever with the placement of buttons and functionality.
In fact, it is superior in every way to my Nikon SB-800 flash where build, fit, finish and operation are concerned.
I will post up side by side pictures soon enough to compare both products.
The 40D plus 580 EX II outperforms my Nikon D70 plus SB-800 in two key areas:
- On the Nikon system, there is a noticeable delay between the pre-flash that is used for metering and the final flash. This causes some people to blink. You have probably heard of the case of subjects with drooping eyelids appearing in the picture because of this.
I’m happy to report that the Canon 40D plus 580 EX II has no such issues. You cannot perceive any existence of a pre-flash, if there is one at all. Two thumbs up to Canon.
By the way, you will also notice a pre-flash on the Pentax K10D. The delay between the pre-flash and final flash is similar to that on the D70.
With the Nikon range of digital SLRs, the length of delay between pre-flash and final flash is dependent on the model. The pre-flash delay is very noticeable with the D70 and D40, for instance, and virtually non-existent on the D200. I’ll update this finding when I get to try out the D300 and D3.
<li>In terms of exposure, I get much better results with the 40D plus 580 EX II than I can with the D70 plus SB-800. Especially when I bounce the flash. On the Nikon system, I have to increase the flash exposure by 0.7 EV whenever I bounce the flash, and remember to set it back to 0.0 EV when I point the flash head back into its default, forward-facing orientation.
There’s absolutely no need to do this with the Canon system. Exposure is consistent whether the flash head is pointing upwards to the ceiling, or forward at the subject. Two thumbs up to Canon.
There’s more to the review, and I will be updating it with more notes. In the meantime, here are some images to give you an idea of the kind of exposures you can get with the 40D plus 580 EX II combination. Some of them have a link to the full-sized original. Lens used was the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 USM.
At a dinner gathering: Bounced flash, Manual mode, Evaluative metering, 1/60 sec, f/4.5, ISO 400, Portrait picture style.
My friend’s electrostatic speakers: Bounced flash, Manual mode, Evaluative metering, 1/60 sec, f/4.5, ISO 400, Portrait picture style. Slight underexposure is probably due to the white walls. Canon is clear that distance data cannot be used when the flash is bounced (this is similar to the Nikon system).
My friend’s living room: Bounced flash, Manual mode, Evaluative metering, 1/60 sec, f/4.5, ISO 400, Portrait picture style. Full-sized original.
A bottle of white wine: Bounced flash, Av mode, Evaluative metering, 1/25 sec, f/2.8, ISO 400, Standard picture style. Full-sized original. Ole Thorsen told me in no uncertain terms that in future, I’d better put on decent clothing before taking this type of shot.
Teddy bear and a bottle of white wine: Bounced flash, Manual mode, Evaluative metering, 1/60 sec, f/3.5, ISO 400, Portrait picture style. Full-sized original.
My niece and her new Persian cat: Direct flash, Av mode, Evaluative metering, 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 400, Standard picture style. Observe how pointing the flash head directly at the subject causes the background to go quite dark, hence the reason why it’s almost always recommended to use bounced flash instead.
Miscellaneous observations
- When the 580 EX II is used with the 40D in Auto white balance, and where the primary light source is the flash itself, the pictures come out a little on the cold (bluish) side. Nothing that can’t be fixed with a little fine-tuning of the white balance.