Are you looking for an investment in photography equipment? Well, if you are not new to this field, you already know that off camera products are a great aid to your ventures. For instance, Flash photography ain’t nothing without Canon Speedlite 580EX II; the only device which gives a “pop” to anything you are interested in shooting.

The Good Stuff about Canon Speedlite 580EX II Review?

Off camera flash products aren’t especially reviewed at tech products website. There are a couple of reasons. Let me state them for you:

• The reviewer will not write a Canon Speedlite 580EX II review because he/ she thinks these products are a waste of time.
• Since the equipment is not of complex nature and doesn’t involve difficult aspects, reviewing it is not deemed necessary.
• Canon Speedlite 580EX II and many other products accompanying this family, even though they are insanely famous all over the internet, are still kind of primitive because, well you know…. (you could always fill up the empty spaces here).

Okay, let’s get down to the pros of having Canon 580 EX by your side.

• Snap and shoot, Snap and shoot – the Canon 580 Ex has been blessed with an amazing recycle time. You are able to take multiple shots within a second; the flash doesn’t “phase” out easily. Normally with built in flash, the camera takes some time to fire up again, which indeed causes a delay during intense photography sessions.

• The light exposure is perfectly calibrated in Speedlite 580EX Canon flash series. Results of using this product are usually very impressive since the exposure amount is not way too strong or out of balance.

• The default TTL settings in Canon Speedlite series are very easy to override. You can use your own TTL controls if you are not satisfied with the ones that the 580 EX 2 comes with.

• Instead of high grade rechargeable Double AA batteries, if you are using the Flash with normal batteries, you will still make it as far as 400 to 500 shots. This product not only comes with energy efficiency, but it can last longer than conventional camera flash equipment in terms of battery consumption.

• Nice locking mechanism holds the 580 EX in its place. It doesn’t wobble or displace easily if you have jerky or shaky movements.

Any Negatives about Canon Speedlite 580EX II which You Should Know of?

Oh yeah, like all products, the Speedlite 580 EX 2 also has its own share of negatives. There are shortcomings in this off camera flash equipment, which I am sure that Canon could have avoided if they were to test the product before launching.

That doesn’t mean that Canon doesn’t test anything before releasing it. They do, but if in case of 580 EX II Flash series, if the research would have been based on thorough customer feedback, the end result would have been phenomenal.

• The overall size of Canon Speedlite 580EX II is kind of “huge”. Due to its bulky influence, some photographers do complain about the extra weight mounted on top of their devices. However, this isn’t that much of a BIG issue.
• People with stubby fingers are going to have a hard time pushing buttons on this thing.
• The 580 Ex ii Canon is independent of controlling other flash products/ features. Simply put, this is a slave product and it can only act alone or as a slave. You will not be able to control other flashes if you have got any already.

Villa Altair | Shot With Canon Mark II & Canon Speedlite 580EX II

The above “cons” are not that much of a hitch. The real deal that struck me as a negative with this product is the 180 degree Canon Speedlite 580EX II swivel issue. The fact that it goes to the right side, more than the left side, it kind of puts me off.

Normally, DSLR cameras come with a vertical grip and a shutter button by the side. Whenever you are holding the device, it is generally intended to be used in that vertical position. For instance, when I am shooting with my Canon EOS 60D, the flash results are phenomenal. I don’t see any dark circles underneath my subject eyes because of the vertical position of the flash – the up and down motion.

Taking the same logic and applying it to the swivel motion will probably not generate the results that you are looking for. However, you can find a configuration which works for you. Remember, your subjects are always or mostly dependent on you for shooting. You tell them what to do, how to stand, where to slouch and this will all work just fine in the long run.

Why Canon Speedlite 580EX II is Worth the Money?

At $569.95, I have to agree that a newbie level photographer will hardly consider buying this device. Why buy a flash, man? I mean, I have one built in my camera so let me make up some excuses:

• It is too heavy for me. I don’t like to lob around off camera flash that much.
• Will I ever use it?
• It is too expensive. Let alone, $200 is too much for me right now, so $500 is way beyond discussion here.

Whatever your reasons are, if you can buy Speedlite EX II from anywhere – even if it is on trial basis – GET it. Use this device for a while and you will realize that it was worth all the hassle. 80% of your indoor and outdoor photography will eventually crave this flash. In the end, with its dust and water resistant build, I am sure you can take a dive into the ocean and shoot the crap out of fishies. Good luck with that, bro.