Canon announces new 270ex speedlight...

[joshroot]

<p>Along with the new Rebel T1i, Canon also announced a new speedlight flash for the EOS system. The 270ex flash replaces the 220ex. Compared to its predecessor, the 270ex has a higher guide number (22 vs 27), the ability to tilt the head for bounce flash up to 90 degrees, and manual flash over-ride (through the camera) offering a nice 1/1-1/64 range of manual power settings.</p>

<p>Slightly more here on the PN blog:</p>

<p>http://blog.photo.net/?p=5191</p>

<p>Short version: Looks cool. A shame that you can't control anything from the flash itself. But what do you expect for a lower end flash? No price yet. But if it's in the same range as the 220ex, I think they will sell well as a "first flash" and even as an "economical backup"</p>

[daniel flather]

<p>This would be a great flash for the G10 that I don't own.</p>

[steve_crist]

<p>Does it have "master/slave" capability? It looks like it could be use as a background light in a 3-light wireless setup.</p>

[bobatkins]

<p>Their other 200 series speedlites don't have wireless capability, so I suspect this one doesn't either. Basically pretty much a "point and shoot" shoe mount flash with a minimum of "onboard" controls to confuse the novice user.</p>

<p>Note that it's a "tilt" only head. It doesn't swivel (i.e. no horizontal plane rotation).</p>

[cabbiinc]

<p>The specs are up on the Canon site http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=141&modelid=18386 Nothing mentioned about wireless. It has the appearance of a redesigned 220EX (when it's at the same zoom as the 220EX it's the same guide number). It does have a metal hotshoe and 3 position bounce which has to be a plus, as well as using 2 batteries instead of 4. It's got to beat the popup flash on at least the 5D ;)</p>

[NK Guy]

<p>It actually sort of looks like a resurrected Speedlite 300EZ from the days of yore. It adds E-TTL metering and the ability to tilt upwards but takes away flash head zooming (you can manually zoom to one of two positions), a test light, and an autofocus assist light. It's this last which is a bit annoying. Instead of a red LED you get the nice stuttering blasts of light from the main tube.<br>

It doesn't have wireless capabilities. Interestingly, it has control over manual output, but the goofy thing is there are no manual controls on the device itself - manual output works only with those EOS cameras which support Speedlite control via the menu system.</p>

[PuppyDigs]

<p>I wonder if Canon redesigned AF assist to cover 9-point AF arrays? I love my little 220EX--it's my constant travel companion and 5D popup--but AF assist is its weakest point (only covers center AF point).</p>

[dogbert]

<p>Oh dear. No autofocus assist light is just about a dealbreaker for me. I might have to pick up a 220 EX while they are still available. Manual zoom to only two positions is pretty weird too.</p>

[PuppyDigs]

<p>

Geoff writes, "autofocus assist light is just about a dealbreaker for me."

</p>

<p>Now that I've read the specs and peered at the product photos, quasi infrared AF assist seems to be MIA. I can't see that damn red lens common to other Speedlite AF assist mechanisms. Maybe it uses the "friggen irritating flash pulse" like a popup. I hope not. Half the reason to buy a Speedlite is for quasi infrared AF assist. Maybe sonar based AF assist?</p>

[bjscharp]

<p>As said, it uses the strobe-assist instead of red-beam assist.</p>

 

<p>If not, I might have upgraded my <a href="http://www.sunpak.jp/english/products/rd2000/index.html>Sunpak RD2000</a>, but as it stands, the Sunpak is more compact and has on-flash FEC control. (in addition to obeying in-camera flash settings like FEC and SC sync)</p>

[medina photography cherry]

<p>would be a great flash for my Wife's S15- (did not realize until Daniel Flather pointed it out- Thnx)</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>"would be a great flash for my Wife's S15"<br>

It would be a great little flash for my 5D, that and the Sunpak 2000. That way I could leave my heavy and bulky 550EX at home. They don't say anything about red-eye though ?</p>

[tdigi]

<p>I am confused will the 270 have an AF assist beam? <br>

Dpreview says it will.<br>

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0903/09032503canonspeedlite270ex.asp#press</p>

<p>Also does any one have an idea of what the price will be? </p>

[NK Guy]

<p>As I noted above, it doesn't have the traditional red LED AF assist light. DPReview doesn't have it quite right, but isn't entirely wrong either.<br /> The 270EX rapidly pulses the main tube to provide autofocus assist. This means it will fully cover all autofocus points, but it also means it will trigger epileptic fits among a susceptible percentage of the population.<br /> It's shipping in April. I don't think a price has been announced yet.</p>

[dogbert]

<p>Pulsing the main flash for AF assist is increadibly annoying. Its guaranteed to get you a bad photo as subjects inevitably wince and scrunch their eyes to avoid being blinded.</p>

[yakim_peled1]

<p dir="ltr">No red AF assist beam == Not for me. </p>

<p dir="ltr"> </p>

<p dir="ltr"> </p>

<p dir="ltr">Happy shooting,</p>

<p dir="ltr">Yakim.</p>

[yakim_peled1]

<p dir="ltr">Posted twice. Sorry. It seems we need a delete button as well...</p>

<p dir="ltr"> </p>

<p dir="ltr"> </p>

<p dir="ltr">Happy shooting,</p>

<p dir="ltr">Yakim.</p>

[tdigi]

<p>Does the 220 have the red AF beam? </p>

[anov]

<p>Yes, but only if you select center AF point.</p>

[robin_sibson1]

<p>Two steps forward (push-pull zoom and tilt, two-battery power), one step back (no separate red AF beam).</p>

<p>Canon have clearly decided that for the 1D-series and 5D series, we are not to have built-in flash (whereas the Nikon D700 not only has it, but it can act as a controller). OK, what's on offer from Canon? A decent high-power flash (580EX II) and a decent medium-power flash (430EX II), and these probably have to have the sort of size and shape that they do. But there's often a need for a relatively low-power on-camera flash, for example to provide a bit of fill-in or light a medium close-up. Having been prejudiced against built-in flash for all the usual reasons in the past, I've actually found it quite useful within its limitations on the 20D/40D/50D. To me, the ideal solution on cameras that do not have a built-in flash would be for Canon to add a power terminal to the accessory shoe, to power a lightweight batteryless unit (it might need a memory battery) providing flash capabilities roughly like those of the 270EX, a red/IR AF beam, and flash master control capabilities, preferably also through a red/IR beam rather than the main flash, so it would supersede the ST-E2. Any takers?</p>

[i._l.]

<p>How would the 270EX compare the build-in flash on XTi body, and to Vivitar DF22 for Canon? Or I should consider 430EX instead. Thanks, everybody.</p>

[tdigi]

<p>Sounds good Robin, maybe on the 5D3. I really wish they put a pop up on all bodies. If you dial it down it can be useful for some fill light. </p>

<p>I2- I would think having the ability to bounce it would make it much more useful then any pop up. I would imagine its much more powerful too considering its a bigger light source. IMO if your looking for a do it all flash a 430 or better yet a 580 is the way to go. If you want something small when you want to go light ( like vacation ) I think the 220 or 270 can do the job.</p>

[i._l.]

Thanks, Tommy.

[richard_crowe4]

<p>I was disappointed that the 270EX cannot be controlled by a 30D camera. The Instruction Manual states that it is compatible with "E-TTL II/E-TTL autoflash EOS cameras". Neither the Instruction Manual nor several Internet reviews, obviously regurgitated from the Canon press relases, indicate that there is no exposure compensation nor HSS choice available on this flash when using a 30D or earlier camera.<br>

On a 40D, when using it for fill flash with my 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens, the lens hood casts a shadow at focal lengths of less than 24mm (which is about a 38mm equivalent). <br>

I wish that Canon was more explicit (honest) about the limitations of this flash. </p>