I have 580EX II, buy 430EX II or ST-E2

[kel_madics]

<p>Im a little confused/dillema and need of a sound advice. As the title states i have a 580EX II and in need of a remote flash but i have a limited budget of $300. Should i buy an ST-E2 for $230 or buy a 430EXII for $270 (just a $40 difference). I know the 580EX can act as a master transmitter and i have read it can handle 3 slaves compared to st-e2. should i just buy a 430EX having my 580ex as my master or having an st-e2 instead will add a much more benefit? Thanks for you advices!</p>

[kel_madics]

<p>one more thing is the 580EX acting as a master the same power of transmission(better infrared?) compared to the st-e2?</p>

[PuppyDigs]

<p>I don't have a 580EX II but I love the ST-E2 with my 430EX (main) and 420EX (fill). The problem with using the 580EX as a master is you're stuck with it in the hotshoe, not exactly an optimal position as main or fill. Well, you could use it with an OSCII but that's one more doodad.</p>

<p>My ST-E2 review:</p>

<p>http://emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/frary/st_e2.htm</p>

[paul_b._davis1]

<p>This is sort of a tough dilemma. I bought a 580EX II a while ago, and then a 420EX shortly after that to get creative. After that, I bought an ST-E2 because I decided that remote firing a $100 flash with a $500 flash was... silly.</p>

<p>Anyway, after buying the second flash, what I immediately discovered was that the "good" flash that I <em>really</em> wanted to move around was always bolted to the top of my camera because it needed to control the lame slave flash. This was annoying.</p>

<p>You're sort of stuck here--If you buy the slave flash, your good flash will be stuck on top of your camera, or at least wired to it, which sort of limits your creative flexibility. On the other hand, if you buy the transmitter, you only have one flash to move around, which sort of limits your flexibility.</p>

<p>In the end, I got a low-light club photography gig where I need two flashes for regular usage with my zoom lenses and the ST-E2 for focus assistance with my prime lens.</p>

<p>The ST-E2's focus assistance, by the way, is a cool little feature that nobody mentions. During focusing, the ST-E2 fires a red focus-assist beam, which helps autofocus immensely when shooting in dark situations.</p>

<p>So... Yeah. I'd get all three? :)</p>

<p>-Paul B. Davis</p>

[frank_page]

<p>I am pretty sure there are cheaper options for firing both flashes off camera than the ST-E2 if you don't mind using your flashes in manual mode - there may even be some remote controlers that let you use ETTL for less than the ST-E2. Check http://strobist.blogspot.com/ for cheaper alternatives. You may be able to get both flashes off camera with your $300.</p>

[markonestudios]

I have the 580EXII and was planning to get the ST-E2 but after much deliberation and reading (strobist etc.), I decided I'm going to invest in a radio trigger system. PocketWizard has come up with their latest radio triggers which, from what I've read, is the bees knees, and they fulyl suppport the E-TTL on your Canon DLSR. Look into that as well.

[manuel barrera houston,]

<p>I have the ST-E2 and four flashes 580, 2 (550) and 430. Love the ST-E2, not only works great as a master but excellent assist with low light shooting. Want to set flash behind you, just set a bounce card in front of the st-e2. </p>

[kel_madics]

<p>bounce card in front of the st-e2? does it include a pull out bounce card? sorry i have not actually seen this product yet.</p>

[daniel flather]

<p>Buy the 430EX. Then you will have two flashes in the future.</p>

[cabbiinc]

<p>The choice is yours, but I'd at least entertain the idea of a 430EX and a long off camera shoe cord for the 580. http://www.flashzebra.com/ttlcords/ettlcords/index.shtml a 24 foot shoe cord would get the 580 off camera a ways and you'd now have a decent eTTL studio type setup. It does put you a little over budget but you could buy the cord when you have the cash. You could always look at used flashes as well, the 420EX for example sells pretty inexpensively and will work with your wireless setup but with the huge drawback of not having the option of using manual control on the 420EX (which is not so huge if you never use Manual mode on the flash itself). You could get the second flash first and when finances permit get the ST-E2.</p>

<p>This is turning into a *which to get first* rather than a *which to get* thread.</p>

<p>Just to clarify, the ST-E2 can control 2 *groups* of flashes while the 580 can control 2 *groups* and also a background *group*. You can have as many flashes as can receive the IR signals in each group.</p>

[paul_b._davis1]

<p>I've never been very pleased with using the 420EX for creative stuff--It only works if the master flash is also in ETTL mode (or if you have the ST-E2), and it only fires in ratios of the output decided by ETTL.</p>

<p>That's just not as flexible as being able to dial something in manually and trip it via remote.</p>

<p>-Paul B. Davis</p>

[kel_madics]

<p>thanks for clearing me with that "group" thing, i just realize this last night when i was reading my 580ex manual. But yeah i think im gonna go in that route. 430ex first then maybe a couple of months when i get more knowledge and convert to strobe lighting then ill invest on a st-e2 or pocket wizard. i cant wait to get my tax refund. : ) hehehehe</p>

[manuel barrera houston,]

<p>tax refund, what is that, I thought we all had to pay at the end of the year;-(</p>

[bob_osullivan]

<p>Actually, I'm a bit underwelmed by the whole canon infrared system. First it needs line of sight. So you can't umbrellas, softboxes or many other modifyers. Your remote flash will always be harsh. Also, it doesn't always work so well outdoors if it's bright out. </p>

<p>Instead, I would suggest some decent radio triggers. Of course PW is the best but anything decent would be better than the infrared. Just avoid the really cheap ebay ones. They dont' work very consistantly. </p>

<p>Instead of the 430EX I would suggest another 580. The 430 lacks a pc cord connector and a remote battery connector. Both of which may limit you down the line. </p>

<p> </p>

[paul_b._davis1]

<p>Hey Bob! :)</p>

<p>It's technically line of sight, but that's not really been my experience indoors. At moderate distances, the signal reflects pretty well and works as a cheap radio alternative (since it's built in).</p>

<p>I can confirm that it works fine with umbrellas and other modifiers that don't completely cover the sensor. Additionally, I'm regularly able to "hide" the flash behind objects and trip it remotely without issue. Of course, I'm doing all this with the ST-E2, which may be more suited to this kind of usage than a flash unit.</p>

<p>Once you're in daylight or a long distance away, I have to agree that the whole system becomes pretty spotty. For an amateur indoors, I'd have to say that it's "decent," but not amazing.</p>

<p>-Paul B. Davis</p>

<p> </p>