SB910 flash (or non Canon brand) on a 1DX

[nick_england2]

<p>So, my 600EX has just broken, and it's going to cost $330 to fix it. The repair shop I sent that, and my 580EX, tell me that Canon no longer support parts for the 580EX, so that's toast. <br>

My 550EX crapped up, can't be fixed (no support parts), and the 580EXII I sent to the repair shop bust after spending $250 fixing that.<br>

Let me put in perspective, that I'm a working freelancer, and I use the flash units a lot and am pretty hard on them.<br>

However, in the last four years, I've had five Canon flashes crap up on me, have sent them in for repair, but they don't last long.<br>

I'm beginning to get a little pissed off with their flashes, and am now looking for an alternative.<br>

A mate uses a Nikon SB910 in manual on his Canon 1DX, and is perfectly happy with that. He had similar problems with Canon and switched to Nikon flashes. Am thinking of doing the same.<br>

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good alternative to Canon? <br>

Secondly, he's not sure about the voltage on an SB910 compatible with the hotshoe on a 1DX? He's happy with it, but I've read varying reports about compatibility issues (like frying the hotshoe) of using differing non Canon voltage flashes on Canon bodies.<br>

Anyone got any experience of this cross brand usage?<br>

Cheers,<br>

Nick</p>

 

[mark_stephan2]

<p>I shoot Nikon and Canon and I would not put a Nikon speedlight on my Canon body. You might consider the Neewer 660II which you can get on eBay for $50 or the very popular Yongnuo flashes. The interface resembles the Canon Speedlites and is easy to use in manual mode since the flash doesn't support eTTLII. For the price of $50 it does not support HSS.</p>

[craig_shearman1]

No point paying $500 for a flash if you're going

to use it on manual. Go read flash

recommendations on www.strobist.com

[ed_kubacki]

<p>I have 3 580EXs and use them extensively (50K exposures/year) and I have had one flash tube go bad. They have been rock solid other than that one time, that's why I have 3, I always keep a spare on a shoot.<br>

One question, what do you use for power? If you use a "turbo" battery pack or Lithium AA batteries, maybe that is what is causing your failures. I use the Canon CP-E3 battery pack and it works like a charm. I have seen other sports photographers that use the Turbo packs and had issues with not only the flash, but also the camera.</p>

[nick_england2]

<p>I have used Quantums and Godoxs with them.. That's possibly what fries them, but I do a lot of PR and event work where I need a quick recycle rate.<br /> Craig - Took a look on Strobist. Very useful. Am checking out the LumoPro 180 at the moment.</p>

[trey_cartwright]

Define "crapped up". I use Canon

equipment myself and Nikon

equipment at work. I don't see a

difference in build quality that would

make one better than the other. Also,

you'd be paying a premium for unused

technology using the Nikon flash on the

Canon body.

 

Perhaps a Metz or Sunpak handle

mount flash might serve your needs. I

used a Sunpak 622 for many years for

rapid fire continuous use in

skateboarding photos. Took many

knocks and never failed. Also you have

the option of dedicated modules to

match your camera's flash feature set

or just keep it simple with manual or

auto flash mode.

 

I read lots of reviews about Yongnuo,

Lumapro, and other Chinese products

that amount to OK build quality at dirt

cheap prices and "I'll just buy another

WHEN it breaks" attitudes. This seems

silly to me like old school disposable

flash cubes.

 

Your camera is the best of the best

(1DX), why not get a robust,

serviceable, professional flash for your

work?

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>Well, I have a pair of Yongnuo flashes, and the Nikon SB700, and I wouldn't rate the build quality all that bad. Certainly not loads worse than the Nikon, if at all. And that's two flashes with approx. the power of a SB910, for a bit less as what one single SB700 costs. I would consider the Yongnuos even for professional work (which I do not do). They're far from disposable items, and my experience so far is really only positive. But I don't push them as hard as you do, so that's the one catch.<br>

So, I would certainly have a look at Nissin, LumaPro and Yongnuo products, their recycle times might be the achilles heel for your uses but otherwise, they may just make more economic sense.</p>