Customer reviews from usa.canon.com
Canon - Speedlite External Flash - 580EX II
Average customer rating
4.4
(47 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 47 reviews
5 Stars
32
4 Stars
8
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
4
1 Star
2
85%of customers recommend this product.
(
39 out of
46)
Customer Reviews for Canon - Speedlite External Flash - 580EX II
Customer Rating
5
Can't own a DSLR with out it!
on February 16, 2009
Posted by: GTRMAN
from Phoenix
Awesome flash. I love how it not only tilts up & down but also swivels left & right. It makes it easy to bounce light off of walls & such allowing a person to get dramtic lighting without all the extra lights and such. It's pretty fast & can keep up with my 50D much better than the built in flash. Battery life seems to be pretty good too. Comes with a case too.
Pros: Fast recycling time, Good Exposure performance, quiet, swiveling/tilting light, comes with a case
Cons: expensive
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Fantastic flash
on November 11, 2010
Posted by: Ironheart
from North Carolina
This flash saved our tails the first time we used it. Went to a wedding rehersal to shoot only to find our lenses weren't fast enough. We bought the 580 EX II to shoot on our primary camera and I limped with a 1.8F 50mm prime on "natural" light. Used disposable Li Ion batteries and shot the whole wedding, reception and more with the same batteries. No joke it was 2,200-2,500 images (not all necessarily with flash, but most of them). Generally averaged 1,500-1,800 flashes on a set of good disposables. Shoot subjects backlit using this for fill light. I've shot models with bright sunsets in the background using this flash to put fill on their faces when I didn't have a reflector or it wouldn't return enough light.
Pros: ttl metering is awesome, simple to achieve great results with, built in diffuser and reflector
Cons: expensive but only if you don't really need it.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
4
Speedlite is great
on February 9, 2011
Posted by: Marusya
from Arizona
I bought the speedlight on a friend's recommendation. It is great and the pictures turn out wonderful. I am not a pro...I only take photos of animals for adoption and as a hobby.
One change I would make is to allow the speedlite to move the flash up and down from both sides to be more handly and comfortable.
Pros: quiet, Good Exposure performance, Superior build quality, Fast recycling time
Cons: a little awkward to manipulate up/down angle
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
It works!
on June 6, 2011
Posted by: feeblefool
from Illinois
Upgraded to the MkII version for the weather sealing (same for the CP-E4) and I am impressed. Quality of plastic is better over the MkI version as well. No recycle whine takes the cake! Flash gets 4/5 Satisfaction stars because the OC-E3 off-camera cord (excellent product) is one foot too short if you hand hold, but is just right if you use a bracket.
Pros: Superior build quality
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Great Build Quality
on October 22, 2011
Posted by: OsKy6116
from Minnesota, MN
This is my first flash and I never expected something like this.
You won't regret about buying it at all.
You won't regret about buying it at all.
Pros: quiet, Good Exposure performance, Superior build quality
Cons: Slow recycling time
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
2
Great when it works properly
on June 2, 2012
Posted by: I Stumble
from Los Angeles, CA
I've owned the flash for about two years now and I absolutely enjoyed using it. Matter of fact I own two 580's along with a 430ex II. My gripe is that this will be the third time I'm sending the flash in to be repaired.
About 8 months ago, while using the flash I was wondering why my pictures were dark and blurry in the camera preview screen and confirmed at home on my laptop. My subjects said the flash was firing.
Ramone at Canon Tech support helped me confirm the pre-flash was firing but the main flash was not. He asked me to take a picture facing a mirror. The pre-flash did fire but the image captured confirmed the main flash did not fire.
Again this will be the third time I will be sending this particular flash in for a repair. I'm just wondering if this particular flash was defective from the start. I have not had a problem with my other two flashes.
About 8 months ago, while using the flash I was wondering why my pictures were dark and blurry in the camera preview screen and confirmed at home on my laptop. My subjects said the flash was firing.
Ramone at Canon Tech support helped me confirm the pre-flash was firing but the main flash was not. He asked me to take a picture facing a mirror. The pre-flash did fire but the image captured confirmed the main flash did not fire.
Again this will be the third time I will be sending this particular flash in for a repair. I'm just wondering if this particular flash was defective from the start. I have not had a problem with my other two flashes.
Pros: Good Exposure performance, Fast recycling time
Cons: Poor build quality
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
on March 12, 2009
Posted by: Photo Boy
from los angeles CA
Even if you don't own a Cannon SLR GET THIS, this flash is THE BEST I HAVE EVER OWNED ! ! ! ! !
Pros: Superior build quality, Fast recycling time, Good Exposure performance, quiet, easy to use, great user interface, green backlit display
Cons: just a tad on the pricey side, no chirps when fully recycled
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
3
What happened?
on April 19, 2011
Posted by: Jzzman
from NYC
There seems to be a compatability issue associated with Canon Speedlites and Canon camera software that can result in inconsistent exposures. As a professional, I require a degree of consistency when shooting any event and I don't always have time to adjust my flash while clients are waiting to be photographed.
I do like that the 580EX II a tad smaller and that it offers more power and a faster recyling time than the previous models but there are more fundamental issues Canon needs to address with this product.
Pros: quiet, Superior build quality, Fast recycling time
Cons: Poor Exposure performance, not easy to use
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com