Customer reviews from usa.canon.com
Canon - Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2 for E-TTL/E-TTL II Wireless Flash Systems
Average customer rating
3.3
(12 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 12 reviews
5 Stars
3
4 Stars
3
3 Stars
2
2 Stars
3
1 Star
1
58%of customers recommend this product.
(
7 out of
12)
Customer Reviews for Canon - Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2 for E-TTL/E-TTL II Wireless Flash Systems
Customer Rating
4
It's ok.
on August 19, 2009
Posted by: @TheDif
from Philadelphia
I'm a fine art wedding and portrait shooter and I use Radio Poppers in conjunction with the ST-E2 alongside 3 580EX II's.
This means I never use the optical IR flash by itself. Only with Radio Poppers. As a team this becomes an excellent Non-Line of Sight Wireless High Speed Sync master.
The feature set is lame compared with it's equivalent competitor but it does three things simply, reliably and well: AF, command flash and it's lightweight.
With the Radio Poppers the ST-E2 and 580EX II's leap over the competitors stuff. Plus you can High Speed Sync and ETTL with this thing so that's a huge deal.
The 4 channel thingy is handy but I've never had cause to use it. The ratio control bit is also nice, I guess, but I've never used it, either in pro conditions. Either Canon isn't intuitive enough for me or I just don't get it. Regardless I just control ratios manually.
The battery is kinda weird but you can get 'em cheap through the internet.
It's lightweight so that's a big deal if you're schlepping a MkIII around all day like I do.
After heavy use the AF plastic shield thing fell off and I lost it. So that was lame. Now I lost my AF assist and I don't know how to get a replacement piece.
Overall this is a simple but reliable tool with a limited feature set. I'd recommend it to a friend.
Pros: lightweight, wireless control.
Cons: Poor build quality, ratio isn't intuitive.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Very satisfied with mine.
on August 15, 2009
Posted by: Jarhead5811
from Madison, MS
I use mine to trigger three 430EXs. I've no complaints, performance wise, that are not inherent to optical triggering. (Although a native Canon RF based wireless solution would be AWESOME!)
I also use it as a focus assist when taking lower light natural light pics. It'll make a lens that likes to hunt snap to as if it were plenty bright. (Makes my Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II seem like a much better lens.)
The only real complaint I've got is that it has no battery life indicator, it just dies, and it takes a somewhat unusual battery. (Why not AA or AAA?)
Pros: lightweight, great as a focus assit
Cons: line of site, poor performance in sunlight, battery dies without warning, non-standard battery
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
It's an excellent trigger for 550EX
on July 30, 2012
Posted by: Sam
from Torrance, CA
I have 3 550EX and 1 580EX for photo table setup with Harbor Digital Diffuser on each unit. This trigger works quite well with 1DS Mark-2 and flash setup I have. I don't have any AF cover fall off issue. And the hot shoe mount works quite good with a locking pin. It doesn't have a knob that you can tighten the unit on the camera but the unit is very light, and there's enough friction between the hot shoe and the trigger mount, so you don't really need to tighten it. I haven't tried long distance setup in the field as I use this for mostly product shot on the table. But it handles most indoor family gathering shots with no problem. It uses a special battery but it is readily available in many places where common batteries are sold. I always have an extra battery in the bag for just in case. This is an indispensable tool for my need and it is very reliable.
Pros: quiet, Good Exposure performance, Superior build quality
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
3
on July 8, 2010
Posted by: QBall
Great device for activating my 2 Speedlites 430EX IIs. Works good. Nice and light weight.
One Major Problem:
I have noticed this device tends to run down the batteries, even when the power is shut off, and that there are no rechargeable batteries in market for this model. Bad move on the designer’s part. Fortunately for me I have rigged up my own rechargeable batteries and modified the switch to prevent it from drawing current.
I'm not going to spend anymore money buying new batteries for this.
I have noticed this device tends to run down the batteries, even when the power is shut off, and that there are no rechargeable batteries in market for this model. Bad move on the designer’s part. Fortunately for me I have rigged up my own rechargeable batteries and modified the switch to prevent it from drawing current.
I'm not going to spend anymore money buying new batteries for this.
I would give it 5 Stars if it did not have this battery problem.
Pros: quiet, Good Exposure performance, Superior build quality, Fast recycling time
Cons: runs down batteries when shut off, no rechargeable batteries on the market
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Posted by: LROY
from Tacoma, WA
Verified Purchase:Yes
ETTL off camera is very easy with the ST-E2. flash exposure compensation works well and multiple speedlight control is much easier to implement. Was unaware that a battery was not included. Local camera store had one.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
2
Lacking features/poor build design
on July 31, 2010
Posted by: Anonymous
Although this is a necessary complement to Canon Speedlites, it has a lot of room for improvement:
- In terms of build quality, it is a little too big in size.
- Connection to the hotshoe is loose, and lock is of poor design. Would prefer a locking system like the one on the 580EXII which is weather sealed.
- On the good side, controls are simple and easy to visualize.
- Connection to the hotshoe is loose, and lock is of poor design. Would prefer a locking system like the one on the 580EXII which is weather sealed.
- On the good side, controls are simple and easy to visualize.
- In terms of functions, it lacks many of the options in a 580EXII when used as master. For example, shooting speedlites on manual (the 580EXII can set the individual power remotely for each of the 3 flash groups A,B,C).
- Also, you can only control ratios for 2 groups (A:B).
- Uses special batteries (I would prefer AAA)
- Also, you can only control ratios for 2 groups (A:B).
- Uses special batteries (I would prefer AAA)
- Lastly, the issue of radio vs. infrared and line-of-sight limitations. I usually need to run an extension cord from the hotshoe to the ST-E2 to point the unit so that all speedlights are fired. Another limitation is when using speedlites with softboxes (many times it is impossible to get line-of-sight).
Pros: easy controls
Cons: limited functions, loose hotshoe connection, special battery, size, line-of-sight limitations
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
I love my ST-E2!
on December 8, 2008
Posted by: Music Man5
from Normal, IL
As an event photographer I occasionally need to place some speedlights in odd places to light the event. The ST-E2 works great for this and for portrait work. It's easy to set up and I still get my ETTL.
My only drawback is range. Occasionally I will need to get a shot in a room to large for the ST-E2 to work properly. But that is the only problem I have had with it.
Pros: Superior build quality, Fast recycling time, Good Exposure performance, quiet
Cons: line of sight
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
3
Not a good purchase.
on July 22, 2010
Posted by: Photogamy
from Oregon
When I get a shot off with this transmitter it is usually awesome. Problem is that it seems to work less than a third of the time. I can shoot once then try to shoot a similar pic with in a few moments and it won't work. I have changed batteries rebooted the system, reconnected the transmitter, checked slave settings, with no luck in the field. Then I can get it home and using the same settings as out in the field and it will work. Then back out to the field and it will work for a while then stop working and back around to the start of the circle of frustration with this thing. I shoot with a 40D and 430 EX Speedlite in Tv at 125 to 200 sec in ETTL, Distance ranges from 6 inched to get it to work and I have been up to 30 feet when it did work. The lights seem to all work fine and the IR seems to beam.
Pros: easy to use
Cons: tfails to work mos of the time.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com