I think it's time to update ST-e2 what do you think?

We need better speedlight controler from canon
The current ST is very old and cannot control more than 2 groups
Canon want us to buy 580II to do multi group !

And sure I'm happy with eos camera bit I need Nikon flash system

What do you think?

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http://www.ali-photo.com
ali

That would be a small but meaningful update. Nikon has such a wonderful system. With Canon having such a great new system with the 5D2 (and 1DS4 to follow) it would be fantastic to have the flash system including the IR trigger updated.

I hope Canon think about it

size of ST-E2
better build (less plastic)
illuminated LCD
4 groups control
controlled from Camera menu will be nice

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http://www.ali-photo.com
ali

I do use the ST-E2 whenever I use flash with the 5D.
On the flash I do use the LumiQuest Promax System (LQ-105).

I'm holding the flash in one hand while holding the 5D+Grip+L-plate+24-105+ST-E2 in the other hand, it is a bit heavy, somewhat over 2kg.

I think using RF is better, as you don't have to worry about the IR signal getting lost, and having the flash not triggered.

Yes seriouly if you want to upgrade the flash system the best single thing to do is to make it RF not infra red.

In the latest canon professional news letter there is an article about using flash off camera in which they state that the most reliable way to fire the flash off camera is with a cable. They go into the foibles of how to get the IR system to work at its best and proudly boast that if you do these things it works most of the time! How fantastic! MOST OF THE TIME! This is just not real world photography. If the flash does not go off occassionally then you can be sure as hell that it is on the one exposure where the subject's expression was perfect. I can not work woth gear that holds you to ransom that it might just not work when it doesnt feel like it.

This sort of unreliabiliy is what made me spend vast ammounts of ££ on Quantum. However that is not with out its problems and it really makes the most sense for the camera manufacturer to produce a decent profesional system like Nikon do.

Jack said:

I do use the ST-E2 whenever I use flash with the 5D.
On the flash I do use the LumiQuest Promax System (LQ-105).
I'm holding the flash in one hand while holding the
5D+Grip+L-plate+24-105+ST-E2 in the other hand, it is a bit heavy,
somewhat over 2kg.

I think using RF is better, as you don't have to worry about the IR
signal getting lost, and having the flash not triggered.

Click to expand...

I'm thinking of getting an ST-E2 but then I heard of the pocket wizards, but seems you need to wire these anyway? any experience anyone? At the mo I have a 580ex and plan to buy another head of some sort.

ali alriffai said:

We need better speedlight controler from canon
The current ST is very old and cannot control more than 2 groups
Canon want us to buy 580II to do multi group !

Click to expand...

Yeah, and they want us to buy L primes by not updating the old wide ones (20-50mm), just like they nag us to buy 1D by not putting better AF in the lower-class bodies.

Canon is here to make the money, not to give us the best at nice price point to please us .

I would like to see all the above mentioned things updated, but that would go straight in the face of the Canon business model, so I am not holding my breath. On the other hand, I'd better have the old-design wide prime than get some 50/1.8Mk2-like "ugrade" on it.

ali alriffai said:

And sure I'm happy with eos camera bit I need Nikon flash system

What do you think?

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http://www.ali-photo.com
ali

Click to expand...

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Cheers,
Martin

The ST-E2 works fine in a limited space. It certainly doesn't work all the well outdoors and in a very large space. Nikon also uses visual and it wanes in too much ambient light or distance in the same way. Nikon has been ahead of Canon in flash development for awhile. It would be nice to see Canon catch up.

There are radio transmitters now that translate the visual signal to radio at the camera and back to visual at the flash that work great. But Canon simply has not had the same level of control that Nikon has for the lighting from flash units.

That said, using the ST-E2 has been fine for me. Not brilliant, but quite workable. A little limited, but with good post, it has been a dependable tool. It feels like it's not broken enough for Canon to really address it. . . . yet.

With the Canon 5D2, I personally feel the company watched and listened to the users on these forums and came up with most of the updates desired. Perhaps if we complain about the Canon flash system not being up to Nikon standard they will address that area as well.

Dom Avery said:

I'm thinking of getting an ST-E2 but then I heard of the pocket
wizards, but seems you need to wire these anyway? any experience
anyone? At the mo I have a 580ex and plan to buy another head of
some sort.

Click to expand...

Pocket wizards works great! However you will loose your ETTL and have to control your flash in full manual mode for best result. Which I don't find a real problem. You have to connect your pocket wizard via a small cable to your 580 EX II or use a hotshoe. The other pocketwizard transmitter/receiver you put on your camera.

I dont need ST-2E.

I sell ST-2E and buy Elinchrome Skyport radiotrigger and I am very happy.

ST2-E is toy.

polansky said:

Pocket wizards works great! However you will loose your ETTL and have
to control your flash in full manual mode for best result. Which I
don't find a real problem. You have to connect your pocket wizard via
a small cable to your 580 EX II or use a hotshoe. The other
pocketwizard transmitter/receiver you put on your camera.

--

Click to expand...

Ok so I need a PW for every flashead then and one on the camera to control the others, do you just set one to master and the others to slave?

Ravitej Khalsa said:

With the Canon 5D2, I personally feel the company watched and
listened to the users on these forums and came up with most of the
updates desired.

Click to expand...

Except for the AF, Canon turns blind eye towards this issue.

Ravitej Khalsa said:

Perhaps if we complain about the Canon flash system
not being up to Nikon standard they will address that area as well.

Click to expand...

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Cheers,
Martin