I just bought my first Canon Speedlite 580EX II today and can’t wait to use it. Like any new stuff I acquire, I always want to know a few basics before messing up with it. I read the manual and as usual found it not so very helpful. You can’t even find what the acronym ETTL* means in it.
Prior to the purchase, I considered buying the less costly 430ex flash because I reasoned that the 580ex ii may be too much for my needs, my photography being just a hobby. However, after a bit of research (reading/watching ‘430ex ii vs 580ex ii’ articles and videos) I was convinced to go for the 580ex ii. Of course, I have to wait a couple of months to save up enough for this animal. This early, I think I made the right choice.
Introduction to Canon Speedlite 580EX II
So, I took to the net and found that a few videos helped a lot. Here’s a few videos that gave a walk through of the basic functions of the canon speedlite 580ex ii.
This other 2 videos touches on the wireless features of the the canon speedlite 580ex ii flash.
Canon Speedlite 580EX II Tutorial
An excellent and elaborate detailed walk through after the initial setup is shown in this video by Gary Fong. I like it in that he explains it concisely you’ll be sure to understand what he wants to convey. He even elaborates on the differences of evaluative metering, spot metering, etc. Very cool, especially if you’re new, like me.
For now, after having known the very basic about this flash unit, I think I’ll learn more by actually playing with it. I’ll post updates and perhaps find more tutorials when I begin to yearn for more advanced information.
*ETTL: Evaluative Through The Lens.