to get into technology debates. Maybe that’s because I never feel like I’ve mastered anything enough to add my two cents… even though most of the debates that I hear are between people that don’t ever shoot WEDDINGS! So here I am shooting every weekend and yet I don’t want to offer my opinion about certain lenses or flashes or ISO settings because I feel inferior. Umm, I need to get over that!! I’ve shot over 100 weddings and so I THINK I should be able to have an opinion on some things. When I first started, I just listened quietly ….I read reviews on equipment, I listened to people rave and complain and I tried to take note of how people
felt about certain lenses and camera bodies! The more I listened, the more I realized that EVERYONE’S opinion basically comes down to personal preference. Some LOVE Canon… some HATE Canon. Some LOVE primes lenses… some think primes are the root of all evil and have ruined the industry because everyone is trying to shoot AT 1.2! Some photographers LOVE Pocket Wizards and some love Radio Poppers. Some photographers believe that OFC (Off Camera Flash) is the professional way to shoot a reception… while others use bounce flash and never thought twice about an OFC system. Whew! Do you see what I mean? Everyone has their opinion and what I’m learning is that I’m ALLOWED to have an opinion as well… but I want to have an opinion that is backed up with EXPERIENCE. I bought the Canon 600 EX-RT’s this past spring and rather than reviewing them immediately, I decided to shoot the whole summer with them and see what I thought! Welp! , it’s officially fall and so I’m going to share my findings!!!
I used to use Pocket Wizards and I started with the Plus II’s. Hated them. Now to be fair, I never REALLY learned everything about them and so I was easily frustrated with their inability to sync and STAY synced. They were also SO inconsistent. So I went to WPPI and decided to try Pocket Wizard’s Flex TT5. This was a better option. No more cords dangling everywhere, it was an easier setup but it still wasn’t consistent. I left receptions annoyed and frustrated with my flash performance. Sure, they worked OK… but I NEVER knew when they were going to decide to fire! It was very unpredictable and instead of wanting to learn more about OCF…. I found myself hating it! So THEN the Mark III came out and I invested in that… and let me tell you, it was a SMART investment! Definitely a worthwhile upgrade! Soon after, I saw Canon announced the 600 EX-RT’s. This is Canon’s latest flash system that comes with BUILT IN transmitters. What?! So no more Pocket Wizards?! Is this real LIFE?!! So I read Melissa Jill’s review and I invested in them… two of them.
HALLELUJAH!!! Seriously, I’m in love. Fires EVERY. TIME. Here are some reasons why the Canon 600 EX-RT’s are amazing:
– Consistency, constant firing no matter the distance. I’ve NEVER had an issue with a 600 not firing (except when batteries were almost DEAD and I didn’t know it!). Even in a MASSIVE ballroom with people in between me and my flash, it’s still consistent. Some say that you HAVE to have a direct line of sight for them to fire and that’s just not true! I have images to prove it! I’ve shot detail shots with one 600 Ex-RT in another ROOM and it still fires just fine.
– EASY setup and syncing… we’re talking ONE button ya’ll!
– Less to carry around, no cords, no nothing! Just the flashes and one light stand.
– Easier to understand. For me, my ETTL and Manual settings on the flash are easier to understand than my 580’s. Maybe that’s just because I have a good attitude about my 600’s!
– Easy on the batteries. I know some have experienced the 600’s eating up batteries but I have yet to have this issue. I shoot Manual on camera and ETTL off camera for the most part (for those that were wondering!).
– One negative aspect of the 600’s would be that there are some limitations with the 600’s and the Mark II’s. This is unfortunate and I realize Canon made a whoopsie here.
Now, for those of you that are new to OFC or are wondering if it’s necessary, here are some reasons why I LOVE it:
3. OCF challenges me. I’m my opinion, it makes reception shooting more FUN because there are more possibilities!
4. OCF can make ANY situation look awesome! I’m thankful for beautiful venues but in the event that there wasn’t a beautiful venue, OCF could save the day!
6. Because OCF is shot from the side, it catches shadows and creates DEPTH in the image… instead of FLAT subjects from direct flash.
I hope this helps!! Enjoy a few more!!!
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 225. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Thanks for reading!
— Katelyn
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