# small flash for catch light 5m to 20m



## TeT (Apr 28, 2014)

missing my pop up flash from my crop DSLR.. nice to be able to have instant catch light.

Looking for a small flash to replicate that feature.

John


----------



## mackguyver (Apr 28, 2014)

The Canon Speedlite 90 EX is probably your best bet. I got one when I purchased my EOS M kit and it's not a bad little flash, especially for the money, and you can pick up a refurb from Canon right now on sale for just over $100 - or go for it's bigger brother the 270 EX II for $115:

http://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/lenses-flashes/refurbished-speedlite-flashes


----------



## Random Orbits (Apr 28, 2014)

I use the 270 EX II for the EOS-M. The flash head can tilt up 90 degrees so at least you can bounce off ceilings and it has enough power to do so. The main disadvantage is that it can NOT be a master, but I've got larger flashes for that purpose. Its GN is a bit higher than the 90 EX, which comes in handy.


----------



## brad goda (Apr 29, 2014)

5m…
but 20m? 60ft… 

even just for catch light depends on ambient or iso…
just get 600EX-RT.
More is better… can just use less… and then you also have a great flash.


----------



## old-pr-pix (Apr 29, 2014)

If all you want is to replace pop-up flash the 90 EX should work fine. White Box at B-H is $60 if still available. 270 EX is more flexible as stated above and has 3x the power if you don't need a master function. Both fit in a pocket - obviously larger pocket for 270EX. BTW: was I the last person on earth to find out that you get the guide number in meters by dropping a zero from the model number of all current Canon flashes? I.E. 90EX is guide number 9 in meters, 270EX is G.N. 27, 600EX-RT is 60, etc.

I've used both 90 and 270, 90 makes a nice master on 5D-II with 430 slaves. Catch light at 20 meters? Really?


----------



## AcutancePhotography (Apr 29, 2014)

old-pr-pix said:


> BTW: was I the last person on earth to find out that you get the guide number in meters by dropping a zero from the model number of all current Canon flashes? I.E. 90EX is guide number 9 in meters, 270EX is G.N. 27, 600EX-RT is 60, etc.



Yeah that is kinda sneaky. I guess we are lucky Canon did not decide to measure it in milimeters. 60,000EX-RT ;D


----------



## Skirball (Apr 29, 2014)

Catchlights are important. This photo wouldn't be near as striking without them.


----------



## mackguyver (Apr 29, 2014)

Skirball said:


> Catchlights are important. This photo wouldn't be near as striking without them.


I hope you're talking about this at full-res because I can't even see her eyes (just a handful of dark pixels) in this web-sized version.


----------



## IMG_0001 (Apr 29, 2014)

Can you put a better beamer on a Canon 90 EX? Maybe that would give the desired catch light at 20m... 

I've never tried the 90EX, but if you were happy with pop-up flashes from your earlier cameras, I can't see it not being good enough. Otherwise, if you are just not ready to spend over 500$ on a Canon 600 EX-RT but don't care about carrying a fullsize flash, I own a Sigma EF-610 GD super and I am quite happy with it. It is e-ttl II, can act as an optical master/slave in full-TTL, multi group capability, has HSS, 24-105mm zoom head, full manual mode and multi flash mode for around 250$.

The only problem I've had is that it requires full TTL info to fire even in manual mode so it won't work with older 2-pins hot shoes or 2-pins radio triggers.


----------



## TeT (May 1, 2014)

I have a real flash, but the pop up flash on the crop sensors was a useful tool,

sometimes I like to get a little light on a subject when out and about and not be lugging a giant camera with a giant flash on it ... 

its not always just about the eyes. From afar it often can give a shot a glow... Works great on tight landscape shots as well

Will probably go with the 90...


----------



## TeT (May 4, 2014)

Pulled my 188A out of the bag with my old AE1 and slapped it on the 6D.... works like a charm. no control but throws some light out...

anyways, thanks for all the input, my 90 will arrive any day now....


----------



## privatebydesign (May 4, 2014)

TeT said:


> Pulled my 188A out of the bag with my old AE1 and slapped it on the 6D.... works like a charm. no control but throws some light out...
> 
> anyways, thanks for all the input, my 90 will arrive any day now....



As a rule, DON'T DO THAT! The 188A is safe, the trigger voltage is only 4.4V, but it is easy to kill a DSLR stone dead by using an incompatible flash, some of them have trigger voltages of >200V, many DSLR's will be damaged using a flash that does that.

I have a 199A and the 533G from my old days and they are both safe too .


----------



## jdramirez (May 4, 2014)

mackguyver said:


> The Canon Speedlite 90 EX is probably your best bet. I got one when I purchased my EOS M kit and it's not a bad little flash, especially for the money, and you can pick up a refurb from Canon right now on sale for just over $100 - or go for it's bigger brother the 270 EX II for $115:
> 
> http://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/lenses-flashes/refurbished-speedlite-flashes



Ebay had them for $50 not too long ago, the 90 ex. I didn't like it... but maybe it was because the batteries I was using were weak... but it felt like it took forever to recycle... and I was using it as a master which I believe takes less juice than using it as a flash. I like the idea of the 90ex... but I didn't like having/using a 90ex.

Personally, I REALLY like having an articulating head. I'd put in my vote for a 400 line...


----------



## jdramirez (May 4, 2014)

old-pr-pix said:


> If all you want is to replace pop-up flash the 90 EX should work fine. White Box at B-H is $60 if still available. 270 EX is more flexible as stated above and has 3x the power if you don't need a master function. Both fit in a pocket - obviously larger pocket for 270EX. BTW: was I the last person on earth to find out that you get the guide number in meters by dropping a zero from the model number of all current Canon flashes? I.E. 90EX is guide number 9 in meters, 270EX is G.N. 27, 600EX-RT is 60, etc.
> 
> I've used both 90 and 270, 90 makes a nice master on 5D-II with 430 slaves. Catch light at 20 meters? Really?



That's awesome information... though going from a 580 exii to a 600 rt... I thinking... is that extra 6/7 feet really going to make the difference?


----------



## jdramirez (May 4, 2014)

Catchlight... I read that phrase the other day... and in 6ish years of swimming around in the SLR pool, that was the first time I heard/read it. So... is it a synonym for a speedlite? I thought it might be like a light modifier... but that was a guess... and I'm thinking a wrong guess.


----------



## privatebydesign (May 4, 2014)

jdramirez said:


> old-pr-pix said:
> 
> 
> > If all you want is to replace pop-up flash the 90 EX should work fine. White Box at B-H is $60 if still available. 270 EX is more flexible as stated above and has 3x the power if you don't need a master function. Both fit in a pocket - obviously larger pocket for 270EX. BTW: was I the last person on earth to find out that you get the guide number in meters by dropping a zero from the model number of all current Canon flashes? I.E. 90EX is guide number 9 in meters, 270EX is G.N. 27, 600EX-RT is 60, etc.
> ...



No, well maybe but only if you are using a 200mm lens with the flash on camera, the flash output is the same as the 580, same as the 550 too. It only gets a higher guide number because of the artificial way they measure it, the 600 zooms to 200mm.


----------



## privatebydesign (May 4, 2014)

jdramirez said:


> Catchlight... I read that phrase the other day... and in 6ish years of swimming around in the SLR pool, that was the first time I heard/read it. So... is it a synonym for a speedlite? I thought it might be like a light modifier... but that was a guess... and I'm thinking a wrong guess.



No, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch_light


----------



## sagittariansrock (May 4, 2014)

jdramirez said:


> Personally, I REALLY like having an articulating head.



+1.


----------

