# 90EX on a 5D3?



## ahsanford (Oct 11, 2013)

Hey gang,

I shoot a 5D3 and have a 600EX-RT, but I only pack it for special events. (I am more of a natural light shooter.)

However, I've considered picking up a 90EX with all the EOS-M deals going on these days. It's just so small that I could pocket the damn thing and use it in a pinch. 

Does anyone have experience using this little guy on a 5D or 6D? 

In particular, I've heard the recycle time is toxically slow -- I've heard _5-6 seconds_ (is that right?). 

No AF assist beam, right? Anyone have experience trying to use it in low light?

In addition, I'd also be concerned about the flash not getting over my bigger lenses. I imagine my wide primes would be fine, but I have a 24-70 F/4 and the 100L macro. (I certainly wouldn't bother with this with my 70-200 F/2.8). Anyone have a read on what lenses this does/doesn't complement well?

I welcome your thoughts on this. 

Thx,
A


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## privatebydesign (Oct 11, 2013)

I have the 90EX, it is a great toy, its best feature is being able to control your 600-EX-RT and very minor fill work.

It recycles fast, it easily shoots 2+ fps on the EOS-M but the output is very low, very very low. It is ETTL only and first curtain sync only, plus HSS (but it doesn't have the power to be any use at all in HSS).

It is a good fit for the M, it is a fun optical controller, it isn't a flash to rely on in any kind of serious situation.


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## dppaskewitz (Oct 11, 2013)

I got one as part of the M deal from B&H a while ago. I recently used it as fill flash on my 6D shooting inside a caboose and a steam locomotive cab (both firmly parked in a museum), firing it over a 24-105 and 17-40. It doesn't provide a lot of light, but is so easy to carry that the occasional benefits may well outweigh the costs (financial and space considerations) if you can get one cheap enough. I haven't yet tried it as a controller for bigger off camera flashes, but understand it has that capability? and will try it out over the next month or so. Having said all that, I don't know that I would have bought it unless it came "free."


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## JohnDizzo15 (Oct 11, 2013)

privatebydesign said:


> I have the 90EX, it is a great toy, its best feature is being able to control your 600-EX-RT and very minor fill work.
> 
> It recycles fast, it easily shoots 2+ fps on the EOS-M but the output is very low, very very low. It is ETTL only and first curtain sync only, plus HSS (but it doesn't have the power to be any use at all in HSS).
> 
> It is a good fit for the M, it is a fun optical controller, it isn't a flash to rely on in any kind of serious situation.



+1

I have used it on occasion in the exact fashion you describe but not for any serious work. I haven't had any issues with it being used in conjunction with my 24-70II if that provides any frame of reference for effectiveness relative to lens dimensions.


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## ajfotofilmagem (Oct 11, 2013)

If you need only fill light, or Catch Light, 90EX is an interesting option. But remember that the small size can make the flash light obstructed by large diameter lenses such as 24-70mm when used in 24.


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## ahsanford (Oct 11, 2013)

ajfotofilmagem said:


> If you need only fill light, or Catch Light, 90EX is an interesting option. But remember that the small size can make the flash light obstructed by large diameter lenses such as 24-70mm when used in 24.



I presume you mean the 24-70 F/2.8L *Mk I*? Because the 24-70 F/4L IS and 24-70 F/2.8L Mk II are longer at 70, not 24.

- A


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## ajfotofilmagem (Oct 11, 2013)

ahsanford said:


> ajfotofilmagem said:
> 
> 
> > If you need only fill light, or Catch Light, 90EX is an interesting option. But remember that the small size can make the flash light obstructed by large diameter lenses such as 24-70mm when used in 24.
> ...


The statement is valid for any wide angle lens with front diameter above 8 cm and physical length above 11 cm. Although I have not tested the combination 5D + 24-70 + 90EX, the logic is that at 24mm, the flash light will be partially blocked when shooting near, the feet of the model would be in the shadow created by the edge of the lens. We must remember that this little flash is designed for use with EOS-M camera and its lenses also small. Possibly with zoom position 28mm and above, there should be no shadow in the frame. If someone can do the test with the configuration 5D + 24-70 + 90EX could be sure if my calculations proceed or not.


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## privatebydesign (Oct 11, 2013)

Guys, don't get sidetracked on minutiae, I was being polite, the 90EX is pretty much a worthless POS. 

What lenses might cause vignetting is missing the point, most of the time it doesn't put out enough light to notice any vignetting issue anyway.


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## brad-man (Oct 11, 2013)

privatebydesign said:


> Guys, don't get sidetracked on minutiae, I was being polite, the 90EX is pretty much a worthless POS.
> 
> What lenses might cause vignetting is missing the point, most of the time it doesn't put out enough light to notice any vignetting issue anyway.



This. Canon is selling the 270EX ll refurbed for $116. Slightly larger, but much more powerful and it tilts. If it could swivel it would be the perfect pocketable flash.

http://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/310916?WT.mc_id=C126149


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## drjlo (Oct 11, 2013)

I use the 90EX on 5D3 all the time, but it's only useful as optical trigger for off-camera speedlites, e.g. my 580EX II. In that role, the 90EX is great, when I have a 580EX II +/- modifier on top of chair/table or hand-held with my left arm, etc.


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## brad-man (Oct 12, 2013)

drjlo said:


> I use the 90EX on 5D3 all the time, but it's only useful as optical trigger for off-camera speedlites, e.g. my 580EX II. In that role, the 90EX is great, when I have a 580EX II +/- modifier on top of chair/table or hand-held with my left arm, etc.



You might want to try a pair of Yongnuo 622s instead. Full functionality, no line of sight requirement/better range and AF assist. They're pretty sweet for $78.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/170909752808?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649


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## applecider (Oct 12, 2013)

Kind of off topic but has anyone seen a flash shoe booster piece? What I mean by this is a 3-4 inch hot shoe piece that has pass through electronics so that a flash can be used with the bigger lenses or even with a macro lens close up. Pocket wizard puts put a one inch hot shoe booster that is supposed to isolate some buggy electronics, a booster ( and yes I know one can get an off shoe cord but that sort of defeats the point of keeping the accessory count down.) would come in handy in a number of situations.


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## drjlo (Oct 12, 2013)

brad-man said:


> drjlo said:
> 
> 
> > I use the 90EX on 5D3 all the time, but it's only useful as optical trigger for off-camera speedlites, e.g. my 580EX II. In that role, the 90EX is great, when I have a 580EX II +/- modifier on top of chair/table or hand-held with my left arm, etc.
> ...



I already own a bunch of Yongnuo 622's, but unless I'm shooting in difficult situations, I just prefer to bring one 90EX instead of a couple of 622's. I kind of like not having another box attached to the speedlite base. If I'm bringing 2 speedlites instead of 1, then it's even less stuff to carry, i.e. 3 transceivers.


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## eninja (Nov 11, 2013)

well i got a 90ex, main purpose is to pair with 430ex II. I use it with my 6D.
I am an amateur, so i don't observe the recycling time. But should be fast, maybe a second or 2. i dont know.

Regarding power,
I use 90ex as fill flash, catch light to subjects face or eyes.. or when the background is bright, need to expose on background and fill flash the foreground. I don't intend the 90ex to light the whole scene, with 6D i can increase ISO to like 10000 and would still be good. So the power is OK, after all point and shoot got smaller flash and can do its thing, what more 90ex, a bit bigger.

Also i dont use telephoto, i believed 5meters away, 90ex fill flash still can do the job.


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## Zv (Nov 11, 2013)

90EX for fill flash?? Eeeeyyuukk! You might as well just use your old iPhone because that's the kind of light you're creating with such a small on camera flash. Hope you like red eye, and lots of it! 

I know you're looking for something small but at least get something that tilts and swivels. Consider the 320EX II. Now, I know it's not brilliant but I had it and it has some very useful features. 

1. It tilts and swivels
2. It can act as a slave, and has group compatibility. 
3. It has a zoom head (ummm kind of! Lol)
4. It's pocketable if you have medium sized jacket pockets. (It's shorter than a 430ex)
5. It works as a remote shutter release
6. It has an LED so you can find your keys in the dark 

OK the LED is useless. Wish it had a AF assist beam instead. It does have that crazy rapid flash burst AF assist that is kinda garbage but works. 

I had this flash for a while, it served me well as my intro into the flash world. I see you already have the 600exrt so you prob would only use this as a back up anyway.


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## neuroanatomist (Nov 11, 2013)

applecider said:


> Kind of off topic but has anyone seen a flash shoe booster piece? What I mean by this is a 3-4 inch hot shoe piece that has pass through electronics so that a flash can be used with the bigger lenses or even with a macro lens close up. Pocket wizard puts put a one inch hot shoe booster that is supposed to isolate some buggy electronics, a booster ( and yes I know one can get an off shoe cord but that sort of defeats the point of keeping the accessory count down.) would come in handy in a number of situations.



3-4", no - you'd likely need a bracket and an OC cord. But there are shorter ones, like this.


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## privatebydesign (Nov 11, 2013)

neuro,

Do you happen to know of something like that but with a tilt adjustment in it? I really want one for the ST-E3-RT.

P.S. Following on from my earlier post about the complete lack of power from the 90EX, I used it tried to use it last week as fill on the EOS-M, it is a useless POS, it's only functionality is as an optical remote controller. In M mode at full power it wouldn't give even basic fill.


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## neuroanatomist (Nov 11, 2013)

privatebydesign said:


> neuro,
> 
> Do you happen to know of something like that but with a tilt adjustment in it? I really want one for the ST-E3-RT.



Not as a 1-piece unit. But one possibility would be to use this adapter (they sell via Amazon, too). I'm thinking you could put some electrical tape on the top (single pin) connector hotshoe of the on-camera piece to block electrical contact, then put the tilting E-TTL shoe on that taped hotshoe. You'd have the coiled cord there, just connecting the two stacked adapters, but have a locking tilt mechanism with no need for additional brackets, etc.


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## mrzero (Nov 11, 2013)

applecider said:


> Kind of off topic but has anyone seen a flash shoe booster piece? What I mean by this is a 3-4 inch hot shoe piece that has pass through electronics so that a flash can be used with the bigger lenses or even with a macro lens close up. Pocket wizard puts put a one inch hot shoe booster that is supposed to isolate some buggy electronics, a booster ( and yes I know one can get an off shoe cord but that sort of defeats the point of keeping the accessory count down.) would come in handy in a number of situations.



You might be able to create your own with (1) an off-camera ETTL cord that has a hot-shoe on top of the camera end (like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Opteka-FSC-5-Off-Camera-Pentax-Cameras/dp/B006NY99MM/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1384183452&sr=8-11&keywords=canon+ettl+cord) and (2) a short magic arm (like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Camgeeker-Articulating-Friction-Mounts-Monitor/dp/B007RBME2M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384183580&sr=8-1&keywords=magic+arm). Put the cable on the camera, put the cold foot of the magic arm on top of the camera end of the cable, screw the other end of the magic arm into the threaded base of the other end of the cable, then attach the small flash to the end of the cable. Don't know if you'd need electrical tape on the cold foot to shield the shoe on top of the flash cable, but it couldn't hurt. I've never done this or used these particular products, but the thought had occurred to me. This will only work with a small flash, 90EX or 270EX.

Also, when using the 90EX as a master, be aware that it will NOT fire fill flash. It will only trigger your off camera flashes. If I already had a 600EXRT, I'd just get the ST-E3-RT for off camera. Canon will be releasing a 430EX-RT at some point, and I'm personally hoping for a 270EX-RT equivalent as well.


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## privatebydesign (Nov 11, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> privatebydesign said:
> 
> 
> > neuro,
> ...



Thanks for that Neuro, worth a look.


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