# Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo



## Canon Rumors Guy (Jul 1, 2016)

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<p>B&H Photo has stock of the brand new Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT.</p>
<p class="fs16 OpenSans-600-normal upper product-highlights-header">PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS</p>
<ul class="top-section-list" data-selenium="highlightList">
<li class="top-section-list-item">2.4 GHz Wireless Radio Transmission</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">Compatible with Canon E-TTL / E-TTL II</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">Guide Number: 197′ at ISO 100 and 200mm</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">Zoom Range: 20-200mm (14mm with Panel)</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">Tilts from -7 to +90°</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">Rotates Left & Right 180°</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">1.1-1.5x Improved Continuous Shooting</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">High-Speed, 1st & 2nd Curtain Sync</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">Bounce Adapter & Hard Color Filters</li>
<li class="top-section-list-item">Runs on 4 AA Batteries</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1250646-REG/canon_speedlite_600ex_ii_rt.html/bi/2466/kbid/3296" target="_blank">Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT $579</a></strong></p>
<span id="pty_trigger"></span>
```


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## chrisdeckard (Jul 1, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*

How about a firmware upgrade for those of us with a bunch of 600EX-RT v1 flashes for 2nd curtain sync! I'm not upgrading six flashes just for that.


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## neuroanatomist (Jul 1, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*



chrisdeckard said:


> How about a firmware upgrade for those of us with a bunch of 600EX-RT v1 flashes for 2nd curtain sync! I'm not upgrading six flashes just for that.



What does the MkII version offer in terms of 2nd curtain sync that the MkI doesn't?


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## chrisdeckard (Jul 1, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*



neuroanatomist said:


> chrisdeckard said:
> 
> 
> > How about a firmware upgrade for those of us with a bunch of 600EX-RT v1 flashes for 2nd curtain sync! I'm not upgrading six flashes just for that.
> ...



The mkii has it and the mki doesn't. I guess I'm assuming it has it over wireless. Maybe the mkii doesn't have that either? I want wireless 2nd curtain sync.


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## neuroanatomist (Jul 1, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*



chrisdeckard said:


> neuroanatomist said:
> 
> 
> > chrisdeckard said:
> ...



I thought that's what you were getting at. I haven't seen any suggestion that the MkII offers 2nd curtain sync with wireless control - have you? Both offer 2nd curtain sync when on-camera, of course.


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## jaayres20 (Jul 1, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*

From the limited information I have seen about this flash, form what I can tell, is that the only upgrade is the faster continuous shooting. Is this really the only upgrade from the mark 1? I find it really hard to believe that they didn't improve the range of the radio transmission or anything else. Form 2012-2016 there has to be some improvements they could have added that would have made this something I want to buy. I really wish they would improve the smaller transmitter to include the AF assist beam. As of right now, I cannot find a single flash or transmitter that has the equivalent AF assist of the 600ex and that means I am stuck with it on my camera during a 4-5 hour wedding reception.


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## arthurbikemad (Jul 1, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*

I love the 600s, I have four of them and they serve me well! Also use the STE3RT and the YNE3RT when I need second curtain or AF assist and the four 600s OC, otherwise I'd say just use a 600 as a master disabled, BUT I totally know why having the 600 mounted for three hours would be a pain, they are BIG. The only other features changed in the Mk2 is the head, filter and recycle time? Any ways I will I not fuss over the Mk2.


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## Ozarker (Jul 2, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*



arthurbikemad said:


> I love the 600s, I have four of them and they serve me well! Also use the STE3RT and the YNE3RT when I need second curtain or AF assist and the four 600s OC, otherwise I'd say just use a 600 as a master disabled, BUT I totally know why having the 600 mounted for three hours would be a pain, they are BIG. The only other features changed in the Mk2 is the head, filter and recycle time? Any ways I will I not fuss over the Mk2.



Hmmmm... just the old electronics geek in me and I have not seen a schematic for a 600EX, but is the flash head really required to be attached at all for the thing to work as a master with AF assist? I mean, I usually have the master set to not fire when I use a 600EX as a master on camera. How many wires and gizmos run up into the flash head anyway? You just wouldn't be able to use it for fill or zoom. The slave flash units should handle everything else, right?

The only reason I use a 600 on camera is for the AF assist feature when I need it. Seems one could come up with a nifty topper to go where the flash head used to be. Still heavy, but not near as bulky. Just wondering. I'm not tearing one of mine down.


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## pharding (Jul 2, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*

Mine shipped today from B+H.


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## AvTvM (Jul 2, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*



neuroanatomist said:


> chrisdeckard said:
> 
> 
> > neuroanatomist said:
> ...



Exactly! My understanding is, that a change in Canon wireless ETTL protocol would be needed to enable 2nd curtain sync also in wireless mode. From everything I have read on that - highly frustrating - lack of feature, it appears to be a limitation of wireless ETTL-protocol, not hardware (speedlite or camera). 

btw: Nikon has 2nd curtain sync in wireless mode forever. "Innovative Canon" seems to be not innovative enough to unlock this feature.


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## JohnUSA (Jul 2, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*



CanonFanBoy said:


> ....
> The only reason I use a 600 on camera is for the AF assist feature when I need it. Seems one could come up with a nifty topper to go where the flash head used to be. Still heavy, but not near as bulky. Just wondering. I'm not tearing one of mine down.



The YN622C II has the AF assist feature... I just don't know if it works in AI Servo mode (that's what I'm in 100% via the back AF button) 

https://www.amazon.com/YONGNUO-Wireless-YN622C-II-High-speed/dp/B014EQAZXC/


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## JonAustin (Jul 2, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*

I see no reason to upgrade to the Mark II from the four 600-RT's I've had for four years this month. I've been exceedingly satisfied with them (I use them primarily in-studio, and no longer have to rely on the manual to decipher the menus, like I did with the 550's). I've been debating whether to send them in to Canon for the firmware upgrade.

I would open my wallet for an ST-E3-RT II that included AF assist, however.


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## Ozarker (Jul 3, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*



JohnUSA said:


> CanonFanBoy said:
> 
> 
> > ....
> ...



Yeah, I guess I just keep hoping Canon does something about this with an update of some kind on a new ST-E3-RT.

But you know? I think I might be willing to try the Yongnuo version of the 600 to see how it would do without the flash head. It might be a cool experiment. 

I guess it would be too bulky to make AF assist a feature built into the camera.

Thanks for bringing up the Yongnuo... I would be willing to tear into one. I'd do it with one of my 600's, but I'd probably mess it up. A schematic would be a huge help.


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## midluk (Jul 3, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*

Take extreme caution when opening a flash unit. The device operates with a very high voltage and the flash capacitor might still be charged to >500V. You definitely do not want to touch it or or cause a short circuit with a tool (at least not without first discharging it with a properly sized and power rated resistor). Without knowing where the capacitor is and what parts/wires are connected to it, you have a good chance to fry yourself or the rest of the electronics.

If you really do the modification, you should also make sure to remove (or decouple from the power supply) the HV generating circuit.


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## Ozarker (Jul 3, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*



midluk said:


> Take extreme caution when opening a flash unit. The device operates with a very high voltage and the flash capacitor might still be charged to >500V. You definitely do not want to touch it or or cause a short circuit with a tool (at least not without first discharging it with a properly sized and power rated resistor). Without knowing where the capacitor is and what parts/wires are connected to it, you have a good chance to fry yourself or the rest of the electronics.
> 
> If you really do the modification, you should also make sure to remove (or decouple from the power supply) the HV generating circuit.



500 volts or more may sound high, but let's not forget that this is DC current. While it may scare the crap out of you or fry an I.C... it isn't going to stop a heart or cause burns.

Example: Let's say your 500 volts is correct (probably lower on a speedlight), and your skin resistance is 100,000 ohms. The the current would only be .005 amps and 2.5 watts of power. Plus again, this is direct current. The current only flows in one direction.

It is AC current that is so nasty. Sometimes even less than .1 amp of AC can kill @ 110 volts. What does the killing is the rapid cycling of the current back and forth (alternating) along it's path through the body. It is also why you can't let go of the live wire. Not a problem with DC. In the United States household current is regulated to around 60hz. I think Europe is 50Hz. The old incandescent light bulbs we used to all use actually turned on and off 60 times each second. 60Hz was chosen because that is approximately the point at which the human eye doesn't see the on and off flicker.

It is current (in particular AC), not voltage that kills.

It is good to read about the battle between Tesla (DC) and Edison (AC). Thomas Edison was a very nasty person. Really nasty.

Anyway, I have forgotten more than I ever knew and it is very hard these days to retrieve that information from my cobwebbed mind. 

In high school we used to leave charged capacitors laying around all the time and wait to see somebody pick it up. Great fun! Well, for high schoolers it was. We did the same in college.

Here is a nutty video of a guy discharging the capacitor on a 580EX and he talks about the possibility of it killing you. The real problem in the video is that he knows just enough about electricity/electronics to get himself killed one of these days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mgpbD0IFvw

Here's a horrible video of four Chinese painters killed by alternating current. DO NOT WATCH IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH IN ANY WAY. Very sad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w13_6U9qL4


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## neuroanatomist (Jul 3, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*



CanonFanBoy said:


> It is AC current that is so nasty. ... It is also why you can't let go of the live wire.



That's the combo of AC and 110 V – a 220 VAC live wire will knock you loose.


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## AvTvM (Jul 3, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*

Tasted 230V shocks twice in my life ... not an experience I would like to repeat. 
Although I still do most of the (simple) "electrical work" in our household, I'd rather not dismantle a speedlite ...


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## Ozarker (Jul 3, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*



neuroanatomist said:


> CanonFanBoy said:
> 
> 
> > It is AC current that is so nasty. ... It is also why you can't let go of the live wire.
> ...



True. 

I used to work in 480 three phase cabinets and one of the big worries was arc flash. It could even burn the insides of the lungs out if the resulting gas (or ions?) was inhaled. Nasty.


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## Valvebounce (Jul 4, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*

Hi CanonFanBoy. 
I was going to say 480 3phase will throw you across the room closely followed by the cabinet door and your ladder, thankfully not me, someone I knew. 
I've had a couple of merry dances on 15-30kv, but no amps, it makes you want to let go of the plug lead pdq. 

Cheers, Graham.


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## Ozarker (Jul 4, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*



Valvebounce said:


> Hi CanonFanBoy.
> I was going to say 480 3phase will throw you across the room closely followed by the cabinet door and your ladder, thankfully not me, someone I knew.
> I've had a couple of merry dances on 15-30kv, but no amps, it makes you want to let go of the plug lead pdq.
> 
> Cheers, Graham.



You are right Graham. It can get scary. I never experienced an arc flash though. Nor did I ever get jolted, thank God. I have, however, had my hair start to stand on end and exited quickly away from high voltage motor control centers.

Another time while working in a 480v cabinet the guy from the lab thought it would be cute to goose me while I was poking around checking fuses. He barely had time to laugh before I got turned around and hit him square in the face. It was just utter fear and reflex.

He got fired and the company treatened to have him arrested if he tried to sue myself or the company (Korean Circuits of America).

Anyway, a lot of people do not realize that to troubleshoot a system it many times has to be live. Worked with very low voltages (from PLCs etc.) on up to 480 3 phase.

The last time I had to fool with any of that was in 2003. Glad I'm not in that line anymore.


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## PhotoCat (Jul 4, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*

I hope the YN-E3-RT trigger still works with 600EX II-RT!
If not, you know the reasons for this quick 600Ex II-RT update! 
Anyone has any experience?


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## midluk (Jul 4, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*



PhotoCat said:


> I hope the YN-E3-RT trigger still works with 600EX II-RT!
> If not, you know the reasons for this quick 600Ex II-RT update!
> Anyone has any experience?


I don't think they can permanently lock out the YN-E3-RT without breaking compatibility with their own devices. Yongnuo has the big advantage that the firmware of the YN-E3-RT can be updated by the user, so they are much more flexible than the Canon devices and can adapt to changes.


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## AvTvM (Jul 5, 2016)

*Re: Stock Notice: Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT at B&H Photo*



midluk said:


> PhotoCat said:
> 
> 
> > I hope the YN-E3-RT trigger still works with 600EX II-RT!
> ...



Principally: yes.
In practice: Don't hold your breath. 
Yongnuo has a track record of adapting their products very slowly and with extremely poor communication and documentation ... if at all. It takes more resources than they have to quickly reverse engineer Canon's ever changing protocol shenanigans.


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