I've been using a Canon Speedlite 540EZ on an A2 but I'd like to go E-TTL with maybe the EOS 1V HS for portability of a small 3 flash setup on location.

(1) I'd like to receive comments on Canon Speedlite EX vs EZ. (2) Has anyone compared a Speedlite arrangement's light output vs the cumbersome and expensive setup of strobes, model lights and umbrellas? I'm trying to determine if the bang for the buck with the small portable setup is worth venturing into or should I invest in the power of an actual strobe/light/umbrella/soft box arrangement. Without being able to experiment with each, I'm looking for info in this forum.

Thx!

-- Sue Butler (sue@butler22.com), May 22, 2001

Answers

1) My experience (mostly weddings, parties & school portraits) has been that the EX series Speedlites meter more accurately in more types of situations. Since they also offer flash exposure lock (FEL) it even easier to get accurate exposures quickly. They also offer high speed sync for easier fill flash outdoors.

2) I have used a three EZ Speedlite setup for portraits & large group shots. I did it first with Canon's TTL cord set and then went to Lite-Link TTL slaves for two of the remote Speedlites. The new wireless E-TTL feature with the EX series lights would be even easier to use, but since I only have one EX Speedlite I keep using the Lite- Links.

I have a set of studio strobes, but unless I'm going to do a lot of pictures in one spot I use the Speedlites because they are easier to set up. I often will mount them on stands fired into umbrellas using manual flash & metered with a flash meter. That's still faster than setting up the bigger strobes & finding power for them. The down side is less power means I have to get the strobes closer to the subjects, and I don't have any real modeling lights. Those aren't big problems though so I opt for the convenience factor.

-- Jim Strutz (jimstrutz@juno.com), May 22, 2001.