Canon 6D breaking compatibility with third party flashes

[mvadu]

I am new to full frame camera, and a new proud owner of Canon 6D. I used to shoot with a T1i before. I also have a YN-468 flash. Since 6D does not have an on-board flash, I want to start use the external flash more often.

As per many online guides, (e.g. photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/index2.html) in Manual (M) exposure mode flash power is varied to expose the subject, while the shutter and aperture determine the ambient light.

I followed this approach, and on T1i it works as expected.

On 6D however it does not seem to work that way. The flash is firing, but the photos are tuned out black! (or extremely under exposed)

Both are shot in Manual Exposure mode, with same lens (24-105 L) @ 1/50, f/4, ISO-400. Since this setting was giving little over exposed in T1i, I put -2 FEC on both. I asked this question on Flickr forum and general conscious was that 6D is implementing some new algorithm for eTTL and hence previously working third party accessories may not work any more. Is it true?

I am borrowing one my friends 430Ex tonight to try if a Canon flash would work as expected to make sure my copy 6D is not defective.

[RexGig]

This can happen with flashes, and with lenses, too. Third parties have to arrive at compatibility by reverse-engineering a product. A future camera released by the manufacturer may well simply be incompatible. Companies who are competitors cannot be expected to share data with each other. (Some manufacturers have apparently provided data to Zeiss, according to some sources.)

Keep in mind that Canon elected to "orphan" its entire line of FD lenses by introducing the EOS system! Moreover, Canon flashes, older than the EX series, are not fully compatible with current cameras. A parallel situation exists with Nikon flashes, as flashes made before the CLS system must be used in manual mode on current Nikon cameras.

The manufacturer of the YN flashes may well acquire a 6D, and reverse-engineer its future flashes to work with the 6D. 

Money saved by an initial purchase of a third-party flash or lens may be lost in the future, when one upgrades cameras.

[HDCamTeam]

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@mvadu wrote:

I am new to full frame camera, and a new proud owner of Canon 6D. I used to shoot with a T1i before. I also have a YN-468 flash. Since 6D does not have an on-board flash, I want to start use the external flash more often.

As per many online guides, (e.g. photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/index2.html) in Manual (M) exposure mode flash power is varied to expose the subject, while the shutter and aperture determine the ambient light.

I followed this approach, and on T1i it works as expected.

On 6D however it does not seem to work that way. The flash is firing, but the photos are tuned out black! (or extremely under exposed)

@Both are shot in Manual Exposure mode, with same lens (24-105 L) @ 1/50, f/4, ISO-400. Since this setting was giving little over exposed in T1i, I put -2 FEC on both. I asked this question on Flickr forum and general conscious was that 6D is implementing some new algorithm for eTTL and hence previously working third party accessories may not work any more. Is it true?

I am borrowing one my friends 430Ex tonight to try if a Canon flash would work as expected to make sure my copy 6D is not defective.

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Hi,

As @RexGig said, full reverse engineering is required for 3rd party accessories to work properly, and Canon 6D may have an algorithm that detects 3rd party flash units...

Please let us know if the 430EXII worked fine.

Also remember that shutter speed won't affect the flash shoot if it's between the syncrhonizing speed (asuming you're not capturing environment light, otherwise the shutter speed will indeed make influence on the picture, but not because of the flash)

An additional test could be not using the flash with eTTL, but with a hot shoe adapter without communication to the camera. Of course, that would be very limiting to all manual settings.

Regards

[mvadu]

Today I borrowed YN-468 MkII and a 430EX. Both worked as expected. So issue is only with Mk1 of YN-468. But I also noticed the High Speed Sync for the first time, and I kind of liked it.

Now I am in dilemma if I should buy a YN-468 II for $80, with a risk of breaking compatibility in the future, or shell out $230 and buy 430EX with a assurance of it working forever with a Canon (foreseeable future)

[HDCamTeam]

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@mvadu wrote:

Today I borrowed YN-468 MkII and a 430EX. Both worked as expected. So issue is only with Mk1 of YN-468. But I also noticed the High Speed Sync for the first time, and I kind of liked it.

Now I am in dilemma if I should buy a YN-468 II for $80, with a risk of breaking compatibility in the future, or shell out $230 and buy 430EX with a assurance of it working forever with a Canon (foreseeable future)

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Hi,

Thanks a lot for letting all of us know about that. It's good to know.

IMO $80 is a great price for a flash, unless you need more powerful light and more reliable control.

If you work taking pictures, then the Speedlite should be worth the extra money. Keeping a cheap 3rd party unit as backup/spare or as additional flash for outdoors/studio shooting is also a great deal (if they can be triggered all at the same time)

Regards

[javierfajnolla]

Thanks for this message, mvadu, it's being usefull for me 🙂

I will like to make you an extra question, since I'm about to buy one of the flashes you mentioned for a Canon 6D and want to be sure that I'm making the right choice.

Did you make the tests with the YN-468 directly connected into your 6D or separatedly?

Do any of them, YN-468 or YN-468ii, work remotelly (wireless connected, not attached to the camera) without any additional device or wireless adaptor?

Thank you very much!!!

[javierfajnolla]

Hi! Thanks for the information, it's being useful for me. Let me ask you something more, when you have tried 6D, my camera, with one of the flashes I'm considering to buy
Did you try 6D with YN-468 and YN-468 ii attached at the top of the camera or separatedly in wireless connection? I'm considering to buy YN-468 ii, but I can't guess if I will be able to connect wireless without any additional gadget for doing so.

Thanks!!!

[mvadu]

Glad that was useful. I tried the flash on the camera. Remember, you need YN-468ii and not old one to work on 6D. The flash has a optical slave, I.e. It senses the main flashes light and flashes itself in wireless mode. Since 6D does not have a built in flash you can't really use 468ii in wireless slave mode unless you have another of them to trigger from the top of the camera.

I actually ended up buying a YN-568 and a pair of YN622c. 622 dies wireless ettl, so you can use them with any flash to make it wireless. 568 is $100 more and comes with better build quality and more power.

[ebiggs1]

It seems a shame to buy a great camera like a Canon 6D and then put a junkie 3rd party flash on it.  IMHO, as always.

[javierfajnolla]

Thanks for the advices. And I agree... it's a shame...