EOS R6 Mark II. What flash models would you recommend?

[CanonFreak]

I might use a diffuser for a speedlite flash but I don't know which one to use. I mostly use the Canon R6 Mark II for indoor photography for baton or dance (ballet) in dark theater settings. But I also do portraits as well under trees, etc.

Any recommendations?

[deebatman316]

@SignifDigits all current Canon flashes support E-TTL. Canon hasn’t introduced a new flash system called I-TTL. I-TTL/ CLS is Nikon’s proprietary flash system which is INCOMPATIBLE with Canon’s flash system. The EL-10 can work off camera in radio wireless with another flash or transmitter in the hot shoe. The EL-1 V2 doesn’t have the multi function shoe. It uses the same hot shoe as older R series cameras and DSLRs. The 5 pin hot shoe dates back to 1986 with the release of the FD Mount T90. Though flash systems have changed between then and now. Older EOS film bodies released prior to 1995 only supported A-TTL & Off the Film TTL. The EOS Elan II brought E-TTL & support for HSS. So E-TTL started out with film cameras first before digital cameras came around. Canon had no choice but to discontinue support for A-TTL & TTL. Since digital cameras don’t have film. The flash will fire at full output only. Old off the film TTL relied on light reflected off the film to end the flash duration. Since digital cameras don’t use film. This flash system wouldn’t work at all. Instead E-TTL fires a metering pre-flash to determine correct flash power. In 2004 with the release of the EOS-1D Mark II. Canon released the revised E-TTL II flash system. Most of the changes were made in the camera body. Not the flash so no matter which Canon EX flash is used. The E-TTL II flash system is used. E-TTL II uses focus distance information provided by the lens if equipped. Another method is used if the lens lacks a focus distance encoder. Or if wireless, Macro or bounce flash is used. Distance information is NOT used.

[SignifDigits]

@deebatman316   Thanks.  Sorry for the Erroneous I-TTL remark.  I meant to say TTL and E-TTL.  That was really my point.  TTL connectors are included on the R6 Mark II, but not the R50V (and some others, I'm assuming).  I'm aware the EL-100 is only an optical link the EL-10 only wireless and the 430EX III-RT supports both.

My point was that while the current offerings support E-TTL that's really only a Canon-specific MODE combability, not a TTL connector compatibility (see below).  TTL connection is NOT supported on the newer flashes, so firing via a Godox TTL remote unit is not possible.

This whole "proprietary connector so that the camera can do the processing" should have removed some of the processing required by the flashes, perhaps lowering the cost.  That has not been the case.  The rechargeable battery and rapid recharge of the EL-10 are great, but I'm personally not buying another Canon flash with that proprietary connector.  It was not a fully robust multiple flash solution in the current wireless environment for about three years.  A firmware update last November is reported to improved things significantly for the EL-1, EL-5 and ST-E10, but there was no  update for my EL-10.  

Canon does a LOT of things remarkably well, but openly addressing flaws and aggressively taking steps to fix them does not seem to be one of them.  Both the EL-1 and EL-5 were about 3 years in the field old before a firmware fix was released.  That's a long time.  I have already invested in and trust Godox and don't appreciate the lower-end EL-10 not being included in the firmware fix.    Just not a good look for Canon, in my opinion.

Current Canon hot-shoe configuration below - no TTL connectors.  100% proprietary.  Nikon and Sony haven't released a new flash in like 4 years, and all of them (even if they have a proprietary connector) support TTL. 

I don't think the on-camera flash technology or business is worthy of this "proprietary-only" approach Canon has taken.  I think their flash business would be enhanced by allowing TTL firings as they do make great (the best and most reliable, I think) flash units.

 

[deebatman316]

@SignifDigits the EL-10 doesn’t use rechargeable batteries. Also the radio link has been improved. Maybe the EL-10 was updated before the other flashes from the factory. But Godox still has some work to do with compatibility problems. The R8 has banding issues when using HSS with Godox flashes. Also Godox flashes are known to lock up cameras with error 70. Canon changed the AF Assist Beam signal when they moved to the R series. Godox had no fix for this nor can it be disabled it still fires and locks up the camera.

[SignifDigits]

@deebatman316   Of course, as always you're 100% correct.  And Yikes!  I have an EL-5!  I'll have to update the firmware!  Sometimes I cannot keep up with own my gear makes and models, apparently!

Godox certainly has their issues in quality and reliability, but they, like Sigma, seem to be steadily improving and moving forward.  They, too, stumble.  Their new model controller is a step back in that it doesn't mount as well, and their quality is NOT that of Canon.  That said, the Godox ecosystem is rapidly becoming a defacto standard and they have become the flash "King".  Sort of like Adobe - not perfect, but still "good enough" for enough folks they may own the market.   Godox does, and will have their issues and they will almost certainly never make a flash as good as Canon's.  But being "best" doesn't always "win".  Sony Betamax was better than VHS by any technical standard, but VHS won in the consumer market, though Betamax won in the newsroom.

There is no doubt that Canon makes the best flash, and can offer unsurpassed compatibility.  I just hate that they chose to abandon TTL connections and think it was a bad call.  This proprietary move may be the nail in the Canon Speedlite coffin after the wireless interference stumble.  Or maybe not - time will tell. From my point of view that I will continue to only buy used Canon flashes that offer TTL.    I guess I got a great deal on the EL-5 but the lack of TTL and cross compatibility and unusefulness with the Godox gear makes it a one-shot (pun intended) wonder for solo on-camera use (which means it will rarely, if ever, get used).

Sorry for my continued and ongoing confusion and mistakes.  I can only plead old age at the reason 🙂

[CanonFreak]

Outside shots only.

[deebatman316]

@SignifDigits Sony has a similar hot shoe to Canon’s. It uses connectors to interface with flashes and other accessories. Sony’s old hot shoe was created by Minolta in 1988. It was a weird proprietary hot shoe it doesn’t even look like a hot shoe. There was no center pin on it to use traditional flashes instead a proprietary adapter is needed. Sony replaced that hot shoe in 2012. This new hot shoe brought back the center pin on it. This new hot shoe Canon has is mainly focused on video accessories like microphones. To eliminate cables needed to connect the microphone. Instead it goes through the hot shoe instead. Canon’s own flashes don’t need the center pin to work. Instead the camera reports the shutter speed value to the flash. Then the flash internally calculates when it needs to fire for the exposure. Only the R50 & R50V lack the 5 pins for legacy flashes to work. But those cameras are focused on video not stills. The R5 C while it has the new hot shoe. It only works with older flashes in stills mode. The newer interface only works with video accessories only. The EL-5 won’t work on that camera at all.