An open letter to Canon regarding the Canon RT system

[virsago_mk2]

To whom it may concern at Canon Inc.,

I am writing this email to express my disappointment with the Canon RT system, particularly the Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT & ST-E3 RT units.

Recently I just purchased a pair of Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT & one ST-E3 RT for my lighting equipment to complement a pair of my Canon 5D mark III & several Canon L lenses.
Prior to that, I was using Speedlite 580EXII, 580EX, 430EX & Phottix Odin radio trigger for most of my off-camera flash photography work.

Just FYI, I decided to sell the above equipment, particularly the Phottix Odin system, to purchase the Canon RT system. Because I thought that using the new Canon RT system with simplified Canon system will help my photography productivity, especially when using off-camera flash.

I found that 600EX-RT & ST-E3 RT system failed to meet my expectations. While there are many improvements compared to the previous generation Speedlite, I found that the Canon RT system has so many limitation that makes it inferior compared to the competitor products, such as Phottix Odin radio trigger system I was using before.

Below are the two major limitations on the Canon RT system that I am really frustrated about:

1. Lack of wireless 2nd curtain sync.
This feature should be easy to be implemented into the Canon RT system. But I am very surprised that Canon decided not to implement 2nd curtain sync in wireless mode. The competitor's products such as Phottix Odin have this feature. I find that the 2nd curtain sync is a very important feature, especially on my photography work. Why would Canon not include this feature, is beyond a common sense & it is unforgivable.

2. Lack of slave zoom control from the transmitter.
Again, this is a feature that the competitor's products like Phottix Odin managed to execute perfectly. Phottix Odin allows the user to change the zoom setting of the slave units from the transmitter.
By having the ability to set the zoom setting of the slave units directly from the transmitter, the user do not required to walk around & manually change the zoom setting on each flash unit. This process will make the photography work much more time-efficient.

I have invested so much money on the Canon DSLR & equipments. I was always happy using the Canon DSLR, but this is the first time I have ever felt that Canon has chosen to become arrogant & give the customer an inferior product / system. Even though I am currently still using pair of my 600EX-RT & ST-E3 RT system for my photography works, I am highly considering to go back to the Phottix Odin system, due to the two major limitations on the Canon RT system I stated above.

However, I still have a little bit of faith in Canon RT system. The Canon RT system has a very great potential if Canon can remove the two major limitations above.

I sincerely hope, or rather HIGHLY DEMAND, that Canon would release a firmware upgrade for the 600EX-RT & ST-E3 RT to add these features:

1. Add wireless 2nd curtain sync.
2. Add slave zoom control in the transmitter unit.

If somehow Canon failed to deliver the firmware updates containing the features above, I am definitely going to GET RID of my Canon RT system and go back to the competitor's product, the Phottix Odin.

Yours sincerely,


A Canon user from Australia

[Stephen]

Hi virsago_mk2!

The Canon Forum is hosted and moderated within the United States by Canon USA. We are only able to provide support for Canon products manufactured for the US market. If you live outside the United States, please click here and select your country or region for your support needs. We encourage you to discuss Canon products sold outside of the United States, but please be aware that you will not receive support directly from Canon USA.

[mvadu]

Really Canon, that is your answer? The original post talks about deficiancy in your products, which are marketed, sold in USA. Just because the user says he is from Australia should not make the issue go away, and stop you from offering a solution. If the question is for a Australians specific version of teh camera or tool then I can accept your answer.

[p4pictures]

mvadu,

Two things, I also wish the RT system could do 2nd curtain sync and also offer zoom control remotely. I made a similar set of requests in to Canon's European organisation.

As you're in Australia, and with the kit you have, then I'm sure you will have a CPS contact in Canon Australia who will listen to your feedback. Canon operates a largely regional organisation so each region tends to respond only to it's own regions feedback. Not defending it, but that's the way it is.

Brian / p4pictures

[mvadu]

Brian,

the original post is not mine. I live in USA, and the original poster is from Australia. I did not like the response Canon gave to him, and responded.

[bobakman]

Is the new 600 EX-RT Speedlight "firmware upgradeble"? If it is can the changes requested be implemented VIA Firmware?

Bob

[TCampbell]

I'm not sure why this is, but Canon flashes don't support 2nd curtain flash when operating in any wireless mode (including optical wireless - this isn't unique to radio mode).  I'm not sure why -- considering they support high-speed sync and multi-strobe mode in wireless modes... just not 2nd curtain (you'd think this wouldn't be hard to do considering high-speed and multi modes are probably a bit tougher to pull off.)

Though the issue isn't really "new" (e.g. my 580EX II can't do 2nd curtain remotely either), more people seem to be bringing this up since Canon introduced the radio system.

The radio system is reallly nice... hopefully Canon will add support for this.

[WahoGT]

From what I've heard from very knowledgeable sources, the off camera 2nd curtain sync issue is a patent issue... so don't expect that to be fixed anytime soon. It's not that it isn't possible, it's just that others (Nikon) have acquired the rights to do so, where Canon has not.  NO Canon flashes support off camera 2nd curtain sync.  It's not exactly a new issue.

There is a somewhat crude workaround though.  Get some optical triggers or keep the previous triggers you already had that worked.  It's not like you lost any functionality from the flashes themselves by upgrading.

The Zoom feature I don't know about, but most of the time I'm using my flashes off camera in some sort of light modifier with a sto-fen attached and the widest zoom possible.  

A workaround for at least one light off camera is to use a really long ETTL cord.  That way you can at least control the zoom on the Master.

[TCampbell]

That would be a pretty thin patent.  Courts have already ruled on that.  You cannot slap two patents together and declare that it represents a third patent.  That's like me declaring that although YOU invented the light switch, _I_ invented the "idea" of putting the light switch on the wall.... even though I didn't event the light switch or the wall.

If Canon has the rights to 2nd curtain sync with flash, and they also have the right to use radio technology for remote triggering, THEN they also have the right to do 2nd curtain sync with flash over radio for a remote flash.

The US Supreme Court actually already ruled on that -- there's legal precident for this within the United States.  There may be problems with it in other countries (as Canon sells equipment all over the world.)   

I recall the case had to do with adjustable floor pedals for cars (pedals that can be moved closer or farther depending on the length of the driver's legs).  There were already patents for doing this for pedals with mechanical linkage, but new cars are now using electronic linkage.  Some company decided to create a new patent for doing the same thing... but electronically.  The court basically ruled that you can't just slap two patents together and declare you've invented a new idea worthy of patent protection.

I think this was the case:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KSR_v._Teleflex

2nd curtain sync on a remote flash is basically the same problem.  2nd curtain sync isn't "new".  Remote control of a flash (whether by wire, optical system, or radio system) is also not "new".  So declaring that having some specific function on a flash work when the flash is remote and not on camera isn't really patentable -- it fails the obviousness test.

[Skirball]

+1

Well stated Tim.