Canon produces a line of external flashes called Speedlites.
When the light is gone, you can still take pictures. Light is a key element in any photograph, but the source of that light can come from any source. Canon produces a number of external flashes that can be used to create interesting effects in your pictures. The Canon 580EX II can tilt and swivel its flash head, allowing you to direct the light it produces in different directions. This can create interesting bounce lighting effects.
Flashes and Recycle Times
The Canon 580 EX II Speedlite is designed to use four "AA" batteries, or it can be connected to an external battery pack. Fresh "AA" batteries provide between 100 to 700 flashes, depending on the lighting conditions. Recycle time runs between 0.1 to 6 seconds with new batteries. Recycle time is the length of time the flash needs to recharge before it is ready to fire at full power again.
Flash Range and AF Assist Beam
The 580 EX II Speedlite illuminates subjects from as close 1.6 feet away to as far as 98.4 feet. This measurement was taken using a 50mm lens at f1.4 with the camera set at an ISO of 100. The 580 EX II Speedlite has a built-in Auto Focus Assist Beam that assists the camera's internal auto-focusing system in low-light conditions. The Auto Focus Assist Beam in the 580 EX II Speedlight is more accurate in low-light conditions than the camera's internal beam, because it uses a larger and brighter beam. The measurements it takes are relayed to the camera, which is able to focus the picture quicker.
Compatible Cameras
The 580 EX II Speedlight has E-TTL compatibility (in which the camera automatically focuses the flash) with all Canon EOS digital cameras and some PowerShot models: the G2, G3, G5, G6 and Pro1. The flash also has E-TTL compatibility with a good number of EOS film cameras: the EOS-1v, EOS-3, Elan 7N series, Elan 7 series, Elan II series and Rebel T2, Ti, K2, GII, G.
Additionally, the 580 EX II Speedlight works with other cameras in TTL mode, in which the camera determines the focus but the photographer still sets the aperture. In TTL mode, this flash is compatible with all other film EOS SLRs and the Canon T90.
Tags: Assist Beam, Elan series, Auto Focus, Auto Focus Assist, camera internal
