Canon Speedlite 580EX II USA
- Price: $499.00
- Instant Savings: -$30.00 Offer ends JUN 2 '12
- You Pay: $469.00
- Free Shipping (USA)
- In Stock
Buy Together & Save
Click Here To Save $50 on Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 Software When Purchased Together With This ItemRemember the Essentials
Batteries are required but not included with this item. Please be sure to purchase batteries for this item.
As the Canon top-of-the-line flash for the EOS-system, the Speedlite 580EX II takes the best features from existing models and adds functionality that enhances digital photography. A more powerful flash with a maximum guide number of 190' (58 m) at ISO 100 (at 105mm focal length), faster recycling, more consistent color and enhanced controls are among the improvements that all photographers, especially those who shoot digital, will find useful.
The 580EX version II offers several improvements over the original 580EX version. It has been redesigned to match with the EOS-1D Mark III in terms of improved dust- and water-resistance, body strength, and the ability to control flash functions and settings from the camera menu (EOS-1D Mark III only). Other features include improved communication reliability through its direct contacts, a metal hot shoe, and recycling time is both 20% shorter than the 580EX and is completely inaudible.
The flash supports all current versions of TTL, including evaluative E-TTL II. This is great for photographers that shoot high contrast or reflective subjects, like those encountered in wedding photography. Photographers can now capture every detail from the black of tuxedos to the white of wide smiles and wedding dresses.
- Compatibility
- The Speedlite 580EX flash is compatible with Canon's E-TTL II (Evaluative Through The Lens) auto exposure technology. When combined with a compatible Canon camera (EOS-1D/s Mark II, Mark III, D-20, Elan 7N/E, or newer models) and compatible lens, E-TTL II utilizes subject distance and other information that automatically modifies flash power, resulting in accurate flash exposure regardless of subject size, reflectance, or photographic composition.
- Multiple Flash Exposure Modes
- E-TTL II, E-TTL, TTL & Manual
- Faster Recycling Time
- Improved power supply design provides up to 25% improvement in flash recycle time
- Built-in AF-assist beam compatible with EOS multi-point AF systems including 45-point Area AF types
- Built-in catchlight reflector allows a catchlight to be added quickly and conveniently to portraits
Professional Modes
- FE Lock - Flash exposure lock
- FP Mode, or high-speed sync, allows the camera to sync with flash at higher shutter speeds
- Second-curtain sync fires the flash at the end of the exposure, allowing streak of light to flow naturally behind the movement of the subject
- Wireless TTL flash when triggered by other on-camera 580EX; or when combined with ST-E2 Transmitter & multiple 580 or 550 EX's
- Stroboscopic mode shows several minute flashes continuously to easily view flash effect
- FEB - Flash Exposure Bracketing
- 14 Custom Functions that provide maximum control over various flash functions
- Ratio flash lighting of up to 8:1 when used with ST-E2 Transmitter & multiple 550 or 580EX's
- When color temperature data is automatically transmitted from the 580EX, the camera sets the color balance for the optimal flash shot
| Mount | Shoe |
| Guide No. | 190' (57.91 m) at 105 mm position |
| Exposure Control | Manual/TTL |
| Angle of Coverage |
84° - 23.3° Wide-Angle Adapter: 114° - 23.3° |
| Vari-Power | 1/1 - 1/128 |
| TTL Dedication | Yes |
| Bounce Head | Yes |
| Swivel Head | Yes, 360° |
| Coverage | 24 mm - 105 mm (Full frame) |
| Zoom Head | Full frame: 24 mm - 105 mm |
| Off Camera Terminal | PC |
| Compensation | None |
| Wireless Communication Channels | None |
| Wireless Groups | None |
| Power Source | 4x AA Alkaline, Lithium, NiCad, Rechargeable Ni-MH Batteries |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 3.0 x 5.3 x 4.5" / 7.62 x 13.46 x 11.43 cm |
| Weight | 13.2 oz / 374 g |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 2044 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
99%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Fast recycling (1488)
- Consistent output (1419)
- Durable (1351)
- Good power output (1247)
- Easy to use (1217)
Cons
- Heavy (357)
- Heavy / bulky (212)
- Slow recycling (62)
- Pricey / poor value (31)
- Not interchangeable (18)
Best Uses
- General purpose (1546)
- Portraits (1381)
- Fill flash (1255)
- Night photography (930)
- Photojournalism (755)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Semi-pro photographer (500), Photo enthusiast (429), Pro photographer (326), Enthusiast (225), Semi-professional (204)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (935), Yes (57)
Most Liked Positive Review
Nice $peedlight- big improvement but...
This is as good as it gets for Canon Speedlights. The EX II design is much improved over the EX version. I have 2 EXII's and 1 EX. The new metal hot shoe/ ...Read complete review
This is as good as it gets for Canon Speedlights. The EX II design is much improved over the EX version. I have 2 EXII's and 1 EX. The new metal hot shoe/ lever lock is a MUCH improved and great design. The new storage case is much better as well-- cordura like case as opposed to the cheesy nylon of the EX. The whole flash feels sturdier and more sleek even though it's a tiny bit larger than the EX. Also, there is no ultra high-pitched whine when it's powered on as is with the EX-- which I like. That said, Canon took away the physical Slave switch on the back, which is a drag. In order to put the EXII in slave mode you have to use the dual action mode button--not too big of a deal, but the older system was much more intuitive. As with ALL Canon user-interfaces, this one is not that great either. The dual-use buttons are mostly confusing, but if you use them a lot, it gets easier to navigate. For this kind of dough, Canon should have designed a decent Graphical User Interface and LCD screen--shame, shame-- FYI, as boring as it is, you really SHOULD read the manual from start to finish (several times if your head's as thick as mine) if you want to get the most out of this flash. I use my 580's with Radio Popper remote triggers (EX in Master mode on camera in non-firing mode, and the other EXII's in Slave mode on light stands). This is a great system as I can shoot with the flashes in Manual mode and can dial up an down the EXII's from the on camera unit. If you're a Strobist, this can save you the time of walking to each unit to adjust the output. Nice. I gave the EXII 4 stars because, like all Canon accessories, it's overpriced and not as user friendly compared to competitors-- the Nikon equivalent is more feature rich and cheaper--but I have all Canon gear so I'll deal with the shortcomings. Hope this was helpful to you.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
BIG TROUBLE IF YOU USE SLAVE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY
See below.
Expertise: Over 150 weddings shot.
Problems Encountered: Never mind all the nice things about this flash. There is one HUGE problem with it that cause...Read complete review
See below.
Expertise: Over 150 weddings shot.
Problems Encountered: Never mind all the nice things about this flash. There is one HUGE problem with it that caused me to return it. Another photographer in our studio returned his new one for the same reason:If you use this flash as a master and another one as a slave, there is NO WAY to quickly turn off the master switch to keep the slave flash from firing. Example: Let's say you're photographing the first dance and you have the slave flash on a light stand on the other side of the room. You're fine while the couple is dancing. But let's say they do a dip. You only have a split second to turn off the master switch. Well. you can't do it on this one. Therefore, your shot comes out ruined, completely black because your slave flash fires right back into your camera. You would have had to go through the menu to get it out of master mode. Well by the time you do that, the dance is over, and the next dance is half-way over too. The first 580 flash has a switch that you can just turn off. Not this one. DO NOT BUY THIS FLASH IF YOU DO SLAVE-FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY. I am going to write to Canon about this directly.
Previous Equivalent Item Owned: 430EX, 580EX
Reviewed by 2044 customers
Sort by
Displaying reviews 1-20
Previous | Next »
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Powerful Output
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- General Use
- Photojournalism
- Portraits
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
I must have wanted to upgrade my flash for more than a year. This is the one I wanted. My professional organization asked me to capture event images at a 4-day conference. That motivated the purchase. With virtually no practice, I was able to nail exposures for the fast majority of my images with confidence. It recycled very fast and had good range for almost everything I tried. I was also pleasantly surprised by battery life, compared to my other flashes. This is a great product.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
- Powerful Output
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- General Use
- Night Photography
- Photojournalism
- Portraits
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
I've been using this product for about 5 years and it's been pretty reliable, and I beat it up. the manual output controls for ttl are pretty intuitive, which I like, just push and spin.
I've never had an easy time using it as fill flash though.
Pros
- Consistent Output
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Night Photography
- Photojournalism
- Portraits
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
very powerful flash easy to adjust
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
- Powerful Output
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Night Photography
- Photojournalism
- Portraits
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
I like how light the flash is, I'm a wedding photographer so I carry it around my neck for hours. Fast recycling and easy to use. Should have purchased it along time ago!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Powerful Output
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Portraits
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
I just purchased this flash, but I can already see that it is the best purchase I've ever made. It is a very solid, necessary piece of equipment. If you take any type of professional photos at all you need this flash. It is versatile in that you can rotate it in any direction you may need and it can either be adjusted on camera or manually set on the flash itself. Trust me if you need an external flash get this one you won't regret it!!!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Powerful Output
- Versatile
Cons
- Bulky
Best Uses
- All purpose flash
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
I use the flash on a regular basis with my canon EOS 1D Mark II. The flash works perfectly and exactly as expected. I have absolutely no problems with this equipment.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Powerful Output
Cons
- Battery life
- Bulky
Best Uses
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
I use thos flash to control my 380EX in a wirelass, off-camera setup. The results have been fantastic, and learning how to use the device took about three minutes.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Powerful Output
Cons
Best Uses
- Photojournalism
- Portraits
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
I upgraded to this flash and wonder why I didn't do it sooner. Awsome power and features.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Fast Recycling
- Powerful Output
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Night Photography
- Photojournalism
- Portraits
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
Well built and works great. This can handle most of your lighting needs. Buy more than one for your photography arsenal to take on those tougher lighting challenges.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Powerful Output
- Versatile
Cons
- Bulky
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Night Photography
- Portraits
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
I love everything about this flash! Most importantly the fact that B & H has great products and prices. I would recommend B&H to all my friends.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Powerful Output
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- Night Photography
- Portraits
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
I had a a 480 flash and needed an upgrade as a second flash. I like the feel of this. I have only played with it a little but it feels very solid, fast recycle time which is important to me. the pics I have taken with it offer some very nice lighting. I will be using in over the next few weeks for some hefty amount of portraits and sports pics. I would recommend it to anyone who asked.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Powerful Output
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- General Use
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
This is a great flash to use with a Canon 50D or similar camera. Automated settings (ETTL) and many other options.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Powerful Output
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Photojournalism
- Portraits
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
I recently purchased a Speedlite 580EX II to pair with my Canon 5D Mark II body. I am loving the results so far and wish that I had bought this flash sooner. Easy to use for beginners and has a great locking mechanism that is very secure. And I foresee this being the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
- Powerful Output
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Night Photography
- Photojournalism
- Portraits
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
I purchased this product to be used with my canon 60D. Using the built in flash was too harsh for my eyes and made my photos look too unnatural.
The great thing about this speelite 580ex II is it's ability of having ETTL , an automatic flash option that predetermines how much flash power it needs to output, making your pictures look great! With it's built in diffuser and white card to soften the light on your subject, I say it is an extra plus. There is no cons I can say about this product. It's the best external flash you can buy with your money. The only thing is, figuring out what each buttons does, which takes time of course, but you'll get the hang of it in no time.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Powerful Output
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- Portraits
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
Quick recycling time, easy to use, great for outdoor sports portrait photography.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Great quality build
- Powerful Output
- Versatile
Cons
- A little bulky but flexib
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Portraits
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
I was unsure about which flash to buy, and almost went with a less expensive one but after seeing what it can do and how I can grow with it, I know it was the perfect choice for me. It is truly an investment. If you are serious about photography you won't be disappointed. Especially like that can use it as a slave or have slaves and wirelessly. My husband was even impressed with the fast recycling time.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
- Powerful Output
- Versatile
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Night Photography
- Photojournalism
- Portraits
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
Die hard existing light photographer ventures into the realm of flash!
This light is an excellent choice. I have been experimenting with it for the last 2 months and have not found anything that it won't do for me.
Portraits, fill for night scenes, spot flash for timed long exposures it does it all.
I listed a con as it is a heavy light but you should be using this light off camera so this is not really a con.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Fast Recycling
- Powerful Output
- Versatile
Cons
- Bulky
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Portraits
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
Enough light for most anything I shoot.
Easy to control with my camera- like the ability to shoot with the flash off camera.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
- Powerful Output
- Versatile
Cons
- UI is difficult
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Night Photography
- Portraits
- Weddings
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
This flash is super versatile and super powerful. I have used it shooting weddings, portraits. Its powerful and fast enough to bounce off a 30ft ceiling and cast a perfect soft light on a moving subject for an amazing exposure. Id like to buy a couple more.
Only suggestion I have for the next design is to upgrade the user interface. Their is a learning curve if you want to be able to adjust a variety of settings quickly.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
- Recommended:
- Paul C Buff - CyberSync transmitters/receivers
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Images shared by Tony Gambino
Bride. 580ex ii bounce fill.
Was this review helpful? Yes / No
- You may also flag this review
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- Night Photography
- Portraits
Comments about Canon Speedlite 580EX II:
This is my first flash, I am trying to understand it. By now everything is going great. I use it with the lightsphere collapsible diffuser (A MUST)
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Displaying reviews 1-20
Previous | Next »
Batteries & Power
Required item:
- Price: $13.99
- Price: $149.95
Not compatible with the optional CPM-E3 Battery Magazine
Flash Diffusers
- Price: $9.25
Softboxes
- Price: $20.75
Bouncers
- Price: $14.95
Reflectors
- Price: $24.95
Brackets
- Price: $34.95
Sync Cords & Flash Remotes
- Price: $69.95
- Price: $14.99
What's in the Box
- Pouch
- Hot Shoe Table Stand
- 1-Year Warranty
Why Shop at B&H
Make your online shopping trip personal with our online Live Chat representatives. You can easily reach an in-house expert while browsing our site for your shopping needs. We have the most highly-trained staff in the industry who are pros in their fields, and their professional expertise will help you get the most from your purchase.
Place your domestic order with us for shipment via any UPS, FedEx Economy, or FedEx Priority shipping methods by 4 PM ET Monday through Thursday or 11 AM ET Friday and your order will be shipped that day. Visit our Shipping Delivery Times page for further details. Delivery times are subject to payment verification.
We appreciate your purchase from us, and we understand that sometimes the products you buy don’t turn out to be the right choice for you. We guarantee your peace of mind with our 30-day return policy. With no standard restocking fee and few restrictions, you’ll enjoy a return process as easy as shopping with us. Please visit our Return Policy page for further details.
We’ve made iPhone and Android mobile apps available for your service and shopping convenience. Use filtered search to find and purchase almost any item we sell and ship worldwide. Download product manuals and guides for many popular items. See high-resolution product images in close-up detail. Manage wishlists and view order history. Visit our Mobile Apps page to download.
See sample Newsletter
Help
Company Information
B&H Resources
