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XT2 : which flash ?


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Hi, the new EF X500 Fuji flash is certainly very good, but far too expensive for me. For getting TTL and HSS, the choice seems to be between the Metz 44 AF2 for Fuji and the NIssin i60A for Fuji.

But I can't find a firm confirmation of their full compatibility with the XT2. I get the Nissin i40, perfectly working on my XT1, but not fully compatible with the XT2... 

Does anyone have confirmation ? Which best choice ?

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Well I can tell you which one NOT to go with:  The Fuji EF-42.  It is sooooo slow to re-charge. Whether I'm using fresh AA's, or charged Envelops.  I'm not happy with it at all.  And before everyone chimes in with what I'm doing wrong, I'm not doing anything out of the ordinary.   I've been on the help desk with Fuji and we've looked at a few things and all is set as it should be.

 

Back when I had my X-E1, I was able to use my Nikon 700 flash on the hot shoe of that camera, in manual mode.  The beauty of it was once you have it dialed in, it worked great!  Unfortunately I could not get my pocket wizards to work with the x series.

 

Anyway, there have to be much better options than the Fuji EF-42 out there.  I also think I tried the Nissan i-40 and wound up returning it as the one I got didn't work at all.  So, that's when I replaced it with the EF-42 flash.  

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Well I can tell you which one NOT to go with:  The Fuji EF-42.  It is sooooo slow to re-charge. Whether I'm using fresh AA's, or charged Envelops.  I'm not happy with it at all.

my EF-42 is very fast, compared to the EF-X20   :-(

I'm not joking :  when set in full TTL mode it recharges in less than a second, while the EF-X20 takes at least 4 seconds, up to 10 seconds after few shots .

This is expected though, given the different battery set of each ( 4AA vs 2AAA) .

May I (politely) ask why the EF-42 is slow for you ?  What are your settings ?

 

Btw : I own EF-42, EF-X20 and Meike MK320 .  All of them have pros and cons.

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I use the same setup as sacherjj and have had great luck with off camera manual flash.

 

For on camera TTL I have had pretty good success with Nissin i40 on my XT1.  But you have to turn the flash on first, then the XT1 second or there may be problems and it may not fire.  On the XT2, it does nothing (it fires, but at approx 1/128 power and cannot be changed).   In time I expect I'll send it in for the firmware update.  I'm curious about the new i60. 

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  • 1 month later...

my EF-42 is very fast, compared to the EF-X20 :-(

I'm not joking : when set in full TTL mode it recharges in less than a second, while the EF-X20 takes at least 4 seconds, up to 10 seconds after few shots .

This is expected though, given the different battery set of each ( 4AA vs 2AAA) .

May I (politely) ask why the EF-42 is slow for you ? What are your settings ?

 

Btw : I own EF-42, EF-X20 and Meike MK320 . All of them have pros and cons.

Hi sandrogsp,

 

Can you use the MK320 with the X-T2?

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I have X-T2 with Nissin i60A + TTL Nissin cord. It works perfect on any distance to subject. I set TTL on "A" and I don´t worry about the exposition. ISO Auto 200-1600, shutter speed A (or if I need 1/250). Optical trigger and HSS is not working. But with 1/500 you lose only 10% of bottom margin of image. With shutter speed 1/400 is full image.

I´m very satisfied with power, short recharge time and reflector heat resistance. If I have report shooting, I change every ca 50 shots batteries in flash because they are to hot. With two sets of batteries I can use the flash for 100 shots/hour. When are the batteries cold, I replace the hot in flash with the cold. With external power supply you can shoot without any problems. Reflector have no issue.

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Recently brushed the dust of the EF-42 put a new set of quality batteries and embraced the job of the day.  7 people mostly young dressed in formal decorative degree presentation dress(Thai style). Bright sun as normal so I knew I needed fill in flash, 260 photos later a great set of pictures. XT2 with 16-55 f2.8 lens.  Back home time to review the results only 2 frames lost to camera shake zero to out of focus. RAF files hit the bin horrible. I do like sharp and the 16-55 lens delivers with very fast focus. The only editing of the photos was cropping and a touch of colour temp on some.  A3 prints from my Epson L1800 were great even without using the high quality setting in the print menu.

 

Back to the subject EF-42, there was inconsistency with the degree of fill in, mainly under fill not over fill in.  It did work well in manual mode when used with 2 Nikon SB flash units all controlled by the Cactus controller.  Comparing my last experiences with the Nikon D3 and SB800 flash the EF-42 was not ideal for anything other than having a low cost handy flash in the bag.  To buy the new super duper Fuji flash, don't know a matter of priorities I am very interested to see the new Maco lens. I did have the Fuji 60mm macro lens but I was not pleased with it probably because I was comparing it with the Nikon 105mm macro lens - what a fantastic lens a true benchmark for Fuji to match or even exceed.

 

Note: the macro lens was used with the X Pro1 then the XT-1 before any firmware updates, maybe relevant but  too late now cos I moved it on. (too hasty maybe).

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I just got the X500 flash and it is very similar is size and performance to the Nikon SB800 that you (and me) have experience with.  I use to have the Nikon SB600 and that was similar to the Fuji EF42.  I only used it as a secondary light (and backup if needed) flash.

 

I also have the Nissin i40.  The the X500 is twice the $$ but it is twice the performer.  For someone that is a serious or pro photographer, the X500 (for TTL) is a solid choice.  The cost of it matches what I paid in the old days for the Nikon SB800 and SB900, and performance is equal.

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I bought the EF-X500 and really like it. I know it's pricey but not really when you compare it to what Nikon/Canon offer. Nikon's comparable flash is $600. The EF-X500 TTL is perfect, better than the Nissin i40. My biggest issue is that you need a 2nd EF-X500 to use off camera, or a cable. I tried the Cactus V6 II and couldn't get it to work. 

 

That being said, I also have a Nissin i60 and air commander coming today. HSS should be available for that flash mid-January. I "think" you need to send it in for a firmware upgrade when the HSS becomes available, but it's a fast turn around and free, you just pay to ship to them. They kindly pay the return. I updated my i40 with them and it only took about a week. It now works with the XT2 (but no HSS with the i40 - TTL works fine).

http://www.nissindigital.com/distributors.html

 

For work (real estate photography), I like the Yongnuo IV's and transmitter. Works like a charm. No HSS or TTL though. Godox is also very good, again, all manual. 

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For pictures under controlled conditions I use up to 4 Yongnuos with Pocket Wizards X. Cheap and effective.

 

For TTL flash I used a Nissin i40 and before a Fuji EF-42. The Nissin was much better but couldn't make HSS. This is why I've replaced the Nissin i40 by a Fuji EF-X500. A fantastic flash that allows you to make HSS up to a speed of 1/8.000 and have +- 5 EV exposure compensation. I bought for these two reasons. I use it on the hotshoe (in interiors with reflected light) or with a PiXL/Canon cable outside, with HSS.

 

The Nissin i60 doesn't have HSS yet but it will. On top of this it can be radio controlled. A good system! But to play with multiple flashes I already have my Yongnuos.

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Slightly different slant: If you want to use your flash off-camera, you need to buy TWO EF-X500s (one to use as a transmitter) and you're still limited by the vagaries of optical transmission.

 

It may actually cheaper to buy a Roboshoot X20 radio system and a cheap Nikon-compatible flash (the X20 translates between Fuji and Nikon protocols) plus you get the advantage of radio instead of optical control. I've been using the Roboshoot with a Nikon-flavor Flashpoint V860 II flash (lithium-powered) with 100% reliability.

 

John Poremba, the engineer of the Roboshoot system, says he'll be adding HSS compatibility as soon as Fuji pushes out the rest of its HSS firmware updates so he can test against them.

 

I have no connection to the Roboshoot system, but I admit I'm kind of a cheerleader because it's still little-known, available right now, and works really well. (Meanwhile, in the long run I'll still be waiting for Godox/Flashpoint to roll out a TTL/HSS trigger for Fuji, so I can control my mix of studio flashes and speed lights.)

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If you are shooting with the flash off camera go with the Yongnuo 560 IV and the associated flash trigger.  Set you back about $110 bucks.  If you don't shoot manual off camera it is a great skill to learn and something you can do inside during he colder months.  Start with Strobist, lighting 101.  Cost you about another $50 for a light stand, umbrellas and clamps.  $160 for a full lighting setup that really, really works great.

On camera I would go with the Nissin i60a.  TTL but not HSS (yet, they promise a firmware upgrade).  Us this on camera all the time.  I have both setups and can vouch for both with an XT-2  Can't go wrong with either one.  I use both and plan and getting another Yongnuo 560 IV for a 2 light setup.

 

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Slightly off topic: does anyone know whether the EF-X500 does HSS with the X-T1 after the X-T1 v5.00 firnware update? Still looking for a good HSS on camera TTL solution for my trusty X-T1 -there are few....

And what about the Nissins - they seem to have lost the "unofficial" HSS support too with firmware v5??

Edited by heliosfan
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I also got the Nissin i40 as on camera TTL, when needed - and two Yongnuo 560 IV manual flashes with the 560TX and two simple receivers for controlled, remote work.

So I can fire up two three manual setup flashes remotely (incl. my i40 on one of the receivers), which usually is enough for my setups.

 

The Yongnuos have proven to be powerfull, fast and relyable... even used them in slight rain without issues.

 

Hopefully the i40 will get the HSS-capability soon - or the comparable Metz offers that. HSS is the only thing I'm sometimes missing.

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  • 3 weeks later...

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