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Canon and Nikon Small Flash Comparison
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Janaury 2013 Nikon Reviews Canon Reviews
Introduction
More so than most comparison tables, for these little flashes, this table pretty much tells it all. Enjoy!
Actual measured values (unless otherwise stated)
| Anno | 2009- |
1996-2009 |
2012- |
2006- |
| Battery | 2 - AA |
4 - AA |
2 - AAA |
2 - AA |
| Weight, with alkaline cells | 6.8 oz. 194 g |
8.8 oz. 250 g |
2.6 oz. 73g |
6.2 oz. 177 g |
| Bounce | Up only |
None |
None |
Up only |
| Ergonomics | Superb |
Excellent |
poor |
Superb |
| Coverage, full-frame | 28mm |
28mm |
24mm |
28mm |
| Zoom head | Yes, one 50mm setting |
No |
No |
No |
| Wake-up time* | 2 s |
0.75 s |
never wakes up |
immediate |
| Recycle time** | 3.9 s |
2.3 s |
6 s |
2.6s |
| Measured Power, ISO 100, m/ft | 20.4/67 (28mm) 25.9/85 (50mm) |
19.2/63 |
19.5/64 |
|
| Rated Power, ISO 100, m/ft | 22/72 (28mm) 27/89 (50mm) |
22/72 |
9/30 |
21/69 |
| Rated number of flashes at full power, alkaline cells | 100 |
250 |
100 |
140 |
| AF Assist beam | No*** |
Yes |
No*** |
No |
| AF Assist range, m/ft | 4m/13' (3.5m/12' sides) |
5m/16' |
none |
|
| AF Assist coverage | All sensors |
Center |
None |
|
| Flyback transformer | Silent |
Audible |
Silent |
Silent |
| Test flash button | No |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Exposure OK light | No |
Yes, bright green |
No |
No, shown by lack of blinking of ready light or finder bolt |
| Manual Exposure | Yes, set in camera menus |
No. |
Possibly set in camera menus |
Yes, set in camera menus |
| High-speed FP Sync | Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
| Exposure gibberish | E-TTL II, E-TTL |
E-TTL, TTL |
E-TTL, TTL |
i-TTL |
| Works with | All Canon DSLRs |
All Canon AF cameras (EOS) since 1987, film and digital, T90. |
All Canon AF cameras (EOS) since 1987, film and digital, T90. |
Newer Nikon iTTL DSLRs; the F6. |
| Doesn't work with | TTL Autoflash EOS cameras (older film EOS), or FD. |
D1, D70, older DSLRs and older film cameras. |
||
| Made in | China |
Japan |
Tiawan |
China |
| Build quality | Tough |
OK |
very good |
Tough |
| Foot | Metal |
Plastic |
Plastic |
Metal |
| Shoe lock | Metal pin |
Metal pin |
Metal pin |
Metal pin |
| Case | Unpadded drawstring pouch, included |
"Soft pouch," included. |
"Soft pouch," included. |
Zippered, padded case, included. |
| Price, 5/2010 USA | n/a |
|||
| Price, 01/2013 USA |
* time to be ready again after 10 minutes of lying idle. In other words, after you've left the camera alone for ten minutes and it has gone to sleep, how long does it take the flash to be ready again when you tap the shutter to wake up the camera?
** with freshly charged Sanyo Eneloop HR-3UTG Ni-MH cells.
*** No separate illuminator, but will fire the flash repeatedly to focus, which is way too annoying to use around people or animals.
Recommendations
For Nikon, get the SB-400.
For Canon, I find the older 220EX far superior because 1.) the older 220EX is always ready to shoot, while the newer 270EX often takes two seconds to charge back up after the camera has sat idle for a few minutes (this misses shots), and 2.) the older 220EX has a real AF illuminator LED, while the newer 270EX instead actually fires the flash itself in people's faces if the camera needs more light to focus.
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Ken
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