Nikon vs. Canon

[sybren]

Originally Posted by inkista

not having off-camera flash commanding in your pop-up

That's only a matter of time. The Canon 7D already has this, and I'm sure that it won't be a 7D-only feature in the future.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by sybren

That's only a matter of time. The Canon 7D already has this, and I'm sure that it won't be a 7D-only feature in the future.

Oh, I agree, and it seems very likely (though there's an outside chance they may not) that the XXDs will inherit it. But whether the XXXD and XXXXDs do, though, seems much less likely. I'm also curious to see if Canon will actually update the ST-E2 to something more in line with what the 7D's popup and the 580EXII can do, master-wise.

[sybren]

I don't like the ST-E2. I had it, but brough it back to the store. Its outdoor performance is very bad. The 580EX-II that I replaced it with works much better. Not only has it better reach, it can be swiveled in the direction of the slaves, making it more efficient. Besides that, the 580EX-II gives you manual control over your strobes, which is very nice too.

[inkista]

That's what I'm saying: the ST-E2 is three generations back in design. It's a contemporary of the 550EX, and uses the same mastering tech. The 550EX had exactly the same capabilities: two groups and ratios only. It'd be nice if Canon brought out an ST-E3 that does what the 580EXII can do (three groups and manual power settings as well as ratios). Making it run off AAs and able to swivel would be nice, too.

The annoying thing about buying a 580EXII to use as an on-camera master is that if you don't want on-axis light, you can't also use it as a light. It's annoying to have a 580EX and a 430EX, and be forced not to use your best light to actually light...

[LoveDSLR]

I like my ST-E2 and SU-800 for indoors. Besides serving as flash triggers, they also serve as focus assist for 1D, 5D and D3 series. Light and compact are their advantages.

The D3s @ ISO 102,400 should benefit from the SU-800 the most when shooting in low light.

[Chip]

Just stating my non-scientific opinion here on the AF v. AFS issue: I have a 24-85mm AF (non AFS) Nikon zoom, and I find that it focuses quite quickly. I used it to take the volleyball photo posted earlier. Coupled with the AF options on the D90, I've had no issues with slow focus, even for indoor sports shots.

So, just because a lens is only AF doesn't mean it's sluggish. Do AF lenses focus as quickly as AFS lenses? Probably not. But AF lenses can still perform quite well and may give you a good value for your $.

My 2 cents.

[inkista]

Oh, agreed. USM/AF-S is a "nice to have" extra (well, if you're not on an entry-level Nikon body), not a must-have-at-all costs feature for most folks. But for me, moving from a non-USM lens to a USM lens meant finally being able to catch bird in flight shots. And, of course, it depends on the individual lens, too. The EF 85mm f/1.2L USM II is still very slow to autofocus even though it has USM. I think the USM motor in there is mostly because the damn elements are so big and heavy a regular focus motor would've made it unbearably slow.