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Canon 220EX
Speedlite
(1996-2009)
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Intro Specs Performance Compared Recommendations
Canon 220EX flash (4-AA cells, 8.9 oz/253g with batteries, about $125). enlarge. My biggest source of support is when you use any of these links, especially this link directly to them at eBay (see How to Win at eBay) or at Amazon, when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Thanks! Ken.
January 2013 Canon Reviews Canon Flash Canon Lenses All Reviews
Compared to Canon's and Nikon's other small flashes
Introduction top
Intro Specs Performance Compared Recommendations
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The Canon 220EX is a wonderful little flash. I carry it everywhere on my 5D Mark II for use as a fill-flash.
It is even better than its new replacement, the Canon 270EX, because this 220EX recycles much faster and has a real AF illuminator. With the 220EX, it's always ready to belt out flashes whenever I need them without me ever having to wait for it to catch up, and always lets my 5D Mark II focus in any light without blinding or disturbing anyone.
The 220EX works on all Canon DSLRs, and from what I can see, also on every Canon autofocus (EOS and IX APS) film cameras and many G-series point-and-shoots as well. It works in TTL and E-TTL modes, and maybe E-TTL II, too. It certainly works great on my 5D Mark II, and is even rated to work on one FD-mount manual-focus camera, the Canon T90.
On the 5D Mark II it offers both trick FP high-speed sync (the H-bolt button), and rear sync, set in the 5D Mark II's menus (MENU > WRENCH ••• > External Speedlite control > SET > Flash Function Settings > Shutter Sync. If this is too much to juggle in the field, set this on one of the 5D Mark II's Total Recall C1, C2 or C3 positions.
Rear, Canon 220EX Speedlite. enlarge.
Specifications top
Intro Specs Performance Compared Recommendations
See also my Small Flash Comparison Table for more data and features.
Name
Canon calls this the CANON Speedlite 220EX.
Flash Control Systems
TTL, E-TTL.
Bounce Angles
None.
Recycle time
Rated 4.5 seconds or less, fresh alkaline cells.
Rated Output Power
GN 22 meters, 72 feet at ISO 100.
Batteries
Four AA cells.
Alkaline, Ni-MH, and lithium are all good.
Battery life
Rated 250 shots minimum at full-power, 1,700 maximum, on alkalines.
Standby Time-out
90 seconds.
Rated Coverage
28mm, full-frame.
On 1.6x cameras, this corresponds to 18mm.
On 1.3x cameras, this corresponds to 22mm.
AF Assist Illuminator
Yes, a red LED, rated to 5 meters (16.4 feet).
Exposure Confirmation Light
Yes.
Size top
Canon specifies 3-5/8" (92.1mm) tall by 2-9/16" (65mm) wide by 2-7/16" (61.9mm) deep.
Weight top
9.030 oz. (256.0g), measured, with four AA Eneloop Ni-MH.
8.822 oz. (250.15g), measured, with four Duracell AA alkaline cells (MN1500).
5.340 oz. (151.45g), measured, empty.
Canon specifies 5.6 oz. (160g), empty.
Accessories top
"Soft pouch," included.
Introduced top
1996.
Discontinued top
2009, replaced by the 270EX.
Price top
$125 new, USA, May 2010.
Performance top
Intro Specs Performance Compared Recommendations
Overall performance top
The Canon 220EX is a great little flash. It just keeps pumping out great results, while the newer 270EX is either waiting to recycle, or getting me kicked out of a venue for its annoying nearly-full-power-flash AF assist system.
The 220EX, with four instead of just two AA cells in the 270EX, packs enough power to get the job done.
Ergonomics and Usage performance top
Everything works great.
The power switch is a little less easy to grab than the power switch of the 270EX, but at least it's a real, instant power switch and not a button that needs to be held.
Power Switch
The power switch is perfect: it slides on or off instantly.
Shoe Lock
Just slide the switch to the left.
It usually works great; I rarely have it come out. Sometimes it will work its way out a little, resulting in a full-power flash burst and wanton overexposure. If you get that, push it back in. My sample seen here is old and worn.
Manual Power Output Setting
I see no way to get manual exposure. On my 5D Mark II, it's not presented in the menus with the 220EX mounted.
Exposure Compensation
You set this in your camera's menus.
High-Speed (FP) Sync
Press the "H" button for a moment, and the light shows that it's working.
This only works in your camera's manual or Tv exposure modes.
In this mode, the 5D Mark II shows a little "H" next to the flash bolt in the finder.
Slow Sync
You set this in your camera's menus.
Mechanics performance top
Bottom, Canon 220EX. enlarge.
The Canon 220EX is all plastic, with a metal lock pin. I'd be careful; it ought to be easy to break off the shoe. The 270EX is much tougher.
Noises When Shaken
Some clicking.
Made in
Japan.
Battery Life performance top
I took this 220EX to Maui for a week-long assignment in May 2010 with family, and came back with about 2,500 shots, many with flash, many not.
My set of 2,000 mAh Sanyo Eneloop HR-3UTG Ni-MH cells still had 50% of their charge left when I returned.
In other words, the 220EX really pounds out the flashes, and even shooting as hard as we do in digital, runs a long time on a charge.
Measured Power Output performance top
I'm impressed. It tests much closer to its ratings than most other flashes.
GN 19.2 meters, 63 feet. (22 meters, 72 feet, rated.)
Lens Coverage performance top
Regardless of how it's rated, in real-world use, it works great even with my Canon EF 20mm f/2.8 USM.
THis is because I'm not photographing flat walls, but indoors where things at the sides of my image are closer to the camera, and thus the 220EX' light falloff is ideally matched to what I shoot with my 20mm lens on full-frame.
Recycle Time performance top
2.3 seconds after a full-power blast, measured, with four freshly charged Sanyo Eneloop HR-3UTG Ni-MH cells.
This is almost twice as fast as the new 270EX, which makes sense because the 270EX uses only half as many cells.
Wake-up Time performance top
When the 220EX flash goes to sleep, the charge drains from its capacitor much more slowly than the 270EX, so after several minutes, you still have full power available in less than a second after waking up your camera from its idle mode.
It took only 0.75 seconds after a 10 minute rest. The 270EX took a full two seconds, enough to make me miss photos. The 220EX is always ready to go.
Recommendations top
Intro Specs Performance Compared Recommendations
I prefer this 220EX over its newer replacement, the Canon 270EX.
The 220EX just shoots, while the 270EX too often asks you to wait, or embarrasses itself with its use of the flash itself in place of its missing AF illuminator.
I have no idea how Canon went backwards with the newer 270EX, but they did.
I prefer the 220EX over the larger Canon flashes. The bigger flashes are much heavier, and don't do anything different.
I use flash all the time for fill-flash.
If I need flash indoors as a primary source of light, I use plug-in-the-wall studio strobes, not battery powered devices.
More Information:
Peter Kun Frary's review from Hawaii
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Thanks for reading!
Ken
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