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Canon and Nikon Small Flash Comparison
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May 2018
Nikon Reviews Nikon Flash
Canon Reviews Canon Flash
Introduction
More so than most comparison tables, for these little flashes, this table pretty much tells it all. Enjoy!
Nikon Flash (Canon)
Actual measured values (unless otherwise stated)
|
|
|
|
|
Anno |
2013-today |
2006-2013 |
2014-today |
2008-today |
Battery |
2 - AAA |
2 - AA |
2 - AA |
2 - AA |
Weight, with alkaline cells |
|
|
|
|
Bounce |
Up only |
Up only |
All over |
Up only |
Ergonomics |
Superb |
Superb |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Coverage, full-frame |
28mm |
28mm |
24mm |
32mm |
Zoom head |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Wake-up time1 |
|
immediate |
immediate |
instant (only turns off after 15 minutes, then never wakes up) |
Recycle time2 |
4s |
2.6s |
3s |
7.3s |
Measured Power, ISO 100, m/ft |
13/424 |
19.5/64 |
19/694 |
16/53 (normal)
7½/25 (ultrawide)
|
Rated Power, ISO 100, m/ft |
18/56 |
21/69 |
24/79 |
20/65 |
Rated number of flashes at full power, alkaline cells |
70 |
140 |
100 |
200 |
|
|
|
|
|
AF Assist beam |
No |
No |
No |
No |
AF Assist range, m/ft |
none |
none |
none |
none |
AF Assist coverage |
None |
None |
None |
none |
Flyback transformer |
|
Silent |
|
Audible |
Test flash button |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Exposure OK light |
|
No, shown by lack of blinking of ready light or finder bolt |
|
No |
Manual Exposure |
|
Yes, set in camera menus |
|
No. |
High-speed FP Sync |
|
No |
|
No |
|
|
|
|
|
Exposure System |
i-TTL |
i-TTL |
i-TTL |
i-TTL & E-TTL II |
Works with |
Newer Nikon iTTL DSLRs; the F6. |
Newer Nikon iTTL DSLRs; the F6. |
Newer Nikon iTTL DSLRs; the F6. |
Newer Nikon iTTL DSLRs; the F6 and most Canon EOS digital and 35mm cameras |
Doesn't work with |
D1, D70, older DSLRs and older film cameras. |
D1, D70, older DSLRs and older film cameras. |
D1, D70, older DSLRs and older film cameras. |
|
Made in |
China |
China |
China |
China |
Build quality |
Tough |
Tough |
Tough |
very good |
Foot |
Metal |
Metal |
Metal |
Plastic |
Shoe lock |
|
Metal pin |
Metal pin |
Crummy plastic ring |
Case |
sack |
Zippered, padded case, included. |
sack |
None. |
|
|
|
|
|
Price, 5/2010 USA |
n/a |
|
n/a |
|
Price, 01/2013 USA |
|
|
n/a |
|
Price, 05/2018 USA |
|
|
|
$150 new
$50 used |
1.) 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?
2.) With freshly charged Sanyo Eneloop HR-3UTG Ni-MH cells.
4.) Estimated.
Canon Flash (Nikon)
Actual measured values (unless otherwise stated)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anno |
2011-2017 |
2011-today |
2009-2011 |
1996-2009 |
2008-2016 |
2012-2017 |
2008-today |
Battery |
4 - AA |
2 - AA |
2 - AA |
4 - AA |
4 - AA |
2 - AAA |
2 - AA |
Weight, with alkaline cells |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bounce |
Up only |
Up only |
Up only |
None |
All over |
None |
Up only |
Ergonomics |
Excellent |
Superb |
Superb |
Excellent |
Excellent |
poor |
Excellent |
Coverage, full-frame |
24mm |
28mm |
28mm |
28mm |
14mm |
24mm |
16mm |
Zoom head |
24mm or 50mm |
28mm or 50mm |
28mm or 50mm |
No |
14 & 24~105mm |
No |
No |
Wake-up time1 |
1.4s |
2 s |
2 s |
0.75 s |
|
never wakes back up |
instant (only turns off after 15 minutes, then never wakes up) |
Recycle time2 |
2.5s |
4.3s |
3.9s |
2.3s |
2s |
6s |
7.3s |
Measured Power, ISO 100, m/ft5 |
20/67 (24mm)
24/80 (50mm)
|
17/56 (28mm)
20/67 (50mm)
|
20/67 (28mm)
26/85 (50mm)
|
19.2/63 |
22/71 |
7/224 |
16/53 (33mm)
7½/25 (ultrawide)
|
Rated Power, ISO 100, m/ft5 |
24/79 (24mm)
32/105 (50mm)
|
22/72 (28mm)
27/89 (50mm)
|
22/72 (28mm)
27/89 (50mm)
|
22/72 |
26/85 |
9/30 |
20/65 |
Rated number of flashes at full power, alkaline cells |
180 |
100 |
100 |
250 |
200 |
100 |
200 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
AF Assist beam |
No3 |
No3 |
No3 |
Yes |
Yes |
No3 |
No |
AF Assist range, m/ft |
none |
4m/13'
(3.5m/12' sides) |
4m/13'
(3.5m/12' sides) |
5m/16' |
|
none |
none |
AF Assist coverage |
none |
All sensors |
All sensors |
Center |
Center & sides |
none |
none |
Flyback transformer |
Silent |
Silent |
Silent |
Audible |
Silent |
Silent |
Audible |
Test flash button |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Exposure OK light |
No |
No |
No |
Yes, bright green |
Yes, bright green |
No |
No |
Manual Exposure |
Yes, set in camera menus |
Yes, set in camera menus |
Yes, set in camera menus |
No. |
Yes |
Possibly set in camera menus |
No. |
High-speed FP Sync |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
No |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exposure System |
E-TTL II, E-TTL |
E-TTL II, E-TTL |
E-TTL II, E-TTL |
E-TTL, TTL |
E-TTL, TTL |
E-TTL, TTL |
i-TTL & E-TTL II |
Works with |
All Canon DSLRs and recent 35mm EOS SLRs |
All Canon DSLRs |
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. |
All Canon AF cameras (EOS) since 1987, film and digital, T90. |
Newer Nikon iTTL DSLRs; the F6 and most Canon EOS digital and 35mm cameras |
Doesn't work with |
TTL Autoflash EOS cameras (older film EOS), or FD. |
TTL Autoflash EOS cameras (older film EOS), or FD. |
TTL Autoflash EOS cameras (older film EOS), or FD. |
|
|
|
|
Made in |
Taiwan |
China |
China |
Japan |
Japan |
Taiwan |
China |
Build quality |
Tough |
Tough |
Tough |
OK |
OK |
very good |
very good |
Foot |
Metal |
Metal |
Metal |
Plastic |
Plastic |
Plastic |
Plastic |
Shoe lock |
Metal pin |
Metal pin |
Metal pin |
Metal pin |
Metal pin |
Metal pin |
Crummy plastic ring |
Case |
Padded Velcro nylon pouch |
Unpadded drawstring pouch, included |
Unpadded drawstring pouch, included |
"Soft pouch," included. |
Padded Velcro nylon pouch |
"Soft pouch," included. |
None. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Price, 5/2010 USA |
|
|
|
|
|
n/a |
|
Price, 01/2013 USA |
|
|
|
|
$300 new
$200 used |
|
|
Price, 05/2018 USA |
|
|
|
|
$329 new
$80 used |
|
$150 new
$50 used |
1.) 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?
2.) With freshly charged Sanyo Eneloop HR-3UTG Ni-MH cells.
3.) No separate illuminator, but will fire the flash repeatedly to focus, which is way too annoying to use around people or animals.
4.) Estimated.
5.) At normal 24mm or 28mm (full-frame) setting.
6.) No, not a small flash, but a superb flash that sells used at a very low price.
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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