Are cheap flashes safe?

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Are cheap flashes safe to use with the electronics of modern dSLR's?

Flashes like these -

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Yongnuo...847567&hash=item58f91f350e:g:DS4AAOSwMvtZS0P5

If they are ok to use, how do the perform against Nikon flashes?
I have a few Yongnuo flashes and one Nikon SB-700. I like the SB-700 just fine but I prefer to work with the Yongnuo flashes. Specification charts may show some minor differences (I don't really know) between my 568EXII's and the SB-700 but in the field there's no practical difference I can detect. My Yongnuo flashes have never missed a beat and two of them have taken at least one hard drop on concrete and kept right on ticking.
 

spb_stan

Senior Member
The YN685 N is not only compatible but actually is more powerful than the SB910 and SB5000 for about $500 less money. ISO 100 is 197ft and it focuses down to the field of view of 200mm.
Safe in what way? Not likely to blow up but are your referring to the risk to the camera? Since it is self powered the only connections to the hotshoe is trigger control like and a data control line and ground. These terminals are isolated optically in the camera with optocouplers.
The biggest advantage is price but the second is compatibility with the low cost YN622 Tx and TN622 transceivers so can be triggered and commanded from the camera up to 300 feet away, and can HSS sync to 1/8000 sec shutter speed. The 622 iTTL compatible RF radio controllers are great for either studio or outdoor use, so you do not have to have a flash on the camera to use Nikon CLS with radio link instead of optical commanders.
I have 3 Nikon SB900's and 3 Yongnuo YN568ex N flash and use them interchangeably. The 568 does not have the internal RF receiver so it uses as YN622 transceiver to talk with the camera mounted 622tx transmitter. Getting a 685 means saving $50 on another transceiver so it is even a better bargain. The 568 is very similar to the 685 except as an earlier model does not have beam focusing to 200mm focal length, 105mm instead, and doesn;t have the built in receiver. Mine have been reliable and easy to use.
 

Texas

Senior Member
Some recent reviews really do tout the Godox as having less incompatibilities between models / remotes than the Y's do.
 

spb_stan

Senior Member
Please post the links so we can see what the problem has been. I have not read any report of compatibility problems, most of my posts are on a large forum with many experienced photographers and flash threads are common on the forums I moderate and answer questions for those with problems of all types. If there was a general problem I think I would have heard about it. I have only used my 3 Yongnuo flash with D7000, D800,D90 and D7200, I would be interested in knowing which models they are not compatible with in case that question comes up on the forums and I can verify the problem
 

bikeit

Senior Member
Im looking at buying a couple of YN658 speedlights and already have the 622N receiver and transmitter, so if i make changes on the 622N unit on the hotshoe will it show up on the back of the YN658 flash and also take effect on the flash unit, i had an older YN 568 flash and when you made changes on the 622n unit it never showed up on the back of the flash, i found it very annoying,
 

spb_stan

Senior Member
Set up your flash to remote, ,group and channel. Make sure they are on the same channel as the transmitter if your are using more than 1 flash, groups can be different but all must be set to the same channel.


On the transmitter, decide whether you want to use your flashes in i-TTL or manual mode. You can switch between them by holding down the GP/MODE button on the transmitter.
Green LED = TTL mode
Orange LED = Manual mode. Yongnuo uses a different power scale than the camera so it is referenced to power and not stops.


Hold the shutter button halfway down or back button AF if you have your camera set for that button to initiate AF. This a signal to the receiver in the flash, then press it all the way to take a picture. The Flash display in remote mode will display power setting, mode and zoom focal length beam width. After connection is established, making a change such as zooming the lens will reflect in display and flash head focusing mechanism with activate.
Check your picture. Are all of the groups firing at the right exposure? If not adjust the power if you are in manual mode
If not, you can increase/decrease the output of each group independently of one another. First, hold the shutter button halfway down to enter transmitting mode. Then, hold down the + or – button on the transmitter so that it starts cycling through C1, C2, C3, A, B, C…
To increase power by one stop, hold the plus (+) button down and let go when the correct LED is illuminated. C1 for group A, C2 for group B or C3 for group C.
To decrease power by one stop, do the same, but holding down the minus (-) button.
To increase power by 1/3 stop, hold the plus (+) button down and let go when the correct LED is illuminated. A for group A, B for group B, C for group C.
To decrease power by 1/3 stop, do the same, but holding down the minus (-) button.
The most common cause of the flash not responding is it set to a different group or channel.In more complex lighting setup, making adjustments quickly is confusing so if controlling a lot of lights in different groups, the YN622n Tx is much easier, having a LCD screen that instantly tells you the status of each group setting. For evens when lighting needs change quickly, and time is important, the Tx controller makes it a snap. If you are using just a couple lights and all have the same power setting and zoom focal length then the regular Transceiver is fine, in most cases is using TTL mode you only have to turn them on and you are ready. I have had excellent results with mine. In the studio, being able to make adjustments in formal setting for fashion, fine art or portrait, from the camera without running between flashes is a big benefit. In most remote flash work, you will be using manual settings for obvious reasons but for single flash portraiture or with reflectors or or scrims, TTL works well.
 
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bikeit

Senior Member
spb stan what flash are you referring to the YN568 or the YN685?
Set up your flash to remote, ,group and channel. Make sure they are on the same channel as the transmitter if your are using more than 1 flash, groups can be different but all must be set to the same channel.


On the transmitter, decide whether you want to use your flashes in i-TTL or manual mode. You can switch between them by holding down the GP/MODE button on the transmitter.
Green LED = TTL mode
Orange LED = Manual mode. Yongnuo uses a different power scale than the camera so it is referenced to power and not stops.


Hold the shutter button halfway down or back button AF if you have your camera set for that button to initiate AF. This a signal to the receiver in the flash, then press it all the way to take a picture. The Flash display in remote mode will display power setting, mode and zoom focal length beam width. After connection is established, making a change such as zooming the lens will reflect in display and flash head focusing mechanism with activate.
Check your picture. Are all of the groups firing at the right exposure? If not adjust the power if you are in manual mode
If not, you can increase/decrease the output of each group independently of one another. First, hold the shutter button halfway down to enter transmitting mode. Then, hold down the + or – button on the transmitter so that it starts cycling through C1, C2, C3, A, B, C…
To increase power by one stop, hold the plus (+) button down and let go when the correct LED is illuminated. C1 for group A, C2 for group B or C3 for group C.
To decrease power by one stop, do the same, but holding down the minus (-) button.
To increase power by 1/3 stop, hold the plus (+) button down and let go when the correct LED is illuminated. A for group A, B for group B, C for group C.
To decrease power by 1/3 stop, do the same, but holding down the minus (-) button.
The most common cause of the flash not responding is it set to a different group or channel.In more complex lighting setup, making adjustments quickly is confusing so if controlling a lot of lights in different groups, the YN622n Tx is much easier, having a LCD screen that instantly tells you the status of each group setting. For evens when lighting needs change quickly, and time is important, the Tx controller makes it a snap. If you are using just a couple lights and all have the same power setting and zoom focal length then the regular Transceiver is fine, in most cases is using TTL mode you only have to turn them on and you are ready. I have had excellent results with mine. In the studio, being able to make adjustments in formal setting for fashion, fine art or portrait, from the camera without running between flashes is a big benefit. In most remote flash work, you will be using manual settings for obvious reasons but for single flash portraiture or with reflectors or or scrims, TTL works well.
 

spb_stan

Senior Member
Th 685 is the newer version that adds some features over the 568's that I have and almost the same price. Besides the built in receiver it has a 200mm field of view beam width that really casts lot of light on distant subjects, more than the SB5000 or 910. One cool feature is that is if it is mounted on a 622 II controller that has no LCD display, the LCD of the flash displays the receiver change, power and group settings like the 622 Tx does.
Two other nice features is the ability to use a external battery pack, great for long events or weddings, and the ability to use its microUSB port to update the firmware. Overall, a lot of performance for the money. Not many units on the market with those specs, even in the Nikon line.
I prefer the 622 Tx transmitter for camera shoe mounted control because of its easy to use LCD display, Those are about $45US and well worth it if one needs to control settings of more than one power and mode setting. For those using then in TTL mode, the regular 622 II Transceivers are fine as set and forget units.
 

spb_stan

Senior Member
spb stan what flash are you referring to the YN568 or the YN685?
Any of them, these setting are for the 622 II transceiver which does not care which Yongnuo flash is mounted, or Nikon flash. I use 3 568ex and 3 SB900's and they all are controlled just fine whichever I pull out of my bag and mount on the 622 II controller.
The 685 has a built in receiver with LCD display of settings so only your transmitter or camera shoe controller needs to be adjusted at the camera to control the remote flash,so one one 622 II transceiver or 622 Tx is needed. My instructions above pertain to the transceivers. The Tx model with the LCD screen is more intuitive because the settings are displayed on the screen.
 
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