Yongnuo Flash Review - Best Value or Disappointing?
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- Опубликовано: 3 окт 2017
- I take a look at the Yongnuo YN686EX-RT speedlight and YN-E3-RT transmitter. Are these budget flashes worth the money or a waste of time?
*UPDATE*
Yongnuo has released a firmware update addressing the recycle time and reheating issues. Check them out here:
Update Performance Test: • Yongnuo Firmware Updat...
How to Update on a Mac: • How To Update Yongnuo ...
YN686EX-RT (affiliate): geni.us/YN686EXRT
YN-E3-RT (affiliate): geni.us/YNE3RT
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Thank you for your review. I have been looking into the Yongnuo, This helped. Would love to see more of these type of videos =0)
Thanks so much! Glad it helped. I'll try to do more like this too :)
thanks for comparison, been looking at updating my flashes with lithium battery for more flash a better recycle time. the Godox seem to be the best.
I have two yn 600 ex-rt speedlites and a yn-e3-rt transmitter and they work well they take AA batteries
Thank you for creating this review . A sales person at B & H in NY Informed me about this speed lite recently . It seemed like a great speed lite to purchase on a lower budget, especially seeing that I wouldn't have to use 4 double A batteries like I have to do on my canon 600ex-rt speed lite . However I've always been skeptical of Yongnuo myself because of their build quality . They look great at first glance , but it really is a hit or miss company still. I always appreciated the fact that they could perform just as well as a nikon or canon speedlite and even sync with their systems . However I would hate for the flash to just break on me if the speed lite doesn't sit properly on the base of my camera or on a stand that is being tilted for directional lighting . Definitely not take my eye off of YN because they're really pushing the line . They're getting better with adding more useful options for their products . Thanks again @Scott Dumas !
Thanks so much for watching and I couldn't agree more! They're very tempting because of the price but I've found they are, as you said, incredibly hit or miss. Godox has worked well for me so far, and Cactus flashes are incredibly well made and reliable for a reasonable price compared to the CaNikon alternatives... plus, the Cactus flashes have full cross brand TTL capability over 7 different brands including of course Canon and Nikon. I've used them before (a few years ago) but I'm really hoping to get some more very soon because I really had a great experience with Cactus. :)
Thanks for this review? I've been going back and forth between this or another YN-600EX-RT II.. is it much better now after the firmware update?
Much better! No issues with overheating and far faster recycle times :)
how to update the firmwire ? could you please help on this and also thank you for the review cuz i'm having the same problem after just 10 ETTL clicks it starts showing me the overheating icon and i was unable turn on. I can't also rely on this for events
If you have a PC it should be fairly straight forward, using the firmware update software provided on their site. If you have a Mac, this is how you can get it to work: ruclips.net/video/LtB0pOB8ZIU/видео.html
Hope that helps!
Wow what a horrible cycle time on the yn. I am all in on godox now with the amazing AD200 and the V860II is good however i would like them to make more of a higher end 860.
Am on the pre-order the new XPro, please review one of them when you get a chance please Scott.
Love the video's, Thanks for taking the time to do them.
Thanks so much for watching! :)
I'll be reviewing both the AD200 and the XPro very soon! :) They both seem awesome and I'm also all in for Godox personally. They're not perfect but they are being very innovative and really giving what the customer wants for the most part.
Thanks again for watching! :)
Do you actually photograph firing off your flashes as though they are assault weapons? Using my Yongnuos for portraiture firing single shots at a slower tempo I have had no problems.
It helps to be able to fire them off faster at weddings and events when you can't wait for things to happen and want to make sure you get the best shot of the moment with things like cake cuts and so on
I have the YN600EX-RT II and the YN-E3-RT and I've never had an issue with them with the exception of TTL sometimes is not accurate to me. However, they've been reliable and for the price, it's the best value I think.
It's definitely difficult to argue with the price, and i know I'm probably just unlucky in my experience. It's always good to have options :)
I have a question for I don't use flash much. What would be best, Yongnuo or Godox, for shooting through softbox, have HSS, quick recycle time and can have an external battery pack attached if need be. Please list the speelite model/name and the transmitter name/model, and external battery pack. I need to watch how much I outlay in costs though. Many thanks.
I'd recommend something like the Godox AD360II if you want an external battery pack, but the AD200 is simpler and cheaper (it uses a battery but doesn't need it to be external... it's a replaceable, rechargeable battery). If you need more power, the AD200 also has the AD-B2 adapter where you can use 2 of them as one light. It's a super flexible flash and can switch between a speedlight style head and a flash bulb (better for softboxes). It has HSS, fairly quick recycle time and TTL. The only downside is that it can't be used on top of a camera like a typical speedlight.
In any case, the Godox Xpro is the transmitter you want to use most likely (it's an amazing transmitter but doesn't have a pass through hot shoe if you need it, which you probably don't).
The AD200 works with all brands of camera too, which is nice, you'll just want to make sure to get the correct Xpro trigger for your camera maker (canon/nikon etc).
I hope that helps, let me know if you have any questions!
@@ScottDumas A great help, thanks for replying Scott appreciated.
Hey Scotty your videos are so helpful. I will never use yongnuo lol
Thanks so much! I won't be either haha.
hello many people reporting about the flash does not lock well on camera hot shoe, can you please confirm if its truc that the flash become loose on the hot shoe and can fall of the camera please thank you very much
It does come loose over time, but slowly... so if you just make sure to check it every now and then (probably a good idea anyway with most non-locking designs) you should be ok. :)
thank you very much :-)
Works good
Hi! I'm in doubt between these: FLASH GODOX TT685N or YONGNUO YN-685EX or MEIKE MK910
Which one do you think would be best?
Thanks!
Hi! I've never tried the Meike but I've heard good things. Between the Godox and The Yongnuo, hands down I'd recommend the Godox. There were tons of disappointing things with the Yongnuo. The Godox has been really solid in my experience and the recycle time even beat the Canon flashes. I've never had one overheat and the new Godox X-Pro trigger is amazing. Highly recommended :)
P.S. I'll have a review of the X-Pro very soon as well!
Thank you soo much!
Have you experienced the error? I know some people have had issues with it but it hasn't happened to me at all with any of my Godox flashes, TT685 or otherwise. I'm curious just how much of a problem it really is (the frequency of those kind of glitches often get blown out of proportion on the internet so I never know which to trust).
It's by far a robust build with the near identical GUI to the Canon 600EX-RT.
Does it work with YN-622C-TX transmitter?
Hi! Unfortunately I don't think so. In the manual it only lists the YN600EX-RT/II, YN968EX-RT, YN-E3-RT, ST-E3-RT
@@ScottDumas thank you so much!
can it do HSS wirelessly???
It can! :)
Hey. I think the comparsion was not right. Godox has a GN of 58 at 105mm (not GN60 at 200mm as Yongnuo 686). So in terms of thinking at the same baterry specs, the yongnuo charges better than Godox because charges a twice bigger discharging power!
But i found very useful the update you post later. Cheers!
Hey thanks for watching. The comparison wasn't meant to be a perfect comparison, just a similar one to illustrate that, compared to another flash or not, the recycle time was completely terrible. Not even similar to the Godox, even a slightly slower one like the TT685. On top of that it got slower the more I used it and as I mentioned had overheating issues. All of this was acknowledged by Yongnuo when they saw this and they admitted the performance was not as it should be, so they made the firmware update which I showed in that video you mentioned. I just felt showing the recycle time by itself might not be as clear as side by side with (any) other flash for some people.
Anyway, thanks again for watching and I'm glad you found the update useful! :)
Scott Dumas but now, after firmware updates, the recycling time is shorter (and it lasts as far as you drain out the juice) and what you meant by overheat problem is gone: the YN does not overheat enymore or the overheat protection does not turn off the flash functions anymore? (Just have a BlackFriday in my contry and i have in mind to buy some of these and i’m counting on your reply:). Thx, cheers
Dan Roua Photography that’s right, the recycle time is now the same or slightly faster than Godox and I haven’t had any more overheat warnings restricting its use. I personally still feel a bit more confident in Godox just because of the build and consistency across their line of flashes and I also love the new Xpro, but in terms of performance, the Yongnuo seems to work great after the update! The nice thing is there’s a workaround for firmware updates with Mac too, but not for Godox that I know of yet.
Scott Dumas thx a lot!
If there are so many problems, just pay the money and buy the Canon. You can get a box of YN units for the price of 1 Canon, so obviously there is going to be a difference. How about Godox build quality? Where I am, Godox is almost as cheap as YN, so maybe the Godox is a better buy. Out of curiosity, did you go to the YN website and check for a firmware update?
To be honest- I agree (to a point). I think that Canon flashes are still overpriced. Godox is the best budget option for me and I also had really great experiences with Cactus, which isn't talked about too much. Obviously Canons are rock solid and long lasting, but I guess it all depends how much you rely on flash for your work.
For the firmware, I had some sent to me directly. I haven't checked or updated since then (basically around the time of this review). Everything works fine to be honest, it's taken some abuse and been used pretty heavily and it still works just as well as the first day I got it. Feels terrible, to be blunt. But, it works well.
It seems with all these companies if you get bad you get very bad, what we use to call "Friday afternoon" batches and doors dropping off is not acceptable. I have 4 yn685s and in the last 2 years or so I must have used them 100s of times and they have been brilliant and I only ever use mine with external power packs so the recycle time isn’t an issue at all. Although mine still look pristine that’s not a factor I’m too bothered about, it’s value for money and at 1/6th of the cost of a Canon equivalent I’m quids in, so I’m happy with what I have to an extent. The thing that really does p*ss me off big time about Yongnuo is all the different triggers, your strobe 'collection' can't organically grow without moving out of the trigger system you are using as far as I know there a 4 different systems within the Yongnuo range. It’s for this reason that I wish I’d bought into the Godox system as I believe their high end triggers can fire every strobe they have ever made. It could be worse though, we could have bought Mcoplus...oh wait on I did buy one 😭
I have 3 yn-685's connected to a Wescott triple threat, with three cheap amazon battery packs mainly on a 41 inch bounce white parabolic umbrella as my main portrait setup until I feel the need to get a monolight. With fresh batteries in them I rarely have a problem with shoots with my yongnuo's.
how fast is the refreshrate?I just ordered one with the tx trigger!is it fast enough to refresh for the 6 fps my D7200?
That will depend on the power setting... at full power, not likely fast enough for 6fps but lower than around 1/4 power it might keep up until it overheats.
Haha yeah, I've seen both ends of the spectrum- people loving and having no issues with Yongnuo or like in my experience, every single one falling apart or breaking within a day of light use. That inconsistency is what I'd rather pay a little more for, although the CaNikon alternatives are just too much. Godox has been good for me so far and given me no reason to mistrust them. I've also had great experience with Cactus and they have developed cross system TTL functionality so you never have to worry about what brand camera, they'll always work (across 7 brands at the moment). I'm hoping that I'll be able to review those officially soon as well. Glad to hear the Yongnuo are working for you for the most part though, I wish that I had been so lucky.
Thanks for your review. I make up my mind to stay away from it.
Are they a good today 2019?
They're still not my favorite but I've pulled them out on jobs when my other flashes overheated or ran out of batteries and they did the job just fine.
@@ScottDumas which flash do you recommend for Canon ETL ?
@@alexpadillayt I use Godox myself, I think they're one of the better values for money on the market :)
@@ScottDumas thank you do you know if it supports Canon it shows up in the metadata flash was fired?
It does! :)
I have two Yongnuo YN600EX-RT II and the YN-E3-RT. They all work great and the only con I would have for them is if they all stop working. You seem to gripe on a lot of stuff with Yongnuo products. I sure as hell won't pay $500 for the Canon version.
I wouldn't pay $500 for the Canon version either, but this was just my experience with Yongnuo multiple times now. When I initially bought 3, 2 of them were broke within days (definitely did not abuse them) and then this newer one is great in a lot of ways but small things point to low quality like loose port covers and cheap feeling buttons. Only commenting on my experiences and how they genuinely feel compared to other (non-Canon) flashes I've used like Godox and Cactus.
Hi, the new firmware has upgraded recycle time. You should try, because mine works as good as your Godox.
Hi! Yep, I did update the firmware and I think I posted another video showing how to do that and the result of the update (it was a while ago, honestly can't remember for sure haha). Since then I haven't had any problems with it and I've used it fairly heavily on a good number of weddings and events :)
First
After the YN 560 II and the YN 550 III The whole lineup of Yongnuo went down the drain in terms of reliability and build.
Yeah I know a ton of people that used to swear by them but I'm honestly not that impressed with them. I mean- when they work, they work. But, I wouldn't rely on them at all.
@@ScottDumas I think people are getting lucky or unlucky depending on the batch.
I had 4 that I used HEAVILY LIKE REAL HEAVILY for 3 years and not one of them depleted or overheated or anything of that sort. And some other people say the opposite.
@@EpicsodeOne Haha yeah that seems to be the case... I bought a batch of 4 a few years back and 3 of them were basically paperweights after a single day of use. This one here is actually still kicking though and I've abused it both physically and in heavy use pushing it to the limits where it overheats, then just keep on using it as soon as it's mildly functional again. Hard to say if it's worth it or not, and technically it may not be better than other cheap options like the Godox but I've never had a single Godox fail me and I have around 6 of them.
Godox still the best. look at the size of yn 686. its as huge as the yn660 which have gn of 66( very powerfull +2/3 stops) but its still gn 60 and godox release the new xpro trigger for 69( the old is ~40). yn trigger is 77usd wtf ? so-so performace. better spend more 45usd and get the godox 860. or even the 850 for 140usd. GODOX SYSTEM cants be beated anytime soon. they have ad200 ad360 ad600 !!!!!
+ the big size but still weight 400 something gram mean crap build quality for sure ! and look at the lcd screen. LOL copy from godox
I agree! The Yongnuo isn't bad but it's definitely large, and I still like the Godox quality better. Plus as you said the whole Godox system is amazing, especially with the Xpro.
Thanks for watching and commenting! :)
that specific unit seems defective, there are several videos that test the 686 and apparently work much faster than the one you
Yongnuo confirmed the problem and has since issued a firmware update to address the issue. I did make a follow up video showing the results after updating the firmware and it functions as normal. :)
I have a problem with your review. You point out that the flash unit is defective, as in, there is something internally loose. I would think you'd stop there, replace the unit, then continue with your review.
It didn't affect anything functionality wise, I would only be worried about it long term and/or the build quality/QC in general, which I commented on. Plus, this is the one they sent me for review, I didn't buy it myself and I figured it actually benefit the review to show that these kind of problems exist with this brand.
@@ScottDumas I bought a unit. It arrived with a bloated battery. I managed to get it in the unit, and it didn't work. I would have been fine with a replacement battery, but they gave me a full refund. As I didn't need to return the unit, I bought a new battery. It works now. I bought it because it is a battery unit. With your unit, then mine, I question their quality control. I use my flash in less critical situations, so recharge,etc is not an issue for me. Thank you for your work your reviews.
@@bryanstruble8231 Yeah in my experience quality control has always been a weak point for Yongnuo, but if you're lucky to get one working they tend to work well after that.