Yongnuo YN-622 Q&A

Barrysprout

Barrysprout

Messages
6,704
Name
Colin
Edit My Images
No
I mentioned in this thread that I had recently purchased 4 of the new Yongnuo YN-622 ETTL triggers and that I would try to help out with any information I could supply for anyone thinking about purchasing. From this I received a PM with a couple of questions and thought it best to set up a thread so that the info was available for all. Also if anyone else wants me to try any scenarios with the triggers I can endeavor to help.

Hi Colin,

I see you have 4 of these units. May I ask where you ordered from, how long it took and the price in stirling please.

I presume that as I have 3 speedlites (2x 580 Ex ii and 1 x 430 Exii) that I will need 3 units.? Also, have you any knowledge of using additional flash triggers on top of the 622c. I heard that you could attach a Y 602 or 603 and get those to also work for other flash speedlites if there were several?
Click to expand...


I ordered the triggers from photogadget via ebay on the first day they were listed, unfortunately they didn't actually have the stock to meet demand at the time so my order was on hold for a bit. It took less than 10 days from when they confirmed dispatch to receiving them. The price I paid was about £62 per pair but they have been reduced further and work out at £56 per pair at the moment.

To fully control all three speedlights you will need 4 YN-622's (one for each flash and one on camera) because you have th EXII versions and not the older EX ones you will have full control of the flashes in manual mode via the camera menu (providing your camera has this) as well as full ETTL-II control including ratios.

I just tested other triggers mounted on the YN-622 to make sure these worked.
I have 3 YN-603's so my set up was a 622 mounted on camera and a 603 mounted on the 622. Canon 580EXII mounted on another 622 and a Yongnuo 560 mounted on another 603. The setup works fine together on both a canon 450d and a 5DmkII. Obviously the 560 flash had to be set manually from the flash while the 50EXII could be controlled from the camera menu.

I took the test slightly further with the 5DmkII by connecting the 603 into the camera remote socket. This allowed me to use another 603 to remotely fire the camera and both flashes still firing.

Hopefully that all makes sense!

If anyone wants me to try anything else or has any questions on these triggers just let me know and I will do my best to help.

EDIT: Also just checked the hypersync using 450D and a YN560 connected via pcsync to the 622 and got flash syncing all the way to 1/4000th (as expected the lighting is not 100% even through the frame)

I have at my disposal for testing
5DmkII
450D
4x YN-622
3x YN-603 with remote cable for the 5DmkII
1 Canon 580EXII
1 Canon 430EXII
1 Yongnuo 565
3x Yongnuo 560
1 x Sigma 500DG super
 
Last edited:
Interested in these myself. Will they work with any ETTL flashgun? I've read that they only guarantee that they will work with canon flashes and their own ettl model (is is teh 565? cant remember the name - costs about £100)

Whats the chances that they'll work with other brands - have you tired it with the Sigma for example?

Whats your opinion of them so far? Work well do they?? Good exposure etc..?


SORRY - just read the other thread and found the answer!! DOH!!
 
Last edited:
To really get all the benefits from them they should be used with EXII flashes or the Yongnuo 565. These are the only flashes which allow remote setting from the camera menu (providing your camera has the menu setting)
 
Also worth a mention is the fact that the 622's allow me to use 1/200th shutter on the 5D even with the Yongnuo 560's which the 603's never could. With the 603's I couldn't get a clean frame above 1/160th
 
Thanks Colin, these look promising. Few questions for you :)

High speed sync and second curtain sync both work okay? (Remote second curtain sync is not available using the standard Canon system, even the new RT guns.)

How does 'hypersync' work? I'm assuming this is tail-sync?

How is manual power controlled with non-EXII guns? I also wonder if you can fit another Canon master gun on top to use as a manual power controller, as you can with Pocket Wizard Mini/Flex system. Maybe a bit of a long shot!

Thanks.
 
Hi Richard

HSS has worked with no problems on both the 580EXII and the 430EXII

Second curtain sync works but.....
To use second curtain you have to disable wireless flash from the camera menu. So if you have more than one flash set up you can't use ratios or set different power levels. The camera thinks it has a flash mounted rather than a controller so all flashes are given the same settings.

From my limited knowledge it's just tail sync yes. No means to try to fine tune though just trial and error with different strobes I guess.
To use the hypersync the flash must be connected to teh pc-sync port and not mounted on the hotshoe of the trigger.
As I mentioned in an earlier edit I tried doing this with my 450D and a YN560 flash and got full frames all the way to 1/4000th. As compared with what I can only describe as a complete fail with the 5DmkII (surprised at that I was knowing the 5D's reputation for a snappy shutter :LOL:)

Setting manual control with non-EXII flashes would be done on the flash itself.

Not sure on mounting another flash as a controller. A flash mounted on the camera mounted YN-622 is not really working on complete pass through, it is being controlled by the trigger part of the transceiver.
 
Cheers Colin, thanks.

On this manual control from the camera's menu, this only works if you have an EXII gun, yes? Maybe I'm missing something, but how does the YN-622 know you're using EXII guns?
 
It's the same when you mount a non exII directly on the camera is it not (not sure never had one) in that from the camera menu you cannot manually adjust the older flashes. This was only introduced with the EXII range AFAIK
 
Barrysprout said:
It's the same when you mount a non exII directly on the camera is it not (not sure never had one) in that from the camera menu you cannot manually adjust the older flashes. This was only introduced with the EXII range AFAIK
Click to expand...

Yes. When I fit a 580EX on my 5D2, you can't control it from the camera menu. But when I fit a 270EX (that has EXII internals, despite the name) the camera controls all its functions.

So when you fit the YN RC-622, how does the camera know what flashes you're using? Or is it that the in-camera menus comes up okay, but the remote flash guns themselves do not respond? I'm assuming this must be the case.

(I was kinda hoping you might say you need to have an EXII gun on top of the RC-622 in order to active the camera menu, but I guess that was just wishful thinking :()
 
Ah, I understand better now.
When you mount the 622 on camera the camera sees it as an EXII Master flash so everything you would be able to see on your menus as if you had mounted a 580EXII becomes visible and selectable. If you mount a non EXII flash on another 622 it will fire ok in ETTL but if you want to manually adjust power or zoom it has to be done on the flash because the 622 cannot change the settings on the flash (same as the camera couldn't)

So going back to the second curtain question earlier, because the camera thinks it has an EXII on board 2nd curtain becomes greyed out in wireless mode, but in fact 2nd curtain will work on the off camera flash mounted on another 622. Or you could have as many flashes as you want working in 2nd curtain but all would be at the same power settings because the camera thinks it is just firing the camera mounted EXII
 
Yes, I'm with you. Just hoping there might be a workaround as I've got four 580EX guns and it's a right PITA when they all need to be adjusted by hand.

Thanks for the info. Either way these look to be sensational value (y)
 
Even better value than when I bought them :crying:

May be time to upgrade the flash guns to EXII. Do you need the power of 4 580's? Wouldn't be any need for a master flash anymore.

Another option I noticed on strobist but haven't really watched it all as I don't need to :D

[YOUTUBE]wSSyfrM6Qt4[/YOUTUBE]
 
Thanks for that. Cunning! Especially as I have a set of Strato II and several RF-602 triggers LOL But it does seem rather a long way round for a shortcut. Maybe I need some Odins. Cheers.
 
I like the look of the Odins and they are probably a lot quicker to use than the Canon menu, but the cost of 4 units was a bit off putting for me.
 
What we know gets in the way of what we could know.

I have used Canon’s Flash Control menus for 5 years, appreciating being able to control remote flashes from the camera. Well, sort of. Canon has been using an optical pulse “wireless” command system for off-camera flashes, which works within a limited set of conditions.

Pixel released their King triggers to remove this limit, but their development was truncated. However, kudos to Pixel for pioneering this category of trigger/controller.

Now we have the Yongnuo YN-622C which seems to fulfil the promise of a full implementation of Canon flash technologies over a radio link. It seems that Yongnuo has not only achieved this objective, but has added a wide range of triggering and photographer-friendly capabilities.

Yongnuo have a range of hot-shoe flashes, with a reputation for unreliability. The design engineer for this device looks like single-handedly rescuing the brand.

The YN-622C is a transceiver type radio device designed to go between a camera and one or more off-camera flashes, to provide:
• E-TTL, FEC & HSS off-camera triggering
• Radio control of off-camera flashes from camera flash control menus
• General-purpose triggering

There is much (unnecessary) debate about the merit of TTL flash exposure versus Manual power levels. Each method has its place, and photographers who understand the technologies can get predictable results. The YN-622C is a tool for both approaches.

One part of Canon’s E-TTL is often misunderstood – Ratios. It is more than setting an FEC or EV adjustment on two flash groups. That still leaves distance, height, angle, relative powers, etc that can make a substantial difference. Canon’s ratio evaluates the actual contribution to the image of each group of flashes, and sets the level accordingly. It is much more accurate than the EV method. The YN-622C implements the genuine Canon technology in the camera.

The YN-622C does not provide for firmware updates by the user. Canon Wireless Master/Slave is not available, being replaced by the 622 procedures. The transceiver buttons are hard to find by touch, and are sensitive to accidentally changed settings. Only flashes in group C can be disabled remotely. It is not a significant list of drawbacks.

An examination of the case and internal components reveals a high-quality assembly. The case appears firm. I anticipate a good life expectancy.

My verdict: versatile, complex, well-made, suitable for many jobs, and low-priced. Buy it.

Rather than a review, a user guide has been produced.
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B77OmmGIg0gMVFpqNkpBYXBHajA
 
Last edited:
Clive, WOW! That is a magnifiscent body of work on the link. I've only skimmed it so far, but YN should package it with every set, and pay you, and commission you to produce user guides for everything else they do. It's badly needed! Fantastic job (y)

One drawback of the YN-622 is lack of 100% functionality with non-Canon guns - Nissin, Metz, Sigma etc. Any comment on that? A lot of folks would be interested.

Cheers :)
 
Last edited:
Richard: Thank you, kind sir!

YN cannot re-manufacture even Canon pre-2007 flashes, let alone the others. They are what they are, and some are less than they seem. The realistic solution is to buy modern models, as some above are suggesting. The 622 makes the cost abundantly worth it.

The development/design engineer, Mr Liang, is bringing a bright mind, competence and a strong sense of integrity to the brand. Three cheers!
 
Very well done Clive. A superb guide that I'm sure will become the one everyone will want to see that is interested in this system. May I pass this on in other Forums?

Malcolm
 
That's an absolutely fantastic assessment and just what I was hoping to see somewhere! Thanks.
 
SeedyBee said:
Richard: Thank you, kind sir!

YN cannot re-manufacture even Canon pre-2007 flashes, let alone the others. They are what they are, and some are less than they seem. The realistic solution is to buy modern models, as some above are suggesting. The 622 makes the cost abundantly worth it.

The development/design engineer, Mr Liang, is bringing a bright mind, competence and a strong sense of integrity to the brand. Three cheers!
Click to expand...

No less than you deserve Clive :)

The reason I make the comment about functionality with non-Canon guns is that I suspect they might actually work quite well, and judging from traffic on this forum, the first question many folks will ask is will they work with my new Nissin, and what are the possible limitations? Metz and Sigma are also popular here, too.
 
HoppyUK said:
No less than you deserve Clive :)

The reason I make the comment about functionality with non-Canon guns is that I suspect they might actually work quite well, and judging from traffic on this forum, the first question many folks will ask is will they work with my new Nissin, and what are the possible limitations? Metz and Sigma are also popular here, too.
Click to expand...

First thing I wondered tbh.

I'd love them to benefit from the manual adjustment, but if they can ETTL and HSS it'd be a leap forward from RF602s.


Has anyone tested the range, and also the resilience when it comes to walls, windows, partitions etc?
 
Had a play around earlier using my Sigma 500DG Super mounted on a 622. It's not useable though, sometimes it was working and would sync in HSS but no higher than 1/640th sometimes the zoom would change with the lens other times not. My Sigma is obviously quite an old flash now but I did have the firmware updated last year because it wasn't compatible with a 50D. That doesn't answer whether it works with Nissin guns of course but if anyone does try them make sure you give them a good try out to check consistency.
I don't know of anyone in my area using Nissin to check them out.

Only range tests I have done are indoors and from the furthest two points in my house they fired fine. three rooms away. Not sure if anyone has done a full distance test but if I get a chance over the next couple of days I'll try them out and report back.
 
My YN-622s just arrived. I tried them with 2x 580EX II & 1 X Nissin Di866 & my Canon 5D3. All appears to work very nicely. They are excellent value.

Thanks for the user manual which is more readable than the one supplied.
 
Nige, can you do a full capability test with the Nissin and report back? Please? Pretty, pretty please? :D
 
I don't really have time to muck about with the Nissin which is only a backup in case one of the 580EX IIs dies but it did seem to work OK e.g. it zoomed when I altered the zoom on the 24-105mm lens & got the exposure correct with ETTL

If there is something specific that you like me to try with YN-622s & Di866 then please just let me know.
 
Last edited:
nigelbb said:
I don't really have time to muck about with the Nissin which is only a backup in case one of the 580EX IIs dies but it did seem to work OK e.g. it zoomed when I altered the zoom on the 24-105mm lens & got the exposure correct with ETTL
Click to expand...

I was actually more interested in whether the important stuff is going to work, like HSS and (although improbable) manual exposure adjustment! :)
 
DemiLion said:
I was actually more interested in whether the important stuff is going to work, like HSS and (although improbable) manual exposure adjustment! :)
Click to expand...
HSS works but remotely adjusting manual flash doesn't with the Di866 but does with the 580EX II.
 
Last edited:
nigelbb said:
HSS works but remotely adjusting manual flash doesn't with the Di866 but does with the 580EX II.
Click to expand...
I understand that if the shutter sync is set to 1st curtain, the Di866 will allow remote setting in Manual mode. This flash doesn't support HSS in manual mode.
 
alexam said:
Very well done Clive. A superb guide that I'm sure will become the one everyone will want to see that is interested in this system. May I pass this on in other Forums?
Click to expand...
Thanks, Malcolm. Certainly you can share it.
 
SeedyBee said:
I understand that if the shutter sync is set to 1st curtain, the Di866 will allow remote setting in Manual mode. This flash doesn't support HSS in manual mode.
Click to expand...

Now that makes the triggers very interesting indeed.


Ps: I wasn't expecting HSS in manual! :)
 
I just discovered a quirk on my 5D3. You can only select Second-Curtain Flash if the there is a supported flash gun on the hot shoe so it works OK with my 580EX II or my Nissin Di866. However if a YN-622 is introduced into the equation then that option disappears from the camera menu. You can however select Second-Curtain Flash when using Phottix Odins although then you cannot have on-camera flash as there is no hot shoe on the transmitter.
 
nigelbb said:
I just discovered a quirk on my 5D3. You can only select Second-Curtain Flash if the there is a supported flash gun on the hot shoe so it works OK with my 580EX II or my Nissin Di866. However if a YN-622 is introduced into the equation then that option disappears from the camera menu. You can however select Second-Curtain Flash when using Phottix Odins although then you cannot have on-camera flash as there is no hot shoe on the transmitter.
Click to expand...

Is wireless flash switched off on the camera menu though? this is the only way that 2nd curtain is selectable with the YN-622
 
Barrysprout said:
Is wireless flash switched off on the camera menu though? this is the only way that 2nd curtain is selectable with the YN-622
Click to expand...
Thanks! You are absolutely correct. Now I dimly recall reading this in the user guide.
 
Anyone here know how these compare to the Pixel kings ? i was considering buying Pixel kings, however there is talk the YN-622s may be available for Nikon in the near future, as these are half the price of the Pixel kings, i'm wondering whether to hang on for a while, however if the Pixel kings are better, i may just go ahead and get those.
 
Kings are far less effective than the yn622s. They don't offer ratios for starters. I sent my Kings back soon after getting them.

I'm not sending my 622s back.

Review of 622s here, with some comparisons with Kings...

http://flashhavoc.com/yn622c_review/
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the link Kris, interesting reading, i wonder how long before they are available for Nikon :|
 
They are incredible.

Truly game changing triggers at the most unbelievable price.

I was saving for four 600ex-rts and st-e3, not so sure it's worth changing the 580exIIs now!

They (liangc is the Yongnuo developer that posts on POTN and Strobist forums) have said that Nikon wireless hot-shoe protocols are more complex than Canons, which is why most of these ttl type products come out in Canon variety first. Don't hold your breath for Nikon versions, but maybe the Canon versions are selling well enough (I wouldn't be surprised) to justify Nikon development.

Edit - do Nikon offer camera control of flashguns anyway? Never used a nikon, so don't know.

If they don't, then I assume they will require a totally different design with controls on the transmitter, a la Odins and SU800s. You would be better off getting Phottix Odins for Nikon in the meantime, if you can justify their increased costs. http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-phottix-odin-flash-trigger-set-nikon/p1532215 I guess it must be possible, because PeeWee Flexs are available in Nikon format.
 
Last edited:
Kris said:
They are incredible.

Truly game changing triggers at the most unbelievable price.

I was saving for four 600ex-rts and st-e3, not so sure it's worth changing the 580exIIs now!

They (liangc is the Yongnuo developer that posts on POTN and Strobist forums) have said that Nikon wireless hot-shoe protocols are more complex than Canons, which is why most of these ttl type products come out in Canon variety first. Don't hold your breath for Nikon versions, but maybe the Canon versions are selling well enough (I wouldn't be surprised) to justify Nikon development.

Edit - do Nikon offer camera control of flashguns anyway? Never used a nikon, so don't know.

If they don't, then I assume they will require a totally different design with controls on the transmitter, a la Odins and SU800s. You would be better off getting Phottix Odins for Nikon in the meantime, if you can justify their increased costs. http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-phottix-odin-flash-trigger-set-nikon/p1532215 I guess it must be possible, because PeeWee Flexs are available in Nikon format.
Click to expand...

Can't really justify Odins at the moment, particularly with the amount of use they would get, that's why the 622s would have been perfect price wise, looks like i will have to go for the kings, Hahnel also sell a set, but not much reviewing on them as yet though. What are PeeWee Flexs ?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top