Fujifilm EF-20 & EF-42 Shoe Mount TTL Flashes - Accessories Discussions on Fuji X Series Camera Forum - Fujifilm X-Pro1 X-E1 X100S X100 X20 X10 XF1 X-S1

Christopher

Availability of Fujifilm's official flash units for the FinePix X100 has been improving this week, with both the EF-20 TTL Flash and EF-42 TTL Flash in stock at Amazon US for $149 and $230 respectively.

Fijifilm EF-20 show mount TTL flash for FinePix X100

Fijifilm EF-42 show mount TTL flash for FinePix X100

I am admittedly not very familiar with flash photography, it's only something I'm beginning to explore. Does anyone have any experience with either of these flash units? I believe @leitztozeis has an EF-20 - have you had many opportunities to use yours?

Mike

The EF-42 works well with the camera. TTL exposures are good. The flash integrates well with the camera. The camera can control the flash on and off, and it only fires under the same circumstances that the internal flash would. Only criticism is that its large size unbalances the camera - takes a little getting used to.

WilzWorkz7

If you want to get a flash. Get the most powerful one. It is easier for a flash to control the power but impossible to increase the power beyond its capability so it will be the 42 for me.

As for imbalance, either work with it or get a wireless TTL trigger. This camera is after all mainly for street.

michael

Is there a wireless TTL trigger that works with the 42 and the x100?

CarlGorse

is there any third party flashes avaiable for the X100 ?

Christopher

Not yet @CarlGorse, but you can use virtually any flash with the X100, you just won't have TTL available.

Mule

I went ahead and bought the EF 42. I like what it does so far. I was also pleasantly surprised at the subtlety of the camera's own flash too. Not bad.

JoshWhite992

i think i'll get the ef20 when i finally get my x100. handy to shove in a pocket, to shove on at any time.

jhalmu

Third party: I tested my Canon Speedlite 580EX II quickly and it flashes nicely. Yes, it is allso quite big for X100, but... :)

ooicl

Jhalmu, I suppose one need to manually control the flash output on the Canon 580EX, right?

jhalmu

Maeby so, I just used ETTL mode. Have to test more later.

psmith2383

The Fujifilm x100 seems quite a versatile camera. On Flickr I saw some knockout portraits, macro work, and documentary, demonstrating its flexibility. I do like to use a bit of fill flash when it fits my needs, if it doesn't call attention to itself, unless that's the point. But I subscribe to Christopher's advice above. If you can work without TTL advantage, here's how I use non-dedicated flash units off-camera. Though it looks as if the Canon 580II must work in Manual mode in the hot shoe for Jhalmu above.

Lately I've used small, inexpensive triggers (Internet search "flash triggers" and you'll see Phil Steele has a nice video on various triggers and their +'s and -"s. I bought a Phottix Strato transmitter/receiver that works quite well on Sigma DP's, my Leica D-Lux4, with Nikon, Vivitar, Canon, Metz flash units set on Manual and at a certain power setting. Yes, it will require some preliminary work figuring out what power setting/distance/flash effect you want to use with the non-dedicated flash/x100 match-up. But if you stick with one flash unit with your triggers you'll get used to what power setting works best for what distances and how much fill flash you want. I have a shelf of excellent non-Fuji flash units, so I really am not in the market for one of the new Fuji flash units, pretty as they are. I want to get the most out of the various powerful or medium power units I already have. NOTE: Phottix units are among a number of good triggers at a reasonable price.

Pelixiano

i tried it with 430exII last night, seems the TTL control is not bad. i used the "external flash (command)" on

ooicl

Pelixiano, did you the 430exII on the hotshot?

Pelixiano

typo, but maybe you mean i put the 430ex on the hotshoes ? yes its at hotshoes, TTL works fine (not E-TTL)

jhalmu

I bought YONGNUO's speedlite YN467 (for Canon). It's light and cheap with TTL. First impressions are good.

Christopher

This is interesting, Canon compatible flashes work with the X100's TTL metering?

purethanol

Would someone post pics of the x100 with the ef-42 attached please? I want the strongest flash possible but I'm not sure if the ef-42 is overkill on the x100. It looks as big as the camera. :/

mattmaber

@christopher - I thought it HAS to be Fuji for TTL afaik the Canon or Nikon TTL isn't compatible - Im prepared to be wrong though.

Im not keen on either roy these Fuji flashes tbh, they both seem to overwhelm the camera and aren't in keeping with the retro style, would be sweet if Fuji did retro style flashes for it or a 3rd party manufacturer with compatible TTL maybe.

purethanol

Can someone please post a picture of the EF-42 attached please? Can't seem to find a single photo anywhere on the web.

mattmaber

@purethanol - searched on FLickr

mattmaber

Kind of related, here's my dads OLD flash on my X100. Looks pretty nice but the flash has literally NO controls. It just fires, so its not hugely useful. THough Im impressed it still works 20+ years (maybe more). Oh, and theres still a protective film over the flash make/model label ;)

My dads old flash (literally NO controls) on my X100.

purethanol

@mattmaber - Oh nice. Thanks for the photos! That cobra looks pretty sweet on the x100, too bad it's not as functional cause it looks better than the ef42.

WilzWorkz7

I did a off camera flash with some simple wireless triggers with my old canon metz flash and it works.

aphonic

So if the fuji supports TTL to canon - a simple wireless trigger should be all that's needed in order to use a 430 ex ii - correct? What would one be missing using TTL vs E-TTL, would the canon flash be left in E-TTL mode?

I'm very interested in being able to hand hold the camera in one hand and flash in another,or position in a portable light stand with shoot through umbrella, but - I also already happen to have a 430 ex ii that I never got around to learning with my canon dslr.

I was wondering if the st-e2 clone would work to trigger the flash whilst retaining TTL.

Thanks for the info.. first post here!

jhalmu

I tested today my Yongnuo's speedlite YN467 (for Canon) with Yongnuos wireless triggers RX-602/RX-600 for Canon, and speedlite flashed nicely. Well I'm no expert for flashes yet, but they worked. Those aren't expencive.

mattmaber

You can trigger any flash off camera with remote (I can do it with my Nikon compatible Jessops flash) but Im pretty sure only Fuji support TTL.

Pelixiano

hi aphonic

maybe E-TTL is less "Smart" than TTL, but it just works fine

and i tried using Canon ST-E2, doesn't work at all with X100

Kenny

Do the Fujifilm EF-42 have AUTO EXPOSURE Mode? Something like the Sunpak 383 or Vivita 285HV and 385HV ?

mario_ong

hi there... can i know how to connect the canon 430exII with x10?? is it possible to use pocket wizard (TT1 and TT5) for x10? if can how to do it??

thx for the respond.. i'm still nubie.. :)

Christopher

Welcome to the community @mario_ong!

You can use your Canon 430EXII flash with your X100 simply as a manual flash. Your Pocket Wizards will work too, you'll just have to set up everything manually.

DigiDaan

My PocketWizards (TT1 and TT5) don't work on my X10. No manual, nothing. But my Bowens radiocontrollers do work (manual only that is).

K1W1

mattmaber said:
Kind of related, here's my dads OLD flash on my X100. Looks pretty nice but the flash has literally NO controls. It just fires, so its not hugely useful. THough Im impressed it still works 20+ years (maybe more).

I know that this is an old post but you should be very careful about using flashes designed for film cameras on digitals. The operating voltages on film flashes were way higher than on digitals and there is a serious risk of frying a digital cameras electronics with these devices.

Photojdoc

Discovered (thanks to a Fuji rep) that the Canon off camera cords allow a Fuji EF-20 to use TTL with my x10. I've tried both Canon and Promaster cords with the same results.

mattmaber

@K1W1 thnks yeah I think i fired it once and I lost that X100 and have a replacement now anyway

zeljko_x10

Hi there. I got Ef 20 last week and fits nicely on my X10. Anything bigger would be to baulky to handle. Lighting it gives is very natural and sufficient for up to 5 m (f2). No nonsence flash with only a few buttons and fold-in hot shoe for easy storage. (fits nicely into my shirt pocket). Wide angle defuser works wonders with close up and macro. Loving it. Bit hard to operate mode dail with the flash on the camera thought.
regards,
Zeljko

FinePixCamera

zeljko_x10 said:
Hi there. I got Ef 20 last week and fits nicely on my X10. Anything bigger would be to baulky to handle. Lighting it gives is very natural and sufficient for up to 5 m (f2). No nonsence flash with only a few buttons and fold-in hot shoe for easy storage. (fits nicely into my shirt pocket). Wide angle defuser works wonders with close up and macro. Loving it. Bit hard to operate mode dail with the flash on the camera thought.
regards,
Zeljko

It's a nice flash. I have one too. I just wish that it would rotate left right for when you shoot in portrait mode. Really no excuse to not have the flash do that. Bouncing the flash off a side wall gives really strong shadows that do not look that great most of the time. If the flash rotated up so you could a ceiling bounce (while shooting in portrait mode), that would have really made the flash perfect.

dimitri_b

Photojdoc said:
Discovered (thanks to a Fuji rep) that the Canon off camera cords allow a Fuji EF-20 to use TTL with my x10. I've tried both Canon and Promaster cords with the same results.

Photojdoc, where the results positive, i.e. do Canon cords work properly with TTL on EF-20 and X10? If yes, that can (partially) solve the 'no swivel' problem with EF-20.

exakta

I noticed in the EF42 instruction manual that the focus assist "May not light with some cameras". Boy, that's cryptic. Does it function with the X10 or not?

Since both flashes are rebadged Sunpaks why is the EF20 so darn expensive? The Sunpak versions for other cameras retail for about $65, the EF20 is about $120. Meanwhile the EF32 sells for only about $20 more than the Sunpak versions.

What is the real dope on flashes for Canons...some comments above suggest they might work.

md_eric

The idea of radio triggers being used in my X10 is awesome although not really practical. Im using it for everyday and street photography. tried yongnou RC603 for nikon and it didn't work. But my SB900 and YN560II worked perfectly in manual mode.

kindanatural

I use an old Nikon SB-28. Powerful flash - easy to adjust and for these "anticipation-cameras" I actually like manual flash exposures. I also control these units using a Skyport. Works fine on the X-Pro1.

dimitri_b

exakta said:
I noticed in the EF42 instruction manual that the focus assist "May not light with some cameras". Boy, that's cryptic. Does it function with the X10 or not?
...

I have X10 and EF42 and the AF assist light on the flash unit does not light up, but the one on camera does. I guess the logic here is - if the camera has it, why bother with the flash one? On the other hand, the one on the flash is more powerful, so one not use it? Go figure...

flysurfer

I have no indication that the IR/red light of the flash is "more powerful" (as in more effective and more useful) than the internal full-spectrum light when it comes to assist a CDAF system, but I also have no indication that this is not the case. I simply don't know. Could you tell us where you got your information about the effectiveness of these different assist light systems? Until now, I was operating under the assumption that the IR/red light was pretty much made for PDAF systems, so Fuji didn't bother to support it with their range of CDAF cameras.

dimitri_b

To be honest, I don't know for sure. I just made a logical conclusion after reading threads like these: http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/11329-auto-focus-assist-via-external-flash.html
And it also made sense that the flash with its bulk and 4 AA batteries would be better equipped to project a more powerful and less irritating light to assist with focusing.
As usual, Fuji doesn't say much on the subject in the flash manual.

Sagitar

I have tried the X10 thoroughly with both the Canon 550EX and 580EX.
I cannot make either give a good result in ETTL mode, but they both work well in Manual mode.
Neither picks up the auto zoom function but they are easy to adjust manually.

I bought the Fujifilm EF with the camera and my initial impression is that it will be adequate under most circumstances encountered by amateur photographers, but I am a little surprised at how little information there is in the owners manual.

jezztech

Hi Everybody
Proud owner of Fuji X100 & Fuji HS20EXR I use a NON TTL METZ 36 C2 on both these cameras it is mounted on a Metz flash bracket(my preference against sat on top of camera) trigered from the hot shoe by adaptor and cord,it is simple to use & produces superb results! further more and VERY important is that it has a trigger voltage of 7.5 volts (tested it my self)which is dead safe for these camera`s. It works in tandem with these cameras so well that it could have been made for them albeit non TTL etc! you have to make all the adjustments yourself but thats the fun and satisfaction, after a dozen or so test shots you will be up and away! you can also use this unit with any hot shoe camera! I am also getting superb results with it on my by now vintage 2004 Canon Power Shot G5. To be honest I would have prefered to get the EF42 but couldnt afford it prior to doing a wedding so bought the METZ to honour a commitment and havent looked back, i can really recommend it!
best wishes, new Member from UK Jezz

hdahl100

I want the EF-X20 so bad. TTL, wireless, tiny and stylish. Oh, anf somewhat expensive...

Hello Photographer!

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