Canon Speedlite 580EX II has been around for quite some time now. While being a great flash gun and bringing the users the features like weather sealing, PC sync port, external metering, lever lock, and other improvements, it has left some photographers wishing for more. With all the third party flashes coming to the market these days, it is probably the time for Canon to raise the bar even higher with a new flash. Will it be Canon 580EX III, Speedlite 680EX, or something else? It looks like the answer is coming soon.
Canonrumors.com has posted an article stating that the new Canon flagship would be called Canon Speedlite 680EX.
According to the web-site, the new flash gun is going to have a range increase of about 17 percent (68 Guide number). Well, a power boost is always welcome in any flash gun, especially if you use diffusers that tend to eat up a lot of energy.
Another supposedly coming improvement that some professional photographers were crying for is the return of the dedicated Master/Slave/Off wireless mode switch. The switch is crucial in situations when you control a multiple flash setup with a master unit on camera and suddenly have to capture a moment that is outside of your setup. In these situations, you need to be able to quickly turn the wireless mode off and shoot with a single on-camera unit.
Other things, like zone control and improved menus, are also expected to be seen in the new flash model.
It is also said that users would see Canon Speedlite 680EX released by the end of the year 2010. The 580EX II model will not be discontinued.