With my EOS 1V I've been using my 540 EZ and had considered buying the 550 EZ. Having read several reviews of the 550 EZ, I'm not so sure how much noticeable difference there would be in the photographic end results. I shoot weddings, sports and exhibitions. Can someone clarify the real pros and cons? Does the 550 give such irregular readings, and washed out skin tones? Does the 540 EZ not read the ambient light through TTL in outdoor shots? Thanks for your info.

-- John Michael (surfjma@btinternet.com), May 27, 2002

Answers

I take it you mean 550EX - there's no 550EZ.

The 550EX gives you a number of additional capabilities. For what you're doing, the most important are probably E-TTL flash metering and flash exposure lock, and high-speed sync might be useful if you need fill flash for portraits in bright light.

A-TTL and TTL metering (your current combination offers both, depending on which mode the body's in) reads light with just a few large zones. Want to do your flash metering based on the bride's face? You can't, unless her face fills up a third or so of the frame. E-TTL uses the same 21-zone metering sensor as evaluative metering, so it can notice that the bride's dress is unusually reflective and pay more attention to her face instead if that's where you put the active focus point. And with flash exposure lock, you can force the flash system to meter the scene and then recompose, secure in the knowledge that the flash metering isn't going to be thrown off by your new composition; you cannot do that at all with the 540EZ.

Cons? Can't think of any, other than the price tag. The only thing the 540EZ offers that the 550EX doesn't is A-TTL metering, and it's hard to find anyone who claims that A-TTL is a must-have.

-- Steve Dunn (steved@ussinc.com), May 27, 2002.

Yep, Steve hit all the major reasons for an upgrade to 550EX. Better metering in difficult situations (White dresses & black tuxes, back lighting), and better fill flash ratios. High speed sync for outdoor fill flash and Flash Exposure Lock. All nice features.

The other reason is to use Canon's wireless E-TTL metering for multiple off camera flashes.

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), May 27, 2002.