Just thought I'd follow up on this review and flash info. The testing I did above was on my 40D. Recently I purchased a 5DII. Been having some minor trouble with this flash on that camera in ETTL mode only. Manual flash works fine and I use that more and more these days, but the results in ETTL mode are all over the place, sometimes overexposing, sometimes under.
Note that it's performance has been flawless on my 40D.
There was some recent posts on POTN in my review thread there, and it seems Nissin need to update the firmware on the earlier batches of this flash to become fully compatible with the 5DII. Not sure about other recent models like the 7D etc.
Note that it seems the newer batches of this flash
are fully compatible with the 5DII. See below for serial no's that are and aren't compatible. I bought mine pretty early on and have one of the earlier batches.
It's interesting and a bit disappointing. While they advertise that the flash firmware is updateable via USB, I searched for ages on their website to find how and where to download a firmware update for my flash. There isn't a link anywhere. Then in my POTN thread someone posted this correspondence with Nissin. It seems that if you've got a newer one, you have no problems. If you have the older version, you need a firmware update but they currently don't have the facilities on their website to enable you to download one, so they'll replace your flash with a newer one. Check your serial number if you think you're affected.
Quote:
Dear Paul,
Thank you for email again.
Actually we’ve done the firmware but waiting for downloading program from
Japan side to finish. Frankly tell, we are not able to confirm the releasing
date at this moment.
To avoid too long waiting for Nissin value customers. We decided to do the
exchange for first lot of Di866 until we are able to release the firmware by
USB update.
The firmware is free of charge and you can download it from our website once
released. But we are not able to provide the instruction since it is not yet
done at this moment.
If you already bought, please kindly contact with our distributor in your
country by following link for exchange a new one.
http://www.nissindigital.com/en/distributors.html
Thank you very much.
Nissin
www.nissindigital.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Vincent Pua
Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 5:31 PM
To: Nissin Marketing Ltd
Subject: RE: Inquiry
My S/N is 9A14 .....
can you send me the software / firmware and directions to upgrade my flash?
thanks,
Paul
--- On Tue, 5/25/10, Nissin Marketing Ltd <info@nissin.com.hk> wrote:
> From: Nissin Marketing Ltd <info@nissin.com.hk>
> Subject: RE: Inquiry
> To: "'Paul Vincent Pua'"
> Date: Tuesday, May 25, 2010, 3:36 PM
> Dear Paul Vincent Pua,
>
> Thank you for email and purchasing Nissin Di866.
>
> Could you please kindly advise the S/N of your flash. If
> the S/N after
> 9A2031001 is fully support 5D Mark II.
>
> The Di866 do has thermal cut off (after continuous full
> power flash
> 25~30times, it will start the protection )to prevent damage
> when it
> overheats.
> It will shut down 10-15pcs to cool down before it can be
> used again.
> And of course it sometimes depends on how heat of the
> flash, more heat, it
> takes longer time to cool down.
>
> Thank you very much.
> Nissin
> www.nissindigital.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Paul Vincent Pua
>
> Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010 2:52 PM
> To: info@nissin.com.hk
> Subject: Inquiry
>
> Hi,
>
> I live here at the philippines and I got a nissin di 866,
> it seems that my canon 5d mark 2 doest recognize the
> flash.. I got into the
> menu of the 5d mark 2 on flash custom functions. It doesn't
> recognize the
> 866.
>
> I would like to ask if there is any firmware update or is
> it not really
> working... ?
>
>
> I bought it at JT photo located in makati.
>
>
> BTW, the 866 seems to over heat fast even just using 4
> ni-mh batteries and
> no power pack. any suggestions? - It seems I'm not the only
> one exp this
> issue as a quick search using google/yahoo with keywords
> nissin di 866 and
> overheat gives a lot of hits... perhaps the threshold of
> the temparature is
> set too low?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Paul Vincent Pua
|