Canon Professional Network - Speedlite 270EX II: a pocket-sized wireless flash

Key features
Key benefits
Key technologies
Specifications

The entry level Speedlite 270EX II has a guide number of 27 and provides full E-TTL II compatibility with EOS DSLR cameras.

Who is it for?

Designed for entry-level photographers wanting more control than the built-in flashgun without stepping up to the size and cost of higher-end models, the 270EX II will be especially of interest to EOS 600D, EOS 60D and EOS 7D users where the built-in wireless flash transmitters allow multiple wireless flash setups to be created quickly and easily.

Please click here to take a tour around the Speedlite 270EX II flashgun.

Key features

Lightweight compact design
Guide Number 27 (m, ISO100)
Bounce flash head
Wireless slave function for off-camera flash
Remote Release button
Fast, silent recycling

Key benefits

Building on the base of the 270EX, the 270EX II takes the benefits of the older model and adds wireless flash control and a remote camera trigger button. Flash settings and Custom Functions can be made through the camera menu system of cameras such as the EOS 1100D, EOS 600D and EOS 7D.

With a bounce flash head, you can avoid the harsh, direct flash lighting and aim towards creating softer, more subtle lighting by bouncing flash from the ceiling. Combined with the manual zoom head, with settings for 28mm and 50mm, you can ensure efficient light distribution across a scene.

With flash exposure compensation, second-curtain sync and high-speed sync flash settable in the camera menu, the 270EX II opens up the creative side of flash use too. A modelling light function, where the flash will fire a high frequency burst of light to show where light and shadows are falling makes use as a wireless flash simple.

Key technologies

Colour temperature transmission

When used with an EOS digital camera newer than the EOS 20D, the flash will transmit the colour temperature it fired with to the camera so that the camera can set an accurate white balance providing it is set to Auto White Balance or Flash white balance.
Slave flash function

Not just for use in the camera's hotshoe, the 270EX II also features a slave flash function thus allowing it to be used wirelessly off-camera. It can be controlled and triggered by any of the master flash units in the Speedlite range. This includes the Speedlite 580EX II, ST-E2, MR-14EX, MT-24EX and EOS 7D, EOS 60D and EOS 600D. When used in Slave flash mode, the 270EX II will be triggered by all transmission channels (1-4) and will always be a group A flash.
Remote Release Button

Another first for the EOS system the 270EX II, like the 320EX, features a button that can be used to trigger a remote camera. It works in the same way as the RC-6 infrared controller and is compatible with cameras like the EOS 5D Mark II, EOS 7D, EOS 60D and EOS 600D. Simply set up the camera on a tripod so the shot is framed as you want, set the camera to self-timer/remote control in the drive mode settings and then press the button on the flashgun. The camera will start a 2 second self-timer to give you time to turn the flash back to point at the subject. This is especially useful when using the built-in master flash functions found in the EOS 7D, EOS 60D and EOS 600D.

POWER
Guide No. (ISO100).meters	27 (50)

ZOOM
Zoom head	Yes
Focal length coverage	28, 50mm

FLASH MODES
Auto exposure control	E-TTL II/E-TTL
High speed sync (FP)	Yes
Manual / output settings	Yes - 1/1- 1/64
Manual steps	1/3 step

FLASH-RELATED FUNCTION
FE lock	Yes
Flash exposure compensation	Yes (set on camera)
Flash exposure bracketing	No
Second-curtain flash sync	Yes (set on camera)
Modelling flash	Yes
Colour temperature info communication	Yes

WIRELESS FLASH
Transmitter	No
Slave	Yes
No. of groups	Fixed group A
No. of channels	Triggered by all channels
Remote Shutter Release	Yes

FLASH HEAD MOVEMENT
Up	0, 60, 75 and 90°

AF ASSIST
AF-assist beam	Yes
AF-assist beam type	Flash strobe

POWER SOURCE
Battery	2 x AA batteries
Minimum recycling time*	Approx. 3.9 sec
External power supply	No

CONSTRUCTION
Dust and water resistance	No
Mounting foot material	Metal

MISC.
Custom function	4 (8 options)
Flash settings from camera menus**	Yes
External flash exposure sensor	No
PC terminal	No
Compatible accessories	Off-camera shoe cord OC-E3
Dedicated flash bracket	No