Altura Photo Professional Flash Kit for Canon DSLR with E-TTL Flash AP-C1001, Wireless Flash Trigger Set and Accessories

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I had to try multiple different types of batteries because for some reason it wouldnt work with the industrial duracells. So i grabbed my remote control and threw those bad boys in the flash, i hit the pilot button to see if it would give me a quick flash of light. Not only did it give me a flash of light, it gave me a flash of light so bright that i thought i saw my lord and savior.

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Purchased as a gift for a relative. Their review below: - The Altura Flash is great buy for anyone looking to get into flash photography be they amateur hobbyist or aspiring professional. This flash (and wireless kit) was purchased prior to shooting my first wedding. Not a big, crowded wedding or anything super fancy. Just a small, personal event for the immediate family. Despite the budget price-point, the flash met and exceeded my expectations virtually every time I took a shot. First off, this flash seems to be really good with battery consumption. When youre shooting a live event with flash, you really want to avoid missing shots because your batteries died. At first I was going to go with Energizers Ultimate Lithium AAs. They come 4 to a pack and theyre very pricey for non-rechargeables. However, after recommendation, I found a good deal on Duracells new Quantum Alkaline AAs (http://amzn.com/B00EH3S3JG) and even after an entire afternoon and ~400 flashes later, they still have quite a bit of juice in them. Im not sure if I should be thanking Duracells quality product or the flash unit but together, they work exceedingly well. The flash itself is fairly easy to set-up and use. No issues securing it to the hotshoe on my Canon T2i (Rebel 550D). I highly recommend taking it out and giving it a good test run before you need the flash for anything really important. All flashes are different to some degree and learning your device on the job isnt such a great idea. Youre likely to always keep the the flash in e-TTL mode unless you absolutely need manual control or are using wireless slave flashes set up. The strobe/multi-flash/burst flash mode really isnt something most will need or use either. It has fairly limited usages outside artistic or creative photographic endeavors. Still nice that its available. In TTL mode, you still have the ability to override the flashs intensity using the left and right arrow keys. I found myself needing this here and there so keep in mind that you do have that ability. TTL is great and a great deal of the time it will accurately fire to expose your subjects right but its not infallible. Especially on such an inexpensive unit. Even so, it fired every time I needed it to and had no problem firing rapidly in continuous shooting mode. Great for those fast and important moments...like the kiss at the wedding. Another great feature that came in handy was the built in bounce/diffusion card. Though I wish Id utilized it more during the shoot instead of only the diffusion cap, it was able to greatly improve some of my indoor shots during the reception. By angling the flash (which does tilt and swivel) and using the bounce card, I was able to get perfectly exposed portrait shots of the guests without blinding them. Whether it was the flash or the T2i, I did find that some of my shots were still improperly exposed or in some cases, blurry despite being in program mode. I never shoot full auto but perhaps this wouldnt have happened if those shots were taken that way. No way to tell now. Ill do a field test of that in the near future. Theres also a build in light for the screen which I didnt use but will likely come in handy. (A quick press on the On/Off button will turn on and off the light). The only disappointing aspect of the kit itself were the wireless transmitter and receiver. PLEASE NOTE BEFORE YOU BUY: The wireless devices only tell the flash to fire when you take your photos. They do not transmit any of the information used to adjust the flashs settings as it would if the flash were in TTL on your hotshoe. Itll only fire the flash. You have to manually adjust the settings on the unit before you take the shot. Theyre still useful and do exactly as they were made to do. I was unaware of this at the time of purchase though so you may want to consider this before getting the full kit. --- Overall, Im highly impressed with the kit. Its a great product and the price-point makes it a no-brainer for anyone looking to learn flash photography. Digital Goja (the Amazon seller I purchased from) was more than helpful in quickly answering questions and dealing with any issues I had. They live up to their reputation in terms of customer service and satisfaction guarantees. Would buy from again in a heartbeat (and already have). --- PROS (flash): - Inexpensive - Well-made - Light weight but sturdy - Easily adjustable settings, simple interface - Adjustable tilt & swivel flash head - Good on battery consumption - Has built in bounce card, diffusion filter, and comes with a separate diffusion cover - Comes with fairly nice protective case - Warms up near instantly from cold-start - TTL works quite well - Not underpowered - Sold by a respectable retailer (Digital Goja) that values their customers CONS (flash): - Goes into standby mode a little too quickly - TTL does not always expose shots as well as it might on a higher-end unit. - Bounce card occasionally becomes stuck when putting away (you may need to gently pull it back out with the diffusion filter and put them back in together) PROS (wireless transmitter/receiver): - Fires flash wirelessly from a good distance - Programmable radio frequency toggles to limit outside interference - Easy to set up - Wireless devices can alternatively be uses as a wireless shutter release for the camera using included cable. CONS (wireless transmitter/receiver): - Does not transmit TTL info from camera to flash unit (flash settings must be set manually when using wireless transmitter) --- Bottom line: You really cant go wrong with the flash unit ($79.99) unless youre looking for a higher-end device with more features. The wireless kit ($99.99) is good for those who need a wireless flash trigger but dont mind manually setting up the flash settings prior to shooting.

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Like other reviewers, I was somewhat skeptical that this could compare with Canon speedlights. After using this flash for a week or so, it performs great, communicates.with the camera, and has plenty of range. As for the supplier, I had a problem with the wireless unit, after contacting the company, they immediately sent out a replacement unit, no questions asked. This is the type of service that all companies should provide, do not hesitate to do business with Digital Goja!

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** UPDATE ** I wrote my initial review (see below) after a couple days of using the flash around the house to test it out, and it seemed to work decently well. However, the first time I took the flash out to actually use it, it died. I took about 10-15 photos using the flash before the flash froze. None of the buttons responded. I ended up opening the battery compartment to reset the flash. Afterward it would flash about every second or third photo that I took. These were not rapid-succession photos, either - half the time it simply wouldnt fire. I tried changing the batteries. After a couple photos, it froze again. I tried changing the batteries again. Nothing. All the batteries were freshly-charged Eneloops. * Original Review * My first impressions: - the build quality is mediocre at best (see photos). Right out of the box there are some joints between pieces of plastic on the unit that dont line up perfectly, and the hotshoe is slightly crooked, which means that the flash points slightly sideways instead of straight forward. - it will fire faster than it will refresh. This means that each consecutive flash/photo gets slightly darker. How quickly the flashes diminish will depend heavily on the type (and newness) of battery that youre using. - I really wanted to be able to use the remote to to fire photos remotely with the flash on the camera. Youre supposed to be able to do this by putting the receiver unit onto the camera, the flash onto the receiver unit, plugging the receiver unit into the remote socket on your camera, and then pressing the button on the remote. Unfortunately, it doesnt really work. The flash will fire, and the camera will take a picture, but not at the same time. The receiver unit does NOT transmit TTL info, so when I press the remote button, the flash fires instantly but theres a slight delay before my Canon 80D takes a picture. The only thing Ive figured out so far is to the use the strobe setting on the flash and have it strobe for 1/2 second or so to overlap whenever the shutter releases. Of course, the strobe is much darker than a normal flash, and its strobing, so you dont know exactly how bright it will be when the shutter happens to release. Result, its pretty much useless as a shutter remote WITH flash. It makes a pretty good shutter remote without the flash unit (or with the cameras built-in flash).

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Ive purchased a number of these flash units over the past few years. I will say that the customer service from Digital Goja is absolutely top notch! The one time where I had an issue it was taken care of without hesitation. I wholeheartedly recommend purchasing from this seller. The flash units themselves... would be 5 stars except for two annoyances. FIRST, they have an auto-sleep after 45 seconds. If the flash is mounted on the camera this is not an issue, because the camera wakes them back up. But if theyre on the included radio remotes, you have to manually go and press a button on the flash to wake it up. SECOND, and most importantly- under certain conditions these units are very easy to burn out. If you set them on full power (1/1) and take a long series of shots one right after the other, even if you wait for it to fully recharge, the unit will burn out. Im talking about 15-20 shots. If you wait longer maybe 3x the recharge times) between shots, youll be OK.

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While the description says "Compatible with ALL Canon cameras with a standard hot-shoe mount." this statement is ONLY true for the flash. The wireless trigger WILL NOT work on all Canon cameras.

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**UPDATE** After purchasing another 3rd party flash with similar experiences... I figured out what was up. Apparently with any non Canon brand flash, it will only fire in view finder mode and NOT LIVE VIEW MODE. I dont know if this was common knowledge but I didnt see it mentioned anywhere on this product. Hopefully this helps people experiencing similar frustrations. Was impressed with the quality at first. However the my hot shoe does not set off the trigger properly, only randomly some time. Seems to be a compatibility issue, however my canon was listed to be compatible. Only when turning my camera on and off and the triggers on and off in random patterns for 20 minutes over a hundred times does it randomly start to work. Then the next time I shoot ,same issue. Ive only had it a couple days so I cant keep this. Flash fires completely fine when mounted directly to my hot shoe, which tells me my camera shoe is working fine, which by default leaves the trigger as what is not compatible. Will have to find a different brand to go with.

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I am a beginner photographer. After reading the reviews for this I decided to give it a try. I have a friend who has been doing photography for a long time now that has been giving me pointers and tips. He told me to get an external flash and start photographing with different lighting and angles. Well the first thing I did was buy the wrong one, lol. I was so excited to buy one I didnt even check to see which one I was purchasing, so I ended up getting a NIKON flash. I was so upset when it arrived, I even double checked my order and realized it was my mistake. I immediately e-mail the seller and they got back to me a couple hours later. I had asked if I was able to do an exchange for a CANON flash and they responded that I was unable to do that but they were able to give me a full refund if I send it back. So I decided to just go ahead and purchase the correct one and sent back the other for a refund. So I must say the customer service is exceptionally outstanding, they were very nice, prompt, and informative. And as for the flash, Im still a beginner so Im still learning how to use it but so far I have taken a few photos that I absolutely love with it! Ive only tested it out with my cats so far though.

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This is a really nice flash kit especially for the price, however it is not completely compatible with Canon T3i. One feature that I really needed, 2nd or rear curtain sync is not an available feature for this flash. Because of this, I returned this item for a refund. Altura Photo was amazing to work with as far as Customer Service. I had this unit for 15 months, although I had not used it except to try and activate 2nd curtain sync feature in my CanonT3i. Once I determined I could not get it to work, I contacted Altura Photo for assistance. That was when they told me that feature was not available on this flash, but would be a feature on the new model coming out soon. Then the most amazing thing happened. Altura Photo offered to give me a FULL REFUND even after so much time had elapsed since my purchase. I returned my flash kit and was promptly issued a complete refund on my order. The BEST Customer Service EVER. I will not hesitate to order from Altura Photo again, as I now know they care about their customers more than the sale!!!!!!!!!

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Couple this very nice E-TTL flash with a wireless trigger system capable of TTL. The flash is well built, well designed, very powerful, and does a nice job using E-TTL on my Canon camera. It includes a snap on diffuser that mounts easily to the flash head and does and equally good job of softening the light for softer shadows. It also comes with a very nice case that has room for the flash, a storage pocket for the flash stand, a separate compartment on the case for the diffuser and a second set of batteries, and a nicely built strap for attaching the case to your belt or a camera case strap securely. Finally, the kit includes a remote trigger for the flash and a remote trigger mount for the camera, which allows a second flash to be still mounted on the camera. All of this Wow unfortunately falls just a bit short when you discover that the trigger system cannot take advantage of the very nice E-TTL capability of the flash. That is the only reason I gave it a 4 star rating. While I dont use this flash remotely, it is constantly in my bag and is often the flash I go to for any on camera flash shooting that I do. If what youre looking for is an on camera E-TTL flash, that works really nicely, at a great price....this is one to consider strongly.

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