I bought a Canon Speedlite 580 EXII in January 2008. I have used it extensively over that three year period, and have to admit to abusing it as well- but it has just kept ticking along. However, recently I've been noticing severe inconsistencies in flash exposure with images intermittently under exposed with a very yellow cast, and some with the flash apparently not going off at all. I have a 420EX and don't see these problems so I have narrowed it down to the flash.
I remember a post a while back by BPN mod Robert Amoruso where I think he said he goes through a flashes pretty regularly and essentially wears them out.
Is this what I am seeing here? Do others see this after not a huge length of time of use? I imagine repair is not a viable option economically. Thanks in advance for any comment.
Yup, that its. I regularly buy a new one at least every two years.
I have one now, the backup 580EX where the flash output is inconsistent.
I have not bothered with repair because the fronts are marred up with Better Beamer burns and Canon will not touch them or at least non I ever sent back for repair.