Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 49
 Worth Every Penny... and Then Some! September 6, 2009
John Pozadzides (Frisco, TX)
42 out of 42 found this review helpful
I rarely ever write reviews for the products I purchase here on Amazon, but this flash cord is one of the best products I think I've ever bought from a bang for the buck point of view.
First, let's get the technical stuff out of the way. As other reviewers have noted, the locking mechanism on this cord is identical to the Canon Speedlite 580EXII - which is fantastic. Also, the mounting plate is solid, and the cord easily stretches 2 feet to the side. I don't know if it's better than Canon's own version, but at half the price I can tell you it works perfectly on my Canon 5D Mark II with a Canon 580 flash.
Now, lets get to the creative part. Although I had seen some before and after photos of moving the flash off the camera, I was unprepared for how big of a difference it would make in my own personal photos. If you ever shoot portraits, or still life, or even close up scenery - just get one of these and try it. It will literally change your perspective as a photographer.
Best deal for the money!!!! As good as Canon August 21, 2009
TheJBJ (Washington, DC)
24 out of 24 found this review helpful
I was really surprised at how well made the flash cord was when it arrived. The metal shoe mounts were perfectly lined up and fit snug on my camera and my flash. One thing that is not visable in the example pictures is that this cord uses the same "slide-to-lock" method that is used on the 580EXii. This is just like Canon's version of the cord. That was my only worry when I ordered it, but it works just like Canon's. The great news is that if you put this right next to the Canon Flash Sync Cord you would not be able to tell any real difference. The cord is the same quality and the mounts are perfect. I'm not sure why the other reviewer would give this less than 5 stars, but I can assure you that this would have nothing to do with the screen and battery issues he's having. I would buy another one of these cords in a second. The OC-E3 from Canon is twice as much and does NOTHING better than this one. I am still really amazed that someone made a generic version to such high standards.
BUY THIS CORD! You won't find a better deal, and you won't even get better quality with Canon's cord.
Great Quality August 30, 2009
Jeff Rader (Portland, Oregon)
18 out of 18 found this review helpful
I don't normally buy non-Canon equipment for my camera. I ordered a package from a seller on Amazon that had a 580ex II, a bracket, and a cord. Great package but the Precision cord was total garbage. It didn't connect right and I missed a lot of great shots because of it. I literally had to force my 580ex II onto that cord. Going solely by the other review (not the guy with the broken camera) I decided to try this one. I am not disappointed. The end of the cord that connects to the hotshoe on your camera looks and feels exactly like the 580ex II's mounting foot. It slides on easily and locks into place smoothly. The cord itself is somewhat short but that doesn't bother me. The end that attaches to your speedlite attaches perfectly (and does not spin like the Precision cord). While shooting I have had no errors - the common error on the other cord was for the display to read ttl rather than Ettl and the camera would lock up until the speedlite was turned off. The construction is solid and if it didn't say Opteka on it I would swear it was made by canon. But I've heard the canon version uses a plastic shoe mount that can break. The mount on this one is metal.
I lost so many great shots because of that other cable, but I'm very satisfied with this one.
Identical to Canon cord, works well September 26, 2009
Henry Mo (USA)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
First of all, this Opteka cord is literally identical to the Canon OC-E3 cord. I compared this cord to photos of the Canon cord, and every corner, every contour, and every piece of metal was identical. The only thing that was different was the brand label on the flat part of the head.
Since the design is identical, I expect the materials, build quality, and operation to be identical. In fact, my guess is that both of these are manufactured by the same OEM and then branded, much like how some PC components are just branded (e.g. Dell mice, CD drives).
One big difference is that this Opteka cord is half the price of the Canon cord. So there's no reason you should buy the Canon cord unless you have a brand fetish.
With that out of the way, let's talk about the operation. This is your standard extension cord for a flash unit; it does what you expect it to do. I found it strange that the cord faces forward on the camera and flash instead of backward. Sometimes the cord would fall in front of the lens because of this. Both sliding interfaces on the cord are smooth, unlike what some reviews said about the questionable Precision Design cord. When using the cord, it can be awkward to hold and point a flash in the left hand and hold and use the camera in the right hand, but this kind of acrobatics is a necessary evil for the photographer.
A Great Performer at a Bargain Price! December 7, 2009
slapshot2500 (Grand Rapids, MI)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This cable works great for getting your flash off of your camera and into different creative positions. The cable is of high quality and if it's not made in the same factory as the Canon one, it's made down the street!
I've had no failures to fire and the locking connection is very secure.
5 out of 5!
Edit: I recently modified my cord by splicing in two cat5e jacks. Google "ettl cat5" for details. Now I've got a cable that works at up to 50' (I haven't tested it at any further distances yet, but have no doubt that it will work)
Showing reviews 1-5 of 49
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