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My Canon 2000D is not firing the YN560 iv speed light. So, I learned the hard way that this flash is not compatible with the hotshoe on my camera.

Is there any way I can use this camera and flash combination? What would be the cheapest and most useful way to upgrade my system?

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3 Answers 3

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The Godox XPRO-C and X1T-C wireless radio triggers are known to work with the Canon bodies that do not have an ISO compliant center pin.

Of course your Yongnuo can't be controlled by Godox triggers. Unfortunately, none of the E-TTL compatible (which seems to be the key to working with a camera without a center pin) Yongnuo triggers use the same protocol as the radio receivers in the YN560 IV.

Yongnuo manual only flashes and transmitter use the YN560/RF605/RF603 protocol.
Yongnuo E-TTL flashes (other than the Canon RT clones) use the YN622 protocol.
Yongnuo YN600EX-RT, YN600EX-RT II, and YN-E3-RT that are clones of Canon RT flashes use Canon's (reverse engineered) RT protocol.

Each protocol is like a different language.

So you have a few basic choices:

  • Use your camera's built-in flash to optically trigger the YN560 IV in "dumb" slave mode.
  • Return the YN560 IV and get an E-TTL compatible flash, such as the YN685, that can run the YN622 protocol and use a YN622 transmitter (YN622C-TX) or transceiver (YN622C II) on the camera's hot shoe.
  • Return the YN560 IV and get an XPro or X1T-C and Godox flashes with built in receivers
  • Use a Godox transmitter (XPro or X1T-C) on the camera and a Godox X1R-C attached to the hot foot of your YN560 IV
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  • \$\begingroup\$ Just to get the list complete, what about buying a YN685 and using the YN560 as second. The YN685 should be able to fully control the YN560 remotely. Controlling both by radio still would not work though, that why I like your Godox suggestion. \$\endgroup\$
    – Orbit
    Nov 7, 2019 at 19:56
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    \$\begingroup\$ The YN685 can only control a YN560 IV the same way your camera's built-in flash can: in "dumb" slave mode. The YN560 IV uses the YN560/RF605/RF603 radio protocol. The YN685 uses the YN622 protocol. The YN685 (and some other YN622 devices made after December 2014) can be set to receive a YN560/RF605/RF603 transmitter, but it cannot transmit on the YN560/RF605/RF603 protocol, it can only transmit on the YN622 protocol. \$\endgroup\$
    – Michael C
    Nov 7, 2019 at 20:42
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Don't use your YN560 IV in the hotshoe. Instead, use it as an Off Camera Flash. Bounce it off the ceiling or use it hand held. Use your 2000D built-in ETTL flash to trigger the S2 Optical Slave Mode on your YN560 IV.

S1 mode fires when ever it sees a flash which is a problem with ETTL preflash.

S2 mode fires on the second (Main) flash and ignores the ETTL pre-flash.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ "S2 mode fires on the second (Main) flash and hopefully ignores the ETTL pre-flash." \$\endgroup\$
    – Michael C
    Nov 7, 2019 at 19:45
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Optical triggering by the camera's built-in flash can work, but also has significant limitations and can be more frustration than it's worth.

Theoretically, this can be triggered by radio off-camera, which would be a good use. Unfortunately, it seems that this Yongnuo model only works with triggers which also won't work with your camera.

Therefore, I really think your best bet is to return it (or sell it used, if returning is not possible) and get something that does workWhat speedlites can work with the Canon non-standard hotshoe found on their low-end camera models?. There are several options which aren't any more expensive than this one. (And several that are a lot more flexible.)

Or, if you happen to be planning to replace your camera body soon anyway, hold onto it and buy a higher-end model which does have the standard center pin. Canon is unlikely to remove this entirely from models aimed at professionals and serious amateurs, because there'd be a huge backlash. Instead, they're using it as a differentiator to keep that segment of the market away from the cheapest purchases. It's pretty likely that this will move up the model food chain into the middle segment, too, over the next few years, though, so.... if this is important to you, that's probably worth considering.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ It's pure speculation, which we're supposed to avoid altogether here, but I don't see Canon borking the hot shoe for any but their cheapest entry level bodies. I could be wrong. \$\endgroup\$
    – Michael C
    Nov 7, 2019 at 21:02
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MichaelC My concern is that if they see it as a success in differentiating, and consumer pushback gets dulled, it'll move up into at least the next tier. But, yes, this is speculation. \$\endgroup\$
    – mattdm
    Nov 7, 2019 at 21:34
  • \$\begingroup\$ Nah, they tend to let higher technology trickle down, not lower tech trickle up. In 2012 the 1D X was the only EOS camera with an RGB+IR metering sensor. Now all of the Rebels except the same lowest tier that have borked hot shoes have RGB+IR meters. \$\endgroup\$
    – Michael C
    Nov 10, 2019 at 18:51

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