Quality of Yongnuo Flash: Asking with the understanding that you generally get what you pay for, can anyone attest to the quality of Yongnuo flash devices? Are they good enough for an...

Picdude Loc: Ohio

Asking with the understanding that you generally get what you pay for, can anyone attest to the quality of Yongnuo flash devices? Are they good enough for an entry-level flash or better to just stay away?

Gitchigumi Loc: Wake Forest, NC

I have two Yongnuo YN560-II units and think they are an excellent product at a very reasonable price. I would not hesitate to recommend them.

brian43053 Loc: Buffalo, NY

I have3 yongnuo flashes and they all work great. I have never had any issues with them mis-firing. The quality, as far as i'm concerned is great. You simply can't beat them for the price.

kpassaur Loc: Valrico FL

They are a good value for the money. I have two of them and two Canon flashes; the quality is not the same. However, you could have 3 Yongnus for the price of one Canon flash. One of Yongnus I bumped into something with I guess (I didnt notice it) and it is now cracked but still works. (when you spin the head it does not lock in as tight)
As brian43053 said you cant beat them for the price.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Picdude wrote:

Asking with the understanding that you generally get what you pay for, can anyone attest to the quality of Yongnuo flash devices? Are they good enough for an entry-level flash or better to just stay away?

I have one for two years, no issue to mention.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

I just played with their YN-14EX ringlight, which is an almost exact copy of the Canon MR-!4EX, right down to the quality.
At 1/4 to 1/5th of the price it looks like a great buy.
Canon charges about the same price to repair as a new Yongnou costs.
With that being said, I'm not too keen about the obvious copycat issues.

Rick36203 Loc: Northeast Alabama

I have five (2 yn-460, 2 yn-560, and 1 yn-565ex) of their flash units, and 8 Yongnuo flash trigger/receivers. I have had no problems with any of the flash units. The PC sync ports have failed on 2 of the rf-603 triggers. No other problems with them or the 622 versions.

In fact, if I grab a single flash to put in the camera bag it's almost always the manual yn-560III instead of my Nikon SB700.

Picdude Loc: Ohio

Thank you one and all for your quick responses. Glad to see that with a little bit of due diligence a reasonable bargain can still be had. GoofyNewfie, I hear what your saying about the copycat issues. It appears to be a sign of our times, although I suppose imitation is the highest form of flattery.

Jer Loc: Mesa, Arizona

I wonder how they would holdup with really heavy use? I've dropped my Canon units a few times and they work fine. However, I know a studio photographer who likes Yongnuo. I use their triggers and so far they have worked fine but I've only used then a couple of hundred times in the last few weeks.

DaveHam Loc: Reading UK

We use YN565EX's - up to four at a time in up to two groups - as well as Speedlights.

The Yongnuo are very good and very reliable. They work well TTL or as remote slaves and over the year or so we have been using them we have had no problems. At about a third the price of a Speedlight they are very good value for money.

The only thing is the accompanying paperwork - I hesitate to call it instructions - has been prepared in Chinese, translated into Russian and then into English by a twelve year old for pocket money. Fortunately there is a wealth of information on line.

allen finley photography Loc: Sunshine State.

Jer wrote:

I wonder how they would holdup with really heavy use? I've dropped my Canon units a few times and they work fine. However, I know a studio photographer who likes Yongnuo. I use their triggers and so far they have worked fine but I've only used then a couple of hundred times in the last few weeks.

I have 5 of the YN565EX II flashes and 4 of the triggers. I use them several times a week + events. I love to use them in my umbrellas and anyone that has ever shot using an umbrella knows that they get blown over/knocked over all the time. I have had them go tumbling on many occasions with only one major mishap. I had to put the flash back together after it crashed from over six foot up on a lightstand. I did have to take it back apart again and readjust the IR focus beam that got wonked out though. I've used these for over a year, no problems. My son has some of my older Yongnuo flashes and they still work.

mrtobin Loc: North East Ohio

Picdude, If I may add to the conversation.

I have tree Yongnuo flashes and the yn622 triggers, they all work great. However, when shopping around for yongnuo flash be aware that some just flash, full manual, others can be used ttl. That is why some Yongnuos are $60.00 and others are $170.00, a good bargain either way. Just make sure that you get the model numbers straight in your head. Yongnuo keep coming out with new and improved features and new model numbers and new markii and mark iii:)

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

I have 10 YN460s (totally manual flashes); they are work horses! Three years ago I had one of them doing an outdoor shoot. I didn't use a sandbag on the light stand and it fell over. The YN460 came apart, the plastic piece that pops up and goes over the flash came off. When I got home (I was sure the flash was trashed) I put it back together and it worked! Last year I had the same flash out and (duh!) it fell over on the flash stand, breaking the base. Wonder of wonders, it still works and I use it for a fill light with the optical slave option that comes on the flash.

The newer versions of the YN460 have a warm up and recycle time of 5 seconds (with good batteries)! As with all flashes, the danger is popping off the flash and overheating it and killing it that way. Changing out the flashes (it's affordable with YNs) should take care of this problem.

I hardily recommend YN flashes.

Jer Loc: Mesa, Arizona

Photoman,
Great to know

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

DaveHam wrote:

The only thing is the accompanying paperwork - I hesitate to call it instructions - has been prepared in Chinese, translated into Russian and then into English by a twelve year old for pocket money. Fortunately there is a wealth of information on line.

You have a problem with, "To avoid possible safety accident, do not use the flash light on the people who need a high degree of attention"? Well, I didn't being understand it else. :XD:

Fortunately, there are enough devoted Yongnuo users, I can always find answers by using Google. Your experiencing may be difference.