My Yongnuo YN-467 has arrived today – super fast shipping from Hong Kong, I had bought it just 8 days ago from the manufacturer’s store on eBay! First impression is rather good, just like the other speedlites from the 460 series from China. I will start testing very soon, here’s an ‘unboxing video’ to kick the series off.
I expect the new model to be as reliable in terms of i-TTL exposure as the YN-465 but a bit more powerful at the tele end due to the zooming capability. Any bigger difference would be a surprise, but we will see soon.
Finally: the Nikon version of the YN-467 i-TTL and strobist flash is available for sale from the manufacturer store hkyongnuophotoequipment on eBay, or also from other sellers. With this model, the Chinese manufacturer has issued their second Nikon i-TTL unit after the YN-465 which lacks the zooming capabilities of the 467 but has proven to be a very reliable partner on the D90. I have certainly ordered one and will report on the test results as soon as it has arrived and undergone some testing.
Yongnuo i-TTL Speedlights Compared
| Model information | ||
| Manufacturer name | Yongnuo | Yongnuo |
| Flash unit name | YN465 | YN467 |
| First introduction | 2009 | 2009 (Canon), 2010 (Nikon) |
| Successor | YN467 | YN468 (only Canon to date) |
| Output specs | ||
| Guide Number (m) | 33/ ~26 (ISO 100, 35mm) | 33 / ~26 (ISO 100, 35mm) |
| Manual Power Settings | 1/1 – 1/2 – 1/4 – 1/8 – 1/16 – 1/32 – 1/64 | 1/1 – 1/2 – 1/4 – 1/8 – 1/16 – 1/32 – 1/64 |
| Flash duration (full power) | 1/800 | 1/800 |
| Recycle time specified (full power) |
5 sec alkaline | 5 sec alkaline |
| Recycle time measured (full power) |
2 sec alkaline, 2 sec NiMH | 2 sec alkaline, 2 sec NiMH |
| Triggering | ||
| Flash foot type | standard | standard |
| PC Synch Port | no | no |
| Optical Slave | no | 2 modes (1 w/ pre-flash suppresion) |
| Other trigger | none | none |
| Trigger voltage | 3.25 V (measured) | 3.27 V (measured) |
| Standby mode | 40-50 sec, but instant wake-up & fire | 40-50 sec, but instant wake-up & fire |
| Flash head features | ||
| Swivel | -180 deg to +90 deg | -180 deg to +90 deg |
| Tilt | -10 deg to +90 deg | -10 deg to +90 deg |
| Manual zoom head | no – fixed at (18) 35mm | yes, (18) 24 – 85mm |
| Auto zoom | no | yes, (18) 24 – 85mm |
| 2nd reflector | no | no |
| LCD display | no | no |
| Power supply | ||
| Batteries used | 4 x AA | 4 x AA |
| External power source | none | none |
| Nikon TTL | ||
| D-TTL | no | no |
| i-TTL | yes | yes (Aug 2010) |
| CLS wireless slave | no | no |
| CLS wireless master | no | no |
| Canon TTL | ||
| E-TTL | yes | yes |
| E-TTL II | yes | yes |
| E-TTL(II) wireless slave | no | no |
| E-TTL(II) wireless master | no | no |
| More information | ||
| Full review | YN465 | YN467 |
Where to buy
I recommend ordering direct from the manufacturer’s eBay store “hkyongnuophotoequipment” that normally offers free shipping plus a 1 year warranty. Compare the terms for other eBay offers.
This is now the hands-on review article about the speedlite Yongnuo YN-560. I’ve had it for a few weeks and tested and tried it in various ways and this is in fact the best Yongnuo flash so far. The YN560 is well worth the around 85$ it costs on eBay.
I am in the process of updating the review with the results from a production series unit that I bought some time ago. Main differences are that it is 1/3 stop more powerful, and the test flash button is also easier to press.
Here is the table of contents:
- page 1: Table of Contents
- page 2: YN-560 Features
- page 3: Specs and Test Results
- page 4: Off Camera: Strobist Review
- page 5: i/E –TTL
- page 6: YN-560 Review: Conclusion
Next Page:
Accessories, build quality and controls, power supply, flash head features
- page 1: Table of Contents
- page 2: YN-560 Features
- page 3: Specs and Test Results
- page 4: Off Camera: Strobist Review
- page 5: i/E –TTL
- page 6: YN-560 Review: Conclusion
Supplied Accessories
The Yongnuo YN-560 comes in a nice box which is (a bit surprisingly) not much bigger than the boxes of the 460 series. Inside that box you find:
- the flash unit
- a flash stand
- a soft pouch
- instruction manual
- leaflet with an overview of the 460 series flash models
Depending on the seller you also might receive a free diffuser (‘stofen’) together with your purchase. Yongnuo offer them also for sale on eBay as an extra accessory; the diffuser is the Canon 580EX version as they have identical flash heads. That is the diffuser version I got with my 2nd unit, now from the production series (when I bought my 1st YN560 it came with the diffuser sized for the 460 series that did not fit the new line’s bigger head).
Some words about the accessories: the flash stand is made of sturdy black plastic and has a nice looking tripod thread made of metal. There is also a hole for the locking pin. The only thing is that there is some lateral play with the flash mounted, but so has the AS-21 stand that came with my SB-900 (and that one has even a plastic tripod mount).
The 44-page instruction manual is in Chinese and English language and provides quite comprehensive explanations. The overview leaflet shows some specs from the first 5 models of the 460 series but neither YN560 nor YN468.
The last thing to mention is the pouch which is not bad in itself but no match for the kind of soft case you get with a Nikon or Canon. It’s more like the SS-24 pouch that came with my SB-24 – just a bag made of soft cloth, but there is no padding for enhanced protection. As the 560 has exactly the same dimensions as a Canon 580EX II you can use the Canon soft case – it fits in there (quite tightly, but so does the Canon speedlite).
YN-560 Build Quality and Controls
The quality of the engineering and build is a real surprise: The new 560 is on an excellent level in terms of build quality and quality of the controls. A clear upgrade from the 46x line, e.g. the YN-460-II that was the most powerful model before. The new 560 does not make the 460 mk2 a bad flash certainly, but the new one does feel really professional now and it’s a pure joy to use.
It feels as good in my hand as a Nikon SB-900 or the 580EX II from Canon. This is no miracle as it looks like a twin brother of the Canon. This means it’s based on a very good construction but it is also very nicely put together.
The construction of the battery door is superb, the swivel and tilt action of the flash head feels very dependable without any play. The pull-out diffuser is also a stronger design than before.
Time will certainly tell how durable it really is but I have no concerns at this time. The new YN-560 does not only look very similar to a Canon 580EX II but it also feels as nice and dependable. And I think it feels better than a Nikon SB-600.
The layout of the controls is excellent as well; the buttons are firm but not stiff and also have a decent size – and no more wobbling! Operation tends to be faster than on the latest Canon or Nikon models – each of the 11 buttons has only 1 or two functions and with only 1 exception there is never a need for pressing an “OK” or a “Set” button.
It must be said though that this ease of use is achieved by leaving out most of the features you find at the competition, be it E-TTL / i-TTL, or settings for a wireless master or slave mode, LCD panel contrast, ISO setting, power zoom fine tuning, stroboscopic flash, auto mode etc etc. But this is no problem for strobists for sure!
There is no LCD display on the back side but a battery of small but bright LED’s (the photo is not doing it justice). These show the flash mode, the current power setting, the zoom position of the reflector and are also used for fine tuning the output level. The test button has a back light, the other controls have no illumination. The battery of LEDs (“idiot lights”) don’t look like high tech, but they are easy to read from any angle.
The one thing not being near perfection on my unit – and it must be said that this is something like a preproduction model - is that the test flash button has excessive resistance and must be pressed with two fingers to get it fire a flash. I don’t know if this is a bug or a feature as it does help prevent accidental firing. But: less – much less – would have been sufficient here.
And it seems like this was more of a bug than a feature because in the production series unit that I have now the button is much better to use, it can be operated with 1 finger, so the issue is gone.
Power Supply
Yongnuo YN-560 is powered by 4 AA size cells, either alkaline or NiMH. Battery handling and loading are perfect: the battery cover resembles the Canon 580EX II solution, which means you slide down the cover and then open the spring-loaded door (only the additional lock lever is missing) . First thing you see is a sticker with polarity icons so there is no need to peek around inside the battery chambers (Canon has a better solution here than Nikon). Second thing is the thick plastic thorn in the middle of the chamber which separates the 4 cells. Just drop them in and they slide into their place.
In addition to internal battery power there is a socket for an external power source now. The socket is a Canon type and allows the usage of Yongnuo’s own SF-18C or SF-17C battery packs. This does further shorten recycle times and will also enhance the number of flashes per charge.
Flash Head
The head of the YN560 is bigger than the flash head of the 460 line and also bigger than the head of a Nikon SB-600. It’s the same size as the Canon 580EX, and also a similar but not the same size as the SB-900 (which features a higher body though).
In contrast to the Canon 580EX II there is no button to be pressed to unlock the head for swivel or tilt. I like that!
Both types of adjustment feel very solid and sturdy.The flash head can be rotated from 180 degrees counterclockwise to 90 degrees in the clockwise direction and tilting range is from minus 7 to plus 90 degrees. There is a tiny squeaking at times when I move the head to the close-up position.
The zoom action is operated with two dedicated buttons on the back panel and goes in steps 24-28-35-50-70-80-105mm (these are zoom steps typical for Canon, on a Nikon you find ’85′ rather than ’80′). The zooming sound is actually quite gentle on one of my units and a bit louder on the other.
Like for the power level the YN-560 also remembers its current zoom reflector position when powered off and on again. Unfortunately the flash has no direct way to indicate its current zoom setting as it re-uses the power index LEDs for showing the zoom. To see the current reflector position you need to press the ‘zoom +’ or ‘zoom -’ button, which is not a terrible design choice but not perfect either.
When using the built in wide-flash adapter coverage extends from 24 down to 18mm (the GN table starts at 14mm though, this is an inconsistency in the instruction manual – and I have tested only down to 24). There is (certainly) no sensor size detection on this ‘strobist’ speedlight, there is not even auto zoom when mounted on the camera hot shoe.
The shape of the flash head means you should be able to use all the ‘stofens’, ‘light spheres’ and other light modifiers that fit a Canon 580, but it is not possible to attach the diffusion dome or color gel holder that come with the SB-900 from Nikon – these don’t fit.
- page 1: Table of Contents
- page 2: YN-560 Features
- page 3: Specs and Test Results
- page 4: Off Camera: Strobist Review
- page 5: i/E –TTL
- page 6: YN-560 Review: Conclusion
Next Page:
Guide number tests, recycle time, flash duration, technical specifications
Where to buy
The YN-560 has been finally listed in the manufacturer store “hkyongnuophotoequipment” and also by other sellers on eBay.
- page 1: Table of Contents
- page 2: YN-560 Features
- page 3: Specs and Test Results
- page 4: Off Camera: Strobist Review
- page 5: i/E –TTL
- page 6: YN-560 Review: Conclusion
YN-560 Guide Number Test
Yongnuo speedlites offer sufficient output for most situation but they haven’t been able to quite live up to their specs in the past. The new YN-560 promises to feature a guide number of 39 meters at 35mm and ISO 100, which means it’s stronger on paper than a SB-800, SB-900 or 580EX (II). The manufacturer values can be found in the YN-560 instruction manual:
The independent Speedlights.net guide number tests were undertaken on light stands in a low reflection environment (as demanded by the ISO standard) with the speedlite flashing directly into an incident light meter (Sekonic L-358 was used with lumisphere lowered). ISO was set to 100, shutter speed to 1/200 sec. The ambient light was dimmed down to a minimum and the light meter showed “100%” confirming that exposure would come solely from the flash. There was a waiting time of about 60 seconds between measurements. All speedlights were measured within the same session to eliminate any differences in test setup.
My meter read f16 +9/10 for the YN-560, which I transformed into a decimal value according to the formula and table on this site: f16 +9/10 corresponds to f21.9 (9/10 or 90% of a stop means we’re almost at the next f-stop, and the next stop after f16 is f22). The following table shows the f-stops recorded by the Sekonic L-358 light meter and converted into decimal values:
| Model | Light meter reading | f-number at 35mm reflector setting, full power | Index value (YN-560 set to 100) |
| 580EX II | f22 +6/10 | 27.9 | 115 |
| SB-900 | f22 +3/10 | 25.1 | 104 |
| YN-560 Production Model | f22 +2/10 | 24.3 | 100 |
| YN-460II | f22 +2/10 | 24.3 | 100 |
| YN-560 Pre-production series | f16 +9/10 | 21.9 | 90 |
| SB-600 | f16 +9/10 | 21.9 | 90 |
| YN-460 | f16 +6/10 | 19.7 | 81 |
| YN-465 | f16 +5/10 | 19.0 | 78 |
To enable direct and easy comparison with other speedlights the YN-560 (the production series unit) was set to an index value of ’100′. Here is an updated graphical representation of the findings:
According to my relative calculations – and based on the assumptions that Nikon and Canon (and also Metz in the case of a 45 CT-4 that I compared) state realistic guide numbers – the real world guide number of my YN-560 is GN 33 (meters, ISO 100, 35mm) for the unit from the production series. I think it’s fair to make the assumption that Yongnuo us using the same flash tube as for the 460 mk2. This means it’s between the SB-600 (GN30) and the SB-900 (GN34) in terms of max output.
Before the current revision of this test report I stated an estimated guide number of 31: this is the maximum output from the ‘demo’ unit I have (which I bought first). So there is a 1/3 stop difference between the 2 units, or f22 +2/10 versus f16 +9/10.
Another test I was asked by flickr strobist-group members to perform is to measure the output both after a 60 second wait and right after the ready-light comes back on. I performed this test for 4 speedlights now (using the average value from 3 measurements each and converting f-stop readings into decimal values); here’s the updated result:
| Model | Light meter reading after 60 sec wait | f-number after 60 sec wait | Light meter reading after ready-light back on | f-number right after ready-light back on |
| YN-560 production series | f22 +2/10 | 24.3 | f16 +5/10 | 19 |
| YN-560 pre-production | f16 +9/10 | 21.9 | f16 +5/10 | 19 |
| SB-900 | f22 +3/10 | 25.1 | f16 +8/10 | 21.1 |
| 580EX II | f22 +6/10 | 27.9 | f22 +2/10 | 24.3 |
In summary, all three models are between 4/10 to 7/10 of a stop weaker if you fire the next full power flash immediately after the ready-light comes back on comparing to waiting for 60 seconds after the previous flash has fired. There is a difference between the 2 scenarios and also some difference between the 3 brands. And while the production series Yongnuo has the highest deviation there is a benefit in waiting for the Canon and Nikon speedlights, too.
Although the Yongnuo YN560 does not reach guide number 39 it has proven to be strong enough to overpower the California sun on a day in July with EV between 14 and 15. For these 2 shots the ISO was set to 200, f11, 1/200 sec in manual mode, and YN-560 at full power – not a problem thanks to the short recycle times! These are original un-edited frames shot with auto white balance.
Recycle Times
Together with this review I refined my methodology for recycle time tests (now according to ISO 2827). I use now a video camera and calculate the average recycle time of 3 full power within the series that is as fast as possible. For each single shot I measure the time between the flash firing and the ‘ready’ light coming back – that way I completely eliminate the reaction time delay. This chart here shows the result for the YN-560 preproduction unit both for alkaline batteries and NiMH cells:
The average recycle time with eneloop NiMH batteries was 1.5 seconds, and the average for alkaline batteries was 3.4 seconds – add 0.2 to 0.5 seconds reaction time to that if you want to estimate how fast you can be in real life. It is actually below 3 seconds for the first 3 shots but then exceeds the 3 second mark from the 4th shot on.
I just repeated the measurement for the 2nd YN-560 to see if there is a trade-off between the higher max output and recycle time but it is hardly existent: with identical NiMH cells I got an average of 1.6 seconds, so this is just 0.1 seconds slower and neither a Nikon SB-900 nor a Canon 580EX II are that fast. Plus – luckily I hear no whining sound when the flash recharges its capacitor.
According to the instruction manual there is an overheating protection built in to prevent damages on the speedlite when used excessively (in this case the test flash button flashes red/green and the strobe is locked for about 3 minutes). This seems to make a lot of sense, especially when you think about using the flash with external battery pack. In my tests I was seeing it once now after a longer series of full power shots – I made the same experience with both my SB-900 as well as the YN-460-II before.
Flash Duration
According to the instruction manuals, previous Yongnuo models like the 460 or the YN460-II were specified at 1/800 second at full power output. In comparison, Nikon flash specs are between 1/840 second (SB-24 e.g.) and 1/1050 for the SB-80DX and SB-800. So I was surprised to see the YN560 specs showing a 1/200 second for the new Yongnuo, and I was wondering about it quite a bit.
Photographers look at flash duration as it can have effects on the ability to freeze action as well as the usage of the fastest DSLR camera sync speeds; and 1/200 second is definitely long – think of a camera with 1/250 sync speed; that is shorter than a 1/200 seconds flash duration and means that not all of the light emitted from the strobe will be used for the photo.
To make a long story short – I’ll write more about it in a later post – I got hold of a Broncolor FCC and was able to do a metering of the t0.1 time of the YN560 and other speedlights I own, and the result is that they are all close together. The meter showed 1/325 seconds for both my YN560 at full power, but 1/230 for the SB-900, so the contender from China achieves a shorter = better t0.1 time than the current Nikon top model.
| Model | flash duration spec at 1/1 power | t0.1 metering |
| YN-560 (both test samples) | 1/200 sec | 1/325 sec |
| SB-900 | 1/880 sec | 1/230 sec |
To me this means that Nikon uses t0.5 times in their specs (it says 1/880 for the SB-900) whereas Yongnuo based their 1/200 either on their own version of t0.1 metering or maybe on the full flash duration. Maybe it’s also just a simple glitch in the instruction manual. The only important thing to note is that according to my cross-brand measurements you can expect the new Yongnuo to behave just like a Canon or Nikon when it comes to 1/1 flash duration and freezing action. I wish I’d be able to do a t0.5 metering (called the “effective flash duration” according to the ISO standard) but this is not possible with the FCC.
Technical Specifications
| Model information | |
| Brand | Yongnuo |
| Model | YN560 |
| First introduction | 2010 |
| Successor | none yet |
| Output specs | |
| Guide Number (m) | 39 / ~33 (ISO 100, 35mm) |
| Manual Power Settings | 1/1 – 1/2 – 1/4 – 1/8 – 1/16 – 1/32 – 1/64 – 1/128 |
| Flash duration (full power) | 1/200 |
| Recycle time specified (full power) |
3 sec alkaline |
| Recycle time measured (full power) |
3.4 sec alkaline, 1.6 sec NiMH |
| Flash head features | |
| Swivel | -180 to +90 degrees |
| Tilt | -7 to +90 degrees |
| Manual zoom head | (18) 24-105 |
| Auto zoom | no |
| 2nd reflector | no |
| LCD display | no |
| Triggering | |
| Flash foot type | standard |
| PC Synch Port | yes |
| Optical slave | 2 modes (1 w/ pre-flash suppresion) |
| Other trigger | none |
| Trigger voltage | 3.25 V (measured) |
| Standby mode | can be adjusted (30 mins max) |
| Power supply | |
| Batteries used | 4 x AA |
| External power source | Yongnuo SF-18C or SF-17C |
- page 1: Table of Contents
- page 2: YN-560 Features
- page 3: Specs and Test Results
- page 4: Off Camera: Strobist Review
- page 5: i/E –TTL
- page 6: YN-560 Review: Conclusion
Next Page:
Triggering, manual mode operation, standby, strobist score
Where to buy
The YN-560 has been finally listed in the manufacturer store “hkyongnuophotoequipment” and also by other sellers on eBay.
- page 1: Table of Contents
- page 2: YN-560 Features
- page 3: Specs and Test Results
- page 4: Off Camera: Strobist Review
- page 5: i/E –TTL
- page 6: YN-560 Review: Conclusion
Triggering
YN-560 can be triggered in 3 ways. First there is the single-contact flash foot with additional locking pin and wheel. The speedlite fires without any problems with Cactus V4 triggers as well as Yongnuo RF-602, the only little glitch here is that the power switch on both receivers can’t be reached when mounted on the flash foot as it is blocked by the protruding sensor window of the YN560. It is the same problem as with the Canon 580EX II (after which the new Yongnuo is modeled). The way it’s implemented means you have to power on the radio receiver before mounting the strobe. Or use a cable to the sync socket.
Trigger voltage on my unit is at 3.3 volts which is the same range as previous Yongnuo’s and safe to use with low voltage triggers and modern DSLR cameras in the accessory shoe.
In addition to triggering via X-contact on the flash foot , we find the 2 optical slave modes again that were present in previous units from Yongnuo. It is advertised that optical slave mode was improved and there is a range of 15 meters outdoors stated in the manual, a distance I was never able to achieve with any of my 460 (II) units.
I did a quick test to see how the new optical slave performs. The YN-560 was mounted on a light stand and switched to S1 and S2 mode, and triggered with another speedlight. Tests were undertaken at around noon on a sunny June day in the Bay Area, so there was no lack of sunlight – Sekonic L-358 showed EV 14.
Even under these conditions it was amazing to see how much the engineers from Shenzhen improved the feature over their previous products:
- in the simple slave mode S1 the YN560 was triggered via YN-460 in “M” at 1/2 power. I started at around 5 meters and it worked with 100% accuracy so I moved back to a maximum distance of 30 meters – and it still worked fine!
- for testing the ‘intelligent’ S2 mode which is able to filter out TTL pre-flashes I used a Nikon SB-600 in i-TTL on a D90. At 5 meters, it fired 100% reliably in mode S2, and even at 30 meters distance I got the 560 to fire 6 out of 10 times together with my SB-600 (which was then at full power which could be seen from the Nikon’s recycle time and the whining sound from recharging).
These are impressive results and it is good to see that this feature is really useful now not only inside, but also (for the first time imo) outdoors in bright light. I use radio triggers normally so don’t need the optical slave mode, but it is (at the minimum) a great backup trigger, for example if you end up with empty batteries in your radio receivers (which happened to me). If I had taken the YN560 with me I would have switched to optical trigger and the problem would have been gone!
Last but not least there is now also a PC port (not the screw type) on the flash under the rubber cover on the side, a first for Yongnuo. I haven’t tested it (yet) but it is definitely useful as you don’t need to use the flash foot anymore for triggering which enables an easier mount on light stands and adapters.
Manual Mode Operation
Yongnuo speedlite YN560 offers 3 flash modes: 2 optical slave modes and then the “M” mode for strobist style shooting. The strobe is powered on by pressing the power button for 2 seconds. There is a dedicated “Mode” button and a corresponding LED showing the current state.
To set the output level just use the left or right button on the central control ring and you move through the 8 stop range from 1/128 power to 1/1 power and back. Great thing is that the strobe remembers the last output level setting if you switch between modes or even when you power it off and change batteries.
If smaller increments than full stops are needed you can use the “up” and “down” buttons: at any given level you can add or subtract in 1/8 EV steps up to +4/8 EV and down to -3/8 EV. So you can have half power minus 1/8 for example, or half power minus 2/8, down to half power minus 3/8. And up to half power plus 4/8 correspondingly. Only at the 1/128 setting you can’t subtract, and at the 1/1 setting it’s not possible to add in 1/8 EV steps anymore (yes, this would bring you beyond maximum power so it does not make sense).
The Yongnuo 560 has one more helpful feature for strobist style shooting: you can activate an acoustic signal that notifies you when the speedlite is recharged and after a shot. The sound signal itself reminds me of the beep on my Nikon SB-600 although the beeping on the Nikon is available only in AWL / CLS wireless TTL. Great job to integrate this as an option!
Standby
With the new model Yongnuo have changed their power saving feature once again, but it is now improved over the YN468 (where implementation was a bit questionable due to the complete powering off after 15 minutes). There is the normal standby mode and then there is the option to disable standby which is done via a long press of the sound button.
Here’s how it works in mode “M”:
- power saving mode active (default setting):
- without trigger attached:
the YN560 falls into dormancy state after 3 minutes according to the instruction manual (verified in my test) and can be woke up with the pilot button or the power switch. If nothing happens, it powers off completely after 15 minutes (15:05 on my unit) - with Cactus V4 radio trigger:
standby is starting after 3 minutes (exactly like it is specced).The first press of the V4 transmitter wakes up the speedlite, but only the second full press fires the strobe. And if nothing happens within 15 minutes it powers off completely. - with Yongnuo RF-602 trigger:
also here standby begins exactly at the 3:00 minutes mark, and then it needs 2 presses of the radio trigger to fire a flash: the first one wakes it up and only the second one flashes. Also here, you need to walk up to the unit to switch it back on if it does not receive any signal within 15 minutes. - power saving mode disabled (long press of the sounds switch):
- without trigger:
no standby, but unit is still powering off after 30 minutes. - with Cactus V4 radio trigger:
again – no power saving mode, but unit is powered off after 30 minutes. - with Yongnuo RF-602 trigger:
same as with Cactus V4: after 30 minutes of inactivity you need to walk up to the unit to power it on again.
In optical slave mode S1 and S2 the behavior is a bit different:
- power saving mode active (default setting):
same behavior as in manual mode except for powering off occurs after 30 minutes instead of 15. - power saving mode disabled:
like in “M” there is no standby but the flash powers off after 60 minutes rather than after 30 minutes.
In summary it is recommended to disable the power saving mode by default, which means you have 30 minutes to work with your radio triggers before it powers off in manual mode. This should be long enough normally although I still had rather seen the option to disable the powering off completely. The good thing with disabling standby is that the speedlight remembers that setting even when you change batteries!
Strobist Must-Haves
To be effectively usable for off camera flash in strobist style a speedlight needs to have a certain set of features. This is what I call the “strobist must-haves”: a manual mode ranging from full power down to at least 1/16 power with all the full stops in between, the ability to fire with radio triggers from the X-contact and a standby mode that can be adjusted so that the flash does not go to sleep during a shoot. Here’s what you get from the YN-560:
- manual mode
- has manual mode: yes
- minimum manual power: 1/128
- all full stops from 1/1 to 1/128: yes
- X contact firing: yes
- flash standby mode: can be adjusted (30 mins max)
In addition to these minimum requirements there are nice-to-have features, e.g. a built-in optical slave, a PC synch socket, power down to 1/64 or further, an adjustable flash head and zoom reflector. The Yongnuo 560 receives the “AAA” label here. The only caveat is that my test unit was weaker than specified so it did not quite reach the guide number of 39.
- page 1: Table of Contents
- page 2: YN-560 Features
- page 3: Specs and Test Results
- page 4: Off Camera: Strobist Review
- page 5: i/E –TTL
- page 6: YN-560 Review: Conclusion
Next Page:
Hot shoe behavior, E-TTL / i-TTL, auto mode, E/i-TTL specifications
Where to buy
The YN-560 has been finally listed in the manufacturer store “hkyongnuophotoequipment” and also by other sellers on eBay.
- page 1: Table of Contents
- page 2: YN-560 Features
- page 3: Specs and Test Results
- page 4: Off Camera: Strobist Review
- page 5: i/E –TTL
- page 6: YN-560 Review: Conclusion
Hot Shoe Behavior
The YN-560 has no TTL support built in – it is a pure “strobist” speedlight.
But: if switched to mode “M” the 560 can be fired also in the camera hot shoe although you have to set everything by hand, both output level and the zoom reflector setting. There is no form of auto mode and no data exchange beyond the trigger signal itself. The flash does not offer any TTL support, this will be implemented in future models of the 56x line, maybe in a YN565 (the 465 was the first model to support TTL in the 46x series) or in a YN-568 given that the YN-468 was the the first 460-series flash with a manually adjustable zoom reflector like the one on the 560.
i-TTL / E-TTL
Despite the lack of direct i-TTL or E-TTL support the 560 with its S2 mode can be used in a wireless i-TTL setup. I tested triggering a Nikon SB-600 strobe in AWL/CLS mode via Nikon D90 popup flash, and then YN560 in S2 mode additionally. Down to shutter speeds of 1/200 seconds I can see both speedlights in the frame, meaning triggering and pre-flash suppression works. From 1/250 on there is only the light from the Nikon speedlight left, but this is certainly as expected and due to the lack of any high speed synch support. Given the improved sensitivity of the optical trigger this will work indoors and outdoors too.
E-TTL / i-TTL specifications
| Model information | |
| Brand | Yongnuo |
| Model | YN560 |
| First introduction | 2010 |
| Successor | none yet |
| Nikon TTL | |
| D-TTL | no |
| i-TTL | no |
| CLS wireless slave | no |
| CLS wireless master | no |
| Canon TTL | |
| E-TTL | no |
| E-TTL II | no |
| E-TTL(II) wireless slave | no |
| E-TTL(II) wireless master | no |
| Other flash modes | |
| Stroboscopic mode | no |
| Auto mode | no |
| Camera support | |
| AF assist light | no |
| Exposure compensation in TTL mode on the flash unit | no |
| Rear curtain synchronization | yes (if supported by cam); most probably not working with Canon cameras |
| High speed synchronization | no |
| Sensor size detection (DX, FX, etc) | no |
| Modeling light | no |
- page 1: Table of Contents
- page 2: YN-560 Features
- page 3: Specs and Test Results
- page 4: Off Camera: Strobist Review
- page 5: i/E –TTL
- page 6: YN-560 Review: Conclusion
Next Page:
Conclusion, Positives and Negatives
Where to buy
The YN-560 has been finally listed in the manufacturer store “hkyongnuophotoequipment” and also by other sellers on eBay.
- page 1: Table of Contents
- page 2: YN-560 Features
- page 3: Specs and Test Results
- page 4: Off Camera: Strobist Review
- page 5: i/E –TTL
- page 6: YN-560 Review: Conclusion
The YN-560 is a speedlite that offers everything you need for strobist work at a very reasonable price: and for the price premium over the YN-460 mk2 you get a much better build quality and a very usable optical slave – plus even a sync terminal now. If you’re after sheer power though and don’t care about the rest then you can keep your YN-460-II. But the new YN-560 definitely does deserve the “AAA” strobist score.
YN-560 Positives
- excellent build quality
- powerful (though not a strong as specs suggest)
- extremely fast recycle times (plus power pack socket)
- 3 ways to trigger: flash foot, 2 optical slave modes, PC sync socket
- optical slave mode now even working in bright sunlight (EV 14 tested)
- dedicated “+” and “-” buttons for zoom & power level setting
- very easy to use and quick to change settings
- standard size (same as Canon 580EX) flash head
- optional recycle beep signal
YN-560 Negatives
- output not on specified level – does not reach GN 39
- blocks power switch on RF-602 radio receiver when mounted
- current zoom setting only visible when pressing a button
- partial output setting in odd steps (not 1/2 or 1/3)
- simple pouch rather than padded soft case
I removed the first point from the list “test flash button needs way too much force to press” as this is not an issue anymore with the production series YN-560 that I own. So there is one negative point less now while the guide number is 1/3 stop higher than on the preproduction unit.
Where to buy
The YN-560 has been finally listed in the manufacturer store “hkyongnuophotoequipment” and also by other sellers on eBay. Big advantage is on top of buying direct from Yongnuo that they offer a 1 year warranty.
I hope you liked this review; Please do let me know how to further improve!
- page 1: Table of Contents
- page 2: YN-560 Features
- page 3: Specs and Test Results
- page 4: Off Camera: Strobist Review
- page 5: i/E –TTL
- page 6: YN-560 Review: Conclusion
Update from 7/15/10:
Go here for the in-depth review of the YN-560 flash
Today the new and greatly improved manual-mode speedlite YN-560 has been finally listed in the manufacturer store “hkyongnuophotoequipment” on eBay. Big advantage is on top of buying direct from Yongnuo that they offer a 1 year warranty. The review is almost done too and will be posted here within the next 3 days!
Update from 7/15/10:
Go here for the in-depth review of the YN-560 flash
Here’s now the instruction manual that came with my Yongnuo YN560 flash. Pages 1 – 22 are reserved to the Chinese language version, English starts on page 23 (“I. Warning” – left out here). Please click on the small thumbnails for larger versions of pages 24 through 42.
Pages 24 – 25
Feature overview and speedlite parts
Pages 26 – 27
Buttons and back panel icons
Pages 28 – 29
Installation instructions, basic operation
Pages 30 – 31
Output level indicator, charging indicator, YN560 beep signals, power saving feature
Pages 32 – 33
Powering on, flash modes “M”, “S1″, “S2″, test flash, power saving function
Pages 34 – 35
Power saving contd., overheating protection, zoom setting
Pages 36 – 37
Sound indicator, PC synch port, settings memory, partial output setting, multi-flash operation
Pages 38 – 39
Multi-flash operation contd., external power pack, bounce flash
Pages 40 – 41
Wide angle diffuser, YN-560 specifications
Pages 42 – 43
YN-560 Guide number table, trouble shooting
Follow the link for other Yongnuo instruction manuals, e.g. for YN460, YN460 mk2 or the E-TTL enabled YN468.
Where to buy YN-560
The YN-560 is available on eBay now in small quantities, although not from the manufacturer store “hkyongnuophotoequipment” yet but only from other eBay sellers. See the YN-560 offers on eBay. As this model is still available in small quantities so far, I’d recommend you check back with the seller that it is in stock and not back-order.
Tags: Instruction manual, YN560, Yongnuo































