The YN467 is the 2nd below-$100 digital TTL flash model from Yongnuo and available in both Canon and Nikon versions.

It’s an upgraded YN-465, featuring an auto zoom reflector covering 24-85mm (or around 16-56mm for APS-C bodies). The 2 optical slave modes – known from the YN-460 (II) – are also back on the list. Finally, you can set a flash exposure compensation on the unit direct, and not only on the camera body.

For Nikon photographers this is the most advanced i-TTL flash from Yongnuo as of August 2011. Canon users have two other choices, e.g. the YN-468 as the current “top flash” in the 4xx product line. That model adds a Multi (stroboscopic) mode, an LCD display, and one more manual power step (1/128 instead of 1/64 min power) to the feature list. The other Canon option from Yongnuo is the YN-565, the flagship model with wireless slave mode.

The Nikon and the Canon version of the 467 differ in one point: while there is only auto zoom in the camera hot-shoe with the Canon version, you also find a manual zoom mode on the version for Nikon.

 

YN-467 Highlights one of the cheapest digital E-TTL flashes for Canon / i-TTL flashes for Nikon even with auto zoom reflector (and Nikon version with manual zoom) manual flash mode with min power 1/64, 2 optical slave modes

 

Compatible Camera Bodies

The Yongnuo YN-467 works with many, but not all digital cameras from Canon and Nikon. Flash incompatibility seems to be a bigger issue in the Canon system, so make sure to visit the page referenced in the table before you buy one of these speedlites.
 

Canon cameras

Nikon cameras

See the Canon-Yongnuo compatibility page for information on camera bodies that work with this flash; please share your own experience there if you own a YN-467.

The old YN-467 with plastic foot works with D80, D90, D7000; it should work with other similar camera bodies such as D300, or D700 the old version is not compatible with D70, D70s, D50 (reported by readers), nor the D200 (flickr). Be prepared for similar problems with the D2 series. As reported by a D3100 user there’s an issue with flash + live view where exposure is off from the 2nd life view photo on The new 2011 model of the YN-467 with metal foot has been upgraded as Yongnuo have confirmed it now can be used with the D200 (flickr) the new model is obviously also compatible with newer Nikon camera bodies

 
Please drop me a line of you are a Nikon shooter with compatibility problems so that I can further update.

YN-467 Review Contents

Intro: Flash Modes and Wireless Flash

The Yongnuo YN 467 comes with the following flash modes: digital TTL for Canon or Nikon, and manual mode “M”. It’s also a useful wireless flash together with radio triggers or using the 2 optical slave modes, even though it’s not a part of the wireless Canon or Nikon remote control systems.

Canon E-TTL (II) / Nikon i-TTL Exposure Control

The main differentiator of the YN 467 from its Yongnuo peers YN-460, 460-II, and YN-560 is the digital TTL mode support. It’s only with a TTL speedlite that you can automatically take flash photos with correct exposure, whereas a manual-only flash forces you to dial in a predetermined flash output level, e.g. “1/4″ or “1/32″ by hand, and for every single shot you take.

The table above contains information on camera compatibility. And while TTL exposure works well with the YN-467 there are some special TTL flash features which are not supported by this speedlite flash: it has no modeling light support, no high speed sync (HSS / FP sync), and no sensor size detection mode. The AF assist light is simpler than on a Canon 430EX II or Nikon SB-600 / SB-700.

None of these features are really necessary for everyday flash photography but the YN-467 is clearly designed for the amateur, and not the professional user – which is why you can get it at that low price. You can find much more details in the TTL performance section and following review parts.

Manual Flash

The YN467 can also be used in manual mode “M” e.g. for “strobist” photography (go to David Hobby’s strobist.com to learn about lighting). But manual mode is also useful as a fallback for TTL users in cases where the auto flash mode doesn’t give you the desired result.

Manual mode is set with the “Mode” button on the flash. Once the LED lights up simply dial in one of the 7 possible manual output levels with the command wheel. Full power has a metric GN of 33 on paper, but it’s lower in real life as can be seen from the test results further below. Here are the manual steps:

1/1 – 1/2 – 1/4 – 1/8 – 1/16 – 1/32 – 1/64

If you have the Nikon version of the flash and want to set a manual zoom reflector step, push on the “Mode” button again but keep it pressed down for a couple of seconds, and it will toggle through all available zoom steps from 24 to 85mm, indicated by the output level LEDs. This feature is somewhat hidden, since it was a later addition for the Nikon version while the first-released version for Canon does not enable a manual zoom.

Details about using the YN 467 in manual mode can be found in the expanded wireless flash section further below. The next section is the wireless flash overview only.

YN467 Wireless Flash Overview

The YN-467 is not integrated into the dedicated Canon or Nikon wireless TTL control systems and therefore not usable as dedicated remote slave flash with Canon or Nikon (known as “AWL” in the Nikon world). That means it can’t be controlled from a compatible camera, or master flash, or a speedlite commander such as the Canon ST-E2 or Nikon SU-800.

For remote flash the following options exist: triggering via flash foot (e.g. using Cactus V4/V5 triggers or the Yongnuo RF-602), or using one of the 2 optical slave modes “S1″ / “S2″. All of these cases come with manual flash output control, so you need to walk up to your flash to dial in the desired output level.

Read more about wireless flash in the Radio Triggering & Optical Slave Mode sections below.
 

Basic information
Brand	Yongnuo
Model	YN467
Class	mid-range
Cost (USD)	80
First introduction	2009
Successor	none yet
Canon compatibility
Compatible with Canon cameras (E-TTL(II))	yes
Supported Canon flash modes	ETTL(II), M
Canon wireless TTL slave / master	no / no
Nikon compatibility
Compatible with Nikon cameras (CLS / i-TTL)	yes
Supported Nikon flash modes	i-TTL, M
Nikon wireless TTL slave / master	no / no
Manual mode
Manual power settings (on the flash)	1/1 – 1/2 – 1/4 – 1/8 – 1/16 – 1/32 – 1/64

 

Supplied Accessories

The YN-467 comes in the usual Yongnuo box with nice looks but little protection against shipping damage, and this box is usually sent to the customer in a rather thin bubble wrap envelope. Not surprisingly one of the box corners was beat up when it arrived, but the flash unit itself was in perfect condition, like all the other Yongnuo speedlites I ordered and that were packaged and shipped the same way.

Supplied Accessories

The box contents include:

• the YN-467 unit itself, stating “For Nikon TTL Digital Cameras” on the back panel
• instruction manual
• flash stand
• soft pouch
• leaflet with overview of 460 series units

The instruction manual describes the flash controls and operation on 11 pages and contains tech specs plus a little Q&A at the end. Another 11 pages is reserved for the Chinese version. The additional leaflet titled “YONGNUO Flash Light Purchase Guide” starts with some information on the latest products ST-E2 wireless E-TTL transmitter and YN-560 speedlite and then lists all 6 models of the 460 series with their official specifications.

The flash stand is made of solid plastic and has a nice metal tripod thread. It also has a hole for the flash’s locking pin that helps prevent accidents. It’s worth mentioning that you don’t get a mini stand with every flash out there – the 285HV from Vivitar comes without one, and so does even a Metz 48 AF-1 where it’s considered an optional accessory as well.

The soft pouch does not hold up against the kind of padded soft case that comes with a Nikon or Canon unit but at least there is something included. Again, some other companies don’t provide you with any bag. And it’s not a bad quality item in itself: the seams are good, the cord is thick and it has a good size. Compare it to a Vivitar flash pouch and you’ll know what cheap means.

The diffuser dome (in the upper right on the picture) comes as a ‘free gift’ with the flash depending on the seller you’re ordering from. It’s not inside the box (would also not fit in there), but comes loose in the envelope.

Build Quality

All 46x speedlites from Yongnuo have an identical casing with similar size to the Canon 430EX and SB-700 from Nikon (and a bit larger than the 320EX), but the Yongnuo unit is a bit lighter in weight. The flash head has some similarities with the Nikon design whereas the flash body and foot seem to be an independent Yongnuo design.

Casing

There have been lots of discussions about the Yongnuo 460 series build quality, but the bottom line is that the build quality itself is on a pretty decent level. This is true when set in relation to the price of the unit, but also in absolute terms. For sure it’s not as refined as a Canon 580EX II or the Nikon SB-900, but I like it much better than the (present day) Vivitar 285HV that feels like a toy from the 80′s.

A Yongnuo 46x review is not complete without talking about the battery cover. It’s just one piece of plastic with a simplistic hinge, and if you open the door it will rattle around. But when it’s closed with batteries inserted there is no play anymore, and that’s when it counts.

Flash Foot

The flash foot is was made of plastic.

Update from January 2011: all YN flashes come with a metal flash foot now, see here for reports.

The locking wheel feels well made and comes with good size and good ergonomics. The connected locking pin is a feature some other speedlites (e.g. the Vivitar 285HV) don’t even have, so kudos for that. The flash has no other external interfaces, so no battery pack connector, and no sync socket either.

YN-467 Flash Head

The flash head front lens has the same dimensions as the Nikon SB-600 and SB-800 speedlights with the advantage that you can use the same modifiers such as “stofens”, snoots and so on with the Nikons and the Yongnuo.

The YN-467 follows the “cobra” design principle with an adjustable flash head in the horizontal and vertical axis.

Adjustment

It moves horizontally between -180 degrees and 90 degrees, and moves up to 90 and down to about minus 10 degrees (specs say minus 7, but it’s a bit more). The flash head is held in place without a lock and can be simply moved around with your hand, but the action is both firm and smoothly running.

If I shake my 467 really strongly the head stays in place while it starts skidding on the Vivitar DF-383 or the Sunpak PZ42X for example. There are defined steps in between for various swivel and tilt standard positions with corresponding markings on the flash body and head.

Auto Zoom Flash Head

The YN-467 was the first i-TTL speedlite from Yongnuo to feature a zoom head. Their first TTL model YN-465 has a fixed coverage of 35mm (FX) or 18mm with wide angle diffuser. The zoom head of the YN-467 covers a wider range, starting at 24mm full frame. Here are all 5 auto zoom positions:

24mm – 35mm – 50mm – 70mm – 85mm

Since there is no sensor size detection provided it always zoom 1:1 with the lens. This is not a problem at all, it even helps with a more even coverage across the frame and lower vignetting. It’s just a little bit less efficient than the latest Nikon, Metz, and Canon flashguns when used with an APS-C based camera body (which means you might get a couple less flashes out of one set of batteries maybe).

Zooming does not stop when the flash head is moved out of the center position so also active for indirect flash.

Manual Zoom Only for Nikon

There is one difference between the Nikon and Canon version of the flash: The Canon version does not allow any manual zoom, only auto zoom with the lens. The Nikon version (that’s the one I own) does however support manual zoom adjustment, so you can set any of the 5 steps anytime, even off camera for “strobist” shooting. The instruction manual also states that this is an exclusive feature of the Nikon version, so Canon users need still to go for a YN-468 (or soon the YN-565) if they want a TTL-Yongnuo with manual zoom.

Manual zoom mode is entered by long pressing the “Mode” button. Just keep your finger on that button and the flash will travel through all its reflector positions from 24 to 85mm and then jump back to ‘auto-zoom’ position to start over. Let go when the flash head is in the desired position – the 467 displays the current position through combinations of its LED’s (in the picture above you can see the 35mm setting).

If you do a lot of manual zooming then go with a flash that has an LCD screen – that is the best solution for the case (or at least has a zoom head scale such as the YN-560 e.g.). If you use the speedlite mainly in the camera hot shoe it does not matter however, there’s not much use for the manual zoom.

Wide Angle Coverage

With the built in wide angle adapter screen the coverage of the speedlite extends to begin at 18mm FX, which means you can cover down to around 12mm on a DX camera like the Nikon D90 (with a Canon Rebel, you have coverage from around 11mm on with the panel, and from around 15mm without). The additional reflection panel (“bounce card”) is a feature above class standard.

Operation

There is not much of a learning curve required for the YN-467 because it’s really easy to use.

Simple Controls, no LCD Screen

Using the flash involves only 3 control elements, 2 buttons and the large control wheel in the back panel center.

Use the command wheel to turn on the flash which brings up the yellow TTL indicator LED and the red flash-ready light. Keep turning further in clockwise direction to dial in a flash exposure compensation for TTL use, either a “minus” or “plus adjustment”. The wheel itself is a simpler design than the ones on a camera body, without any ‘clicking’, but it has smooth operation and is doing the job.

The MODE button lets you switch through the flash modes (TTL, M) and optical slave modes S1 and S2. It would be nice if the speedlite retained the power setting for different flash modes, but that’s not the case. That’s why you have to re-adjust the output level when going from “M” to “TTL” and then coming back.

The last control element is the PILOT or “flash ready” button which is also the only function it has. Test flashes are fired with the power level set by the user so can be with 1/64 or up to 1/1 power.

There is no LCD panel, but Yongnuo’s LED battery of “idiot lights” which is – again – simple but functional. In TTL mode they serve to display the exposure compensation value. In manual mode or slave mode they indicate the current output level between 1/1 and 1/64. There is also a third function for the LEDs, and that is for indicating the manual zoom step. This one is quirky.

All in all, the YN-467 is a typical 460 series speedlite – and the series has been a bit improved over time as I can tell. What I like most about these flashes is their compact size and the simple yet intelligent engineering – these flashes are just very functional and easy to use. The one exception on the YN467 is setting a manual zoom step – you can tell it’s a later addition (but at least it’s there for the Nikon users).

Power Supply

4 AA sized cells are required to operate the YN-467. What’s a bit annoying at first is the battery loading, and that is not due to the construction of the battery cover. It’s due to the fact that the compartment is just one big hole where you throw the 4 AA cells in. There are no individual chambers like on the Nikon speedlights or a center divider like on a Canon, or even a battery cage like on some others.

On the Yongnuo it’s a question of motor skill: once you figured it out how to hold the unit battery loading is easy. Until then – kind of a nightmare (picture below shows the YN460 which is the same construction as YN467).

As usual, the YN467 works with both alkaline as well as NiMH cells (I always use Sanyo eneloop myself). Operation is faster with the eneloops, and they are also better for the environment as you can recharge them over and over again. Which makes it better for your wallet, too. As mentioned above, there is no socket for an external power supply or battery pack.

Test: Flash Recycling Times

Modern flashes have full-power recycle times between 2 and 6 seconds, depending on their maximum power and battery type. Speedlights.net recycle times are tested according to ISO 2827; see details.

Here’s a video for the alkaline test (batteries are certainly fresh out of the packaging for the testing):
 

 

The YN-467 has an extremely fast recycle time, much faster than specified. While the instructions state an average of 5 seconds with alkaline batteries the test shows a mere 1.9 seconds average with that battery type. With Sanyo eneloop NiMH it is even faster; only an average of 1.4 seconds is needed after a full power flash. Which raised the question if there might not be some exaggeration at play with the guide number spec.

Overheating Protection

To prevent damage from overheating the flash has a temperature sensor built in which will lock the flash for approximately 3 minutes in case it gets hot. I didn’t do a test for the 467 but I’ve seen the feature in action with other 460 series models. During all testing, there was no heat problem with the YN-467.

Test: Flash Output and Guide Number

The guide number (GN) of an electronic flash is a measure of the maximum light output – visit the test details page to learn more.

Official Specification: 33

The Yongnuo YN-467 is specified as having a guide number of 33: at f2 and ISO 100, you’d have a maximum range of 16.5 meters (33 divided by 2), at f4 it’s 8.25 meters. With this GN the YN467 would be a bit stronger than the SB-600 from Nikon or a Canon 430EX (II), but we’ve already seen on the other models of the 460 series that Yongnuo’s guide number specs tend to be optimistic. Time to take the YN-467 to the test stand!

Flash Meter Results

All flashes are tested using the same standardized method using a Sekonic flash meter in a controlled environment. Speedlites are never tested alone, but always together with re-tests of other models to guarantee consistent results between sessions.

At the 35mm zoom reflector setting, the L-358 shows f11 plus seven tenths on the display. This corresponds to f14.4 (there is a formula for translating from the fractional readings of the light meter into decimal f-stops; f11 plus 7/10 stops is not the same as f11.7, it is indeed f14.4). Nikon’s SB-400 comes out at f16.0. For the YN-465 I get f19 and for the Nikon SB-600 it’s f21.9. See more data points in the table below:
 

Model	Light meter reading
Nissin Di622 Mark II	f22 +4/10
Sunpak PZ42X	f22 +3/10
Canon 430EX II	f22 +2/10
Metz 48 AF-1	f22 +1/10
Nikon SB-600	f16 +9/10
Nikon SB-700	f16 +7/10
Yongnuo YN-465	f16 +5/10
Nikon SB-400	f16 +0/10
Yongnuo YN-468	f11 +7/10
Yongnuo YN-467	f11 +7/10

 

I repeated the metering as it was surprising to see the YN467 to be in the last place, even after the tiny SB-400. But results are consistent. So despite the zoom reflector – a feature intended to help with the power – it falls behind its own little brother YN-465 in the 35mm wide angle position. The following picture illustrates the output difference between 4 flash models. All pictures were shot at 1/200 seconds, f16 and flash at full manual power (SB-400 can be manually adjusted from the D90 menu system).

With a different aperture setting it would be certainly easy to properly light the scene with all 4 flashes, so the pictures are no sign of a lack in power by any means; they are just for benchmarking.

Real World Guide Number: 20.4 – Guide Number Table

The calculated guide number is obtained by adding exactly 1 f-stop to the flash meter test results. Learn more about this method on the test details page.

The following table translates the test results into a guide number table for all zoom steps and the partial output settings at 35mm reflector position. As can be seen, there is an increase towards the tele zoom end: at maximum zoom, the Yongnuo 467 is reaching GN 28 (a value other flashes such as Nikon SB-700 have at the 35mm setting).

Speedlights Power Index

The light blue bar in the Speedlights.net Power Index shows the official 35mm-GN, and the dark blue bar indicates the test results. Go to the test details page for more information on the Speedlights.net Power Index.

Despite the zoom reflector, you get a lower guide number with the YN-467 at the default 35mm position than what the YN-465 can deliver. In fact, the maximum power of the YN-467 is more on the level of entry-level flashes such as Nikon SB-400 and Canon 270EX (II).

That’s why you’ll want to use this flash at higher ISO than 100: at ISO 400 the guide number doubles (exact multiplier is 1.96 or 1.4*1.4) and you should enough juice for most applications.

Test: Effective Output Range

Between maximum power and 1/64, the YN-467 offers a theoretical 6-stop range (identical to Canon 430EX II and Nikon SB-600 and one stop less than SB-700). For full power on the YN467 the meter reads f11 +7/10 as shown above. For 1/64 you would expect f1.4 +7/10 for a full 7-stop range, but the actual reading is f2.0 +5/10 and the resulting total range is 5.2 stops.
 

Yongnuo YN-467 output range spec	Output range from tests
6 stops	5.2 stops

 

Test: Continuous Shooting Output

All flashes lose some power when fired with maximum frequency; read the test info page to learn more about the effect and the test procedure.
 

Model	Calc. guide number at 60 sec wait	Calc. guide number at continuous fire	Difference in f-stops
Nissin Di622 Mark II	36.8	32.0	-4/10
Canon 430EX II	34.3	26.0	-8/10
Metz 48 AF-1	33.1	29.9	-3/10
Nikon SB-600	30.9	25.1	-6/10
Nikon SB-700	28.8	26.9	-2/10
Canon 320EX	27.9	23.4	-5/10
Yongnuo YN-465	26.9	24.3	-3/10
Yongnuo YN-468	20.4	19.0	-2/10
Yongnuo YN-467	20.4	19.7	-1/10

 

It can be seen from the table that around 1/2 stop loss is normal when firing at maximum frequency compared to waiting 60 seconds between shots. For the YN467 there is hardly a difference between the 2 cases: it’s f11 plus 7/10 versus f11 plus 6/10.

Test: Flash Duration

Flash duration is the time between the beginning of the flash and the end of the light emission. Go to the speedlite test methodology page for information on t0.5 versus t0.1 flash durations and the method used here on the site.

Yongnuo YN 467 Flash Duration Compared

With an average full power flash duration of 1/405 seconds the YN-467 is comparable to its Canon and Nikon peers and also in line with other 460 series models from Yongnuo. The t0.1 time is actually a bit shorter which is due to the lower maximum output – there is certainly some level of correlation between the 2 metrics.
 

Model	flash duration spec at 1/1 power (sec)	t0.1 metering result (sec)
Nissin Di622 Mark II	1/800	1/375
Canon 430EX II	unspecified	1/350
Metz 48 AF-1	1/125	1/230
Nikon SB-600	1/900	1/265
Nikon SB-700	1/1042	1/305
Canon 320EX	unspecified	1/325
Yongnuo YN-465	1/800	1/375
Nikon SB-400	1/1300	1/325
Yongnuo YN-468	1/800	1/405
Yongnuo YN-467	1/800	1/405

 

The differences in the manufacturer specs are due to different definitions involved = t0.5 versus t0.1 as it seems.

t0.1 Flash Duration Times Table

 

Output level	Manufacturer spec	t0.1 metering
1/1	1/800	1/405
1/2	na	1/1630
1/4	na	1/3750
1/8	na	1/5250
1/16	na	1/6500
1/32	na	<1/8000
1/64	na	<1/8000

 

Tech Specs

Here are now the details of the specifications and test results for the YN-467.
 

Model Information
Brand	Yongnuo
Model	YN467
First introduction	2009
Successor	none yet
Output Specs
Guide number spec (35mm, ISO 100, in meters)	33
Guide number test result	20
Manual power settings	1/1 – 1/2 – 1/4 – 1/8 – 1/16 – 1/32 – 1/64
Flash duration (full power)	1/800
Recycle time spec (at full power)	5 sec alkaline
Recycle time test result	1.9 sec alkaline, 1.4 sec NiMH
Triggering
Flash foot material, type	metal (2011), standard
PC Sync Port	no
Optical Slave	2 modes (1 w/ pre-flash suppresion)
Other Trigger	no
Trigger Voltage	3.27 V (measured)
Standby Mode	50 sec, but instant wake-up & fire
Flash Head Features
Swivel	-180 to +90 degrees
Tilt	-10 to +90 degrees
Manual Zoom Head	Nikon version only, (18) 24 – 85
Auto Zoom	(18) 24 – 85
Bounce card / 2nd reflector	yes / no
LCD Display	no
Power Supply
Batteries Used	4 x AA
External Power Source	no
Nikon TTL
D-TTL	no
i-TTL	yes
CLS Wireless Slave	no
CLS Wireless Master	no
Canon TTL
E-TTL(II)	yes
E-TTL(II) wireless slave	no
E-TTL(II) wireless master	no
Other Flash Modes
Stroboscopic Mode	no
Auto Mode	no
TTL Features
AF Assist Light	yes
Exposure Compensation in TTL Mode on the Flash unit	-1.5 to +1.5
Rear Curtain Synchronization	yes
High Speed Synchronization	no
Sensor Size Detection (DX, FX, etc)	no
Modeling Light	no

 

Wireless Flash

Yongnuo’s YN-467 can be used as a remote flash in the following configurations: (1) triggered through the flash foot, preferably using radio triggers (e.g. Cactus V4 / V5 or Yongnuo RF-602 / RF-603), or (2) with one of the 2 non-TTL optical slave modes “S1″ or “S2″ (TTL cables such as the Nikon SC-29 should also work, but this hasn’t been tested).

No Support for Canon and Nikon Remote TTL Slave Modes

The YN-467 is not compatible with the Nikon wireless TTL mode “AWL” = advanced wireless lighting as part of the “CLS” creative lighting system. Its light sensor lacks the intelligence to read and decode the encoded command signals. Same holds true for Canon: the YN-467 is also incompatible with the Canon wireless TTL system.

Radio Triggering For Wireless Flash

The first and preferred option for wireless flash with the unit under review are radio triggers. I tested with 2 sets and everything works fine with both RF-602 (Yongnuo) as well as V4 from Cactus. This is the “strobist” approach: low cost, manual flash.

X-sync triggering is no problem, the trigger voltage is also low with 3.27 Volt. The Nikon version does also feature a manual zoom, but the 467 model is not the first choice for Canon “strobists” due to the limitation to auto-zoom only.

Using Manual Mode Wireless Flash

It’s super easy to set an output level in manual mode and works the same way as on the YN-465: turn the command wheel clockwise for more power, or turn it counter-clockwise for lowering output down until 1/64 (no partial levels, only full stops). No other buttons needed are needed, which makes setting an output level faster than any other speedlite user interface I know.

In manual mode the battery of yellow LED’s show the current level, and although this a very simplistic way of indicating the power it is well visible under any light condition and also from difficult angles, e.g. when mounted high on a light stand and tilted down.

Unfortunately the flash has no memory built in for the last settings, so the YN-467 will always go back to TTL whenever powered off and on again. The same holds true for the zoom – the flash resets to auto zoom and 24mm default position. And there is also no memory for the last manual output level provided.

2 Optical Slave Modes (non-TTL)

Like most other models in the 460 series the YN-467 has 2 optical slave modes built-in (one of the few models without is the first i-TTL enabled Yongnuo, the YN-465, and they’re also missing on the ‘exotic’ YN-462).

Simple Optical Slave Mode “S1″

The optical slave works with a sensor below the red plastic cover of the AF assist which detects other flash bursts and translate this information into a firing command. There are 2 variants of optical slave available on the YN467. “S1″ is the simple slave mode: in this mode the strobe fires with the first flash from another speedlite it sees.

This works great with non-digital flashes, but does not work with today’s pre-flash based E-TTL and i-TTL flash exposure control systems. When used together with a Canon 320EX or a Nikon, e.g. the SB-700, the Yongnuo YN-467 will fire too early when set to “S1″.

Digital Optical Slave Mode “S2″

S2 is called “pre-flash cancel mode” by Yongnuo, and it enables the unit to ignore an E-TTL or i-TTL pre-flash (used for light metering before the actual exposure) and then only fire with the main flash burst. Experience from Yongnuo users showed that the S2 mode doesn’t work reliably when multiple digital TTL flashes are used together in a wireless setup since this leads to complex communication patterns involving multiple pre-flash bursts that confuse the sensor.

Slave Mode Reliability

Both modes work only if the ambient light levels are low. When it’s bright outside they simply go blind. Something like EV 14 (a sunny day in the Bay Area) means no firing of the flash through S1 or S2, even if I move in really close with the master flash (as close as 2 inches, and it still does not trigger the slave sensor).

But when I bring my light stand inside (EV 5) the slave mode starts working again. So it’s really an indoor feature, and you should never rely on the optical slave mode outside: It might work for you, but there is a good chance that it will not. By the way, the new 560 from Yongnuo has a greatly improved optical slave, but it’s a pure strobist flash so no i-TTL.

No Standby Problem With YN467

The YN-467 features a built-in power saving mode which can’t be modified nor deactivated. Such a standby mode can be a really bad thing during a photo shoot; this is the case when you take a short break and the flash powers off. What happens when you try to resume shooting is that your speedlight simply won’t do anything. Or, in the case of a standby mode, it may need the first trigger signal to wake up from sleep mode and then at least fire again from the second shutter press on. But still, you loose the first shot.

Here’s how Yongnuo has implemented the feature in manual mode “M”: with a radio trigger attached it will enter sleep mode after around 50 seconds, and the LED’s on the back panel start flashing. It then stays in standby until you perform another action, so it never switches off completely. The great thing is that it has an instant wake-up and releases a flash with the very first trigger signal, so there is no lost shot at all. And it works with both the Yongnuo RF-602 trigger as well as with the older and simpler Cactus V4. So no standby problems with the YN-467!

In optical slave mode the implementation is a bit different – the time lag between the last activity and the beginning of sleep mode is specified as 30 minutes; on my unit it takes around 55 minutes, and the instant firing with radio triggers does work also here (although it does not make sense obviously to combine radio triggering with optical slave mode).

Wireless Flash Video Review

The following video from the Speedlights.net youtube channel shows battery loading, manual mode setting, demonstrates triggering with radio transmitters and it also shows how to set the manual zoom for the Nikon version:
 

 

Off-Camera Flash Must-Haves

For shooting in “strobist style” a speedlight needs to have a minimum feature configuration. This is what I call the “strobist must-haves”: a manual mode 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 does not get into the photographer’s way. Here’s how the YN-467 scores:

• manual mode
• has manual mode: yes
• minimum manual power: 1/64
• all full stops from 1/1 to 1/64: yes
• X contact firing: yes
• flash standby mode: 50 sec, but instant wake-up & fire

In addition to these minimum requirements there are nice-to-have features, e.g. a built-in optical slave, a PC sync socket, power down to 1/64 or below, an adjustable flash head and zoom reflector. The Yongnuo 467 receives the “AA” label here.

The YN467 works well as strobist flash; both Canon and Nikon version have helpful features like negative tilt, intelligent standby and a super fast recycling time; the Nikon version even has a manual zoom head. Still, I’d get another Yongnuo as a pure “strobist” flash, either the 460 mk2 or the YN560 as they are both the clearly more powerful tools.

YN-467 i-TTL (E–TTL) Review

In this part of the review you find the test results for the hot-shoe usage scenario. The YN-467 is similar in size to a Nikon SB-600 / 700 and doesn’t give a bulky or top-heavy feel. With its large font-size labeling and the LED’s on the back it’s not a design icon .. but who cares if it does what it’s supposed to?

As soon as the flash is turned on the camera recognizes it in the accessory shoe: when you press the release knob for the built-in mini flash it will stop popping out with the YN467. With a non-TTL strobe like the Vivitar 285HV this does not work which means the built-in flash will always bang against the accessory flash which is quite annoying.

Inside the viewfinder the “flash ready” indicator informs you about the speedlight’s status. The Yongnuo enters standby rather quickly (45 seconds) in the camera hot shoe, but it is always ready to fire with the shutter release so this does not create issues.

AF Assist Beam

The flash has a built in AF assist light projecting a red ring shape on the object that resembles a donut; although a simple construction without any grid pattern projection it is generally effective in helping the camera’s auto focus system finding the focus point, be it in low light or under complete darkness.

However, there are cases where the dual-light AF assist from Canon (430EX II, 580EX II) or Nikon (SB-6/7/8/900) flashes simply work better; this is for example the case when trying to focus low contrast objects and at greater distances. The Yongnuo AF assist does also support the central AF sensor only, where the Canon / Nikon versions do also work together with the neighboring AF fields.

Zoom Modes

The normal range goes from 24 to 85mm and extends down to 18mm FX (equals 12mm DX) with the flip down wide angle diffuser. There seems to be a bit of vignetting with a 12mm DX lens (Tokina 12-24); the picture taken with the SB-600 at 14mm reflector position (wide angle diffuser) looks somewhat better in terms of light falloff.

At 15mm zoom the light looks pretty even. Both Nikon and Yongnuo don’t have sensor size detection (only the new SB-700 supports that feature), so they both always assume a full frame camera and ‘waste’ some light with DX.

E-TTL / i-TTL Performance

The quality of flash exposure in i-TTL is good. When used as the only light source, the YN-467 exposure is spot on usually, while focusing may need a bit more effort at times (for low contrast objects, see above). There are small variances in white balance between shots at times when using the auto white balance setting on the D90. But what I usually do is force my cam into the flash WB setting so I don’t bother about that (I also get more pleasing results with flash WB when using Nikon speedlights).

The following shot was taken at a distance of about 10 meters with f2.8 and the D90′s base sensitivity ISO setting of 200. We’ve seen before that the calculated guide number is 20.4 at ISO 100 – at ISO 200, this multiplies with 1.4 giving you GN 28.6. And 28 divided by f2.8 comes out at 10 meters range, so this tree is at maximum range pretty much.

A more tricky scenario is usually daylight fill flash. In this role my YN-467 is a decent performer as well – it’s even a better situation in a sense that the focusing light is not needed as much. The combination of camera and flash finds a good balance between main subject and background except in cases where the subject is at the extreme border of the frame; it tends to get underexposed then.

Here are 2 sample shots taken with D90 and YN-467 using “P” and auto white balance. No editing whatsoever, these are JPGs straight out of the cam.

Flash Sync Modes

With the Nikon SB-600 or higher you get three sync mode options in the Nikon system: slow sync, 2nd curtain sync, and high speed synchronization. Here’s what the Yongnuo supports:

Slow Sync

Slow synch is a flash mode which is set on the camera via the flash mode button plus command dial. It helps greatly balancing natural light with flash, and it works very well with the YN-467. I’m getting some good results with the Yongnuo and they look even better than with the SB-600 or SB-900 at times.

Rear Curtain Sync

In contrast to Canon where things seem to be more complex, 2nd curtain sync on Nikon DSLR’s is a pretty simple feature. If your camera supports it (most Nikons do) then it will work with any flash attached, no matter if it is a dedicated i-TTL model or not. I get it to work with all my Yongnuo speedlites, be it the YN467, the 465 (see photo below), the 460 or also the 560. It works with my Vivitar 285HV. It just works with anything (should be a flash, though).

High Speed Sync

High speed sync (HSS, or also called “FP”) lets you overcome the limit of normal flash sync technology where you need the camera shutter to be fully open at the moment of flash; on the Nikon D90, this limit is at 1/200 seconds. HSS works with a series of smaller flash bursts and let’s you use any shutter speed you want. I find it very useful for daylight fill flash where ambient light is so strong that 1/200 sec becomes a problem. There are only a few speedlights supporting HSS and the YN-467 is not in that group (nor is the YN-465 or YN-468).

Careful when shooting in mode “S” or mode “A”; if FP sync is “On”, the camera lets you use all shutter speeds in mode “S”, including the ones beyond 1/200 seconds. The flash does even fire but as it’s not supporting the feature the picture comes out dark.

Make sure to remember this point, you might be very disappointed otherwise. It’s the same potential problem with the PZ42X from Sunpak by the way, while with Nikon’s SB-400 the camera-flash combination blocks times shorter than 1/200 in the “S” mode. Similarly the D90 uses times shorter than 1/200 in mode “A”, leaving you with underexposed images.

The solution here is to deactivate Auto FP on the D90 via custom setting e5.

Other Flash Features

Here is a look at other flash options including anti red-eye flash, modeling light and flash exposure compensation.

Red-Eye Reduction

Anti red-eye flash requires a speedlight supporting the camera’s digital exposure protocol, so this feature will not work with just any strobe. The YN-467 seems to cooperate with red-eye reduction as I get a sequence of pre-flashes before the main light, but no further testing was done.

Modeling Light

With a Nikon SB-600 on the camera the depth of field preview button of the Nikon D90 activates modeling light (intended to help you assess the quality of light and shadows before the photo is taken). On the YN-467 there is no such feature. The depth of field button is doing just that – it gives you depth of field preview.

Flash Exposure Compensation (FEC)

Flash exposure compensation can be set in two ways: First you can very easily set it on the flash itself; it’s actually so easy on the YN-467 that it might happen inadvertently because all it needs is turning the command wheel a bit to the left or the right in mode TTL. On the YN-467 there is a -1.5 stop (displayed in the picture) to +1.5 stop range for flash exposure compensation.

Second, you can set FEC on the camera using the flash mode button and command dial. And then you can combine both settings; e.g. a -1 on the flash with a +1 on the cam give you neutral exposure. Or a -1 on the flash with a -1 on the cam give you a -2 stop total flash exposure compensation. Unfortunately you don’t see the flash-set exposure compensation in the EXIF data but only the part that was set on the cam. The same is true for the viewfinder display: you see an icon for FEC that was set on the camera but not for any flash compensation on the Yongnuo.

Flash Exposure Lock (FV Lock)

Flash exposure lock is controlled by the camera. It works with the AE-L/AF-L button on the Nikon D90: pressing down fires a pre-flash and locks the exposure for all subsequent photos. A little symbol (an “L” with a lightning stroke icon) in the viewfinder informs you about it. Pressing the button again will cancel the flash exposure lock and the cam does meter again with every frame.

Flash Bracketing (FEB)

Auto bracketing mode on the D90 is set via custom function e4 and activated by setting it up with the BKT button and the camera command dials. Again, it works just fine with the YN-467.

 

YN-467 Review: Conclusion

As always in life, you get what you pay for. The YN-467 is one of the cheapest ways to enter the world of digital TTL flash, and so it isn’t surprising that it can’t quite compete with the feature set of an SB-700 from Nikon or other speedlights in that class. But it definitely has what you need to take good photos with automatic exposure, plus it’s a great strobist flash at the same time.

 

YN-467 Positives attractive price good i-TTL exposure extremely fast recycle times very easy to use (except manual zoom) complete standard accessories (bag, stand, diffuser) Built-in optical slave (but works under low light conditions only) very usable for strobist lighting with 7 stop manual control standard size flash head (same as Nikon SB-600)

YN-467 Weaknesses low maximum output at wide angle setting AF assist light not as effective as competition need to deactivate FP-synch in camera modes “A” and “S” non-intuitive manual zoom reflector adjustment (Nikon) no AWL (wireless i-TTL) integration limited to basic i-TTL features

 

The clear downside is the low maximum output this flash can deliver. This might become a problem for strobist or studio work with umbrellas or other light modifiers. For every day shooting it should be strong enough in most cases when used with an ISO-200 cam like the Nikon D90 (with ISO 200 you automatically have 1 stop advantage compared to shooting at 100 ASA). But it is weaker at 35mm and hardly stronger at 85mm compared to the YN-465 with fixed 35mm reflector – and coming with a smaller price tag.

Alternatives

The recommendation is to definitely check out the YN465 as well – you might find it a better value, and to look at the YN-468 also, if you shoot Canon. If budget is not as tight then consider the YN-565 – the wireless ETTL mode comes pretty handy and is the easiest (but not cheapest) way to start wireless flash.

When it comes to Canon or Nikon speedlites, the entry-level model SB-400 (Nikon) or 270EX from Canon is not a better flash overall – too limited in its features, and too expensive for that. The only real advantage is the small size.

The mid-range models 430EX II, 320EX (Canon) and SB-700 (Nikon) require a much bigger investment, but they are also more capable speedlites. Priced between these and the Yongnuo YN-467 is the Di-622 Mark II from Nissin – a really nice flash.

Where to Buy

Yongnuo products can be found on eBay. See all YN-467 offers here for the best prices and check warranty conditions.

A good option, if available there, is to buy direct from the Yongnuo manufacturer store with the advantage of a 1-year warranty that usually comes with their sales.

amazon is another good source for Yongnuo products; compare the availability and purchase price. You support Speedlights.net when you buy through these links – thank you very much.