Canon reveals new professional accessory line-up

Canon Speedlite 600EX
Canon has announced a new series of accessories for pro photographers

Canon has unveiled a new range of professional accessories in the wake of the new Canon EOS 5D Mark III launch, which include a Speedlite (flashgun), wireless file transmitter and GPS receiver.

Slotting at the top of Canon's flash line, the Speedlite 600EX-RT is Canon's first flash unit to feature inbuilt wireless radio connectivity and is a replacement for the Speedlite 580 EX II.

It partners with a new Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT, offering photographers the opportunity to explore creative lighting techniques.

Up to 15 600EX-RT flash units can be used with one transmitter, which can be positioned up to 30 metres away.

White balance settings are communicated through the hot shoe connection, while a new colour filter adapter and two colour gels can be fitted to balance the temperature of the flash for a more natural effect when shooting in artificial lighting.

The Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT UK price is £679.99 and will be available from the end of March. Meanwhile, the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT UK price is £309.99 and will also be available from the end of March.

Transmitter

Also announced is the WFT-E7, a new high speed wireless transmitter which is compatible with a wide range of EOS models.

The unit allows for the quick transfer of images over wireless internet connections. It also allows for the camera to be controlled from a distance via a webpage on any internet enabled device, including smartphones and tablets.

The Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E7B UK price is £789.99 and will be available from the end of April.

A geotagging unit, the GP-E2 also makes its debut today. Slotting into the hotshoe, it is compatible with the Canon EOS 1DX, Canon EOS 7D and the new Canon EOS 5D Mark III.

It tags photos with longitude, latitude and altitude data along with the direction in which the shot was taken, adding the information to the EXIF data.

Logger

A GPS Logger function is also included to allow users to track their route by downloading GPS data at regular intervals, whether the unit is attached to the camera body or stored in its case.

The GPS Receiver GP-E2 UK price is £299.99 and will be available from the end of April 2012.

Grip

Finally, a battery grip for the Canon EOS 5D Mark III has also been announced. Doubling the battery life of the Mark III, it features to additional LP-E6 batteries and also offers the flexibility of using AA batteries as an emergency backup.

For those who frequently shoot in portrait orientation, duplicate AF start, Focus point and AE-lock controls can be found on the grip, along with a second Multi Controller and Control Dial.

The Battery Grip BG-11 UK price is £329.99, and will be available from the end of April.

Amy Davies

Amy has been writing about cameras, photography and associated tech since 2009. Amy was once part of the photography testing team for Future Publishing working across TechRadar, Digital Camera, PhotoPlus, N Photo and Photography Week. For her photography, she has won awards and has been exhibited. She often partakes in unusual projects - including one intense year where she used a different camera every single day. Amy is currently the Features Editor at Amateur Photographer magazine, and in her increasingly little spare time works across a number of high-profile publications including Wired, Stuff, Digital Camera World, Expert Reviews, and just a little off-tangent, PetsRadar.