Yongnuo RF-603 Wireless Transceiver System
Hong Kong: Photographic equipment manufacturer Yongnuo have announced a brand new flash trigger, the RF-603. Successor to the internationally popular RF-602 system, the Yongnuo RF-603 series adds the following improvements:
- Transceiver-based system: units automatically detect when to switch to either transmitter or receiver mode.
- Hotshoe pass-through, allowing on-camera flash and radio triggering to be used simultaneously.
- Prontor/Compur (PC) port for off-hotshoe synchronisation
- Non-proprietary 2.5mm (sub-miniphone) port for shutter release cables
Like the upcoming Cactus V5, Yongnuo have gone for the transceiver-based format. Pressing the test button on a transceiver will make it a transmitter, while all other nearby units will automatically switch to receiver mode.
The devices have on/off switches and will take 2 AAAs, so you don’t have to worry about running down expensive CR2 batteries as with RF-602s. There will be Nikon and Canon versions (RF-603N and RF-603C) waking up speedlights from sleep mode and providing full TTL pass-through to any on-camera flashes.
The RF-603 system has been confirmed NOT compatible with RF-602 or RF-601. It will have a range of 100 metres and use the 2.4GHz frequency band with 16 channels.
For more information please consult the manufacturer’s product page.
Where to buy
Upon release, the Yongnuo RF-603 Wireless Transceiver System will be available at the manufacturer’s official eBay outlet, including a 12 month warranty, and from other sellers.
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Any word on a release date?
I bought a kit. Im very dissapointed because did not work at all. Because is a cheap product, returning it to the seller is relatively expensive. So was a waste of time and money. I learned the lesson: Its better pay for a high quality brand.
screw you for not making it compatible to 602s
Yongnuo haven’t said yet whether it is compatible or not.A supplier has confirmed that they are not compatible.
They really need to add a hotshoe lock, especially if the transmitter is gonna hold another flash on top.
Kind of dumb not having a locking mechanism. How the hell can you feel secure putting an expensive flash on it on your camera.
Immediate FAIL!!! My 602 transmitter barely stayed on camera at the best of times, releasing a new model that can have a heavy flash attached to it, but still does not have a locking mechanism on the transceiver shoe is so absolutely, incredibly dumb, that I’m stunned at the sheer stupidity of it.
What kind of camera did you use? The RF-602TX is a very secure fit on all of my hotshoes.
I use various canon cameras and the 602 transmitter has been knocked off the camera several times either by the strap or being caught up in clothing etc. In comparison I also use a ST-E2 canon wireless controller which has a locking mechanism and that has never ever been knocked off the camera.
I don’t much care about a £20 transmitter being knocked to the ground, its the £350 flash that is attached to it that I’m worried about. Will Yongnuo pay any compensation for such damage? I don’t think so.
To summarise: Its not backward compatible, the on off switch is still badly positioned, there is no locking mechanism, the 3pin connector has gone (which means I would need to buy new cables) overall they haven’t taken account of the many criticisms posted across the net.
For existing customers there is no reason to upgrade and whilst the competition have produced a better product http://lh6.ggpht.com/_njEpHb-ltxI/TJboQA1XsCI/AAAAAAAAQYM/JIF2mP1DrF4/s1600/None.jpg
Yongnuo 603 = Fail
The RF-602TX constantly falls off my original Canon 5D — I just stopped using it and went back to NPT-04 triggers.
Try going on a location shoot with a model and having to apologize constantly as you stop and pick up your transmitter that fell once-again off the top of your camera! It’s so frustrating if you’re moving around, setting the camera on your side/should strap, adjusting lights, etc and the little black thing is lost once again – especially at night.
This issue with a locking ring or level is so incredibly stupid. My 602 sometimes moves when bumped and how stupid can they get. Pass through on the new 603 with again no lock? Just what I can not buy, who would put a $500.00 Nikon flash on top of it to fall off?
No one at Yongnuo uses their products. But at least their products work, wish they looked at the simple things.
What was the point of pass through if you can not safely put your flash on top. I would not even risk a Yongnuo flash on top.
Strange how they havent listened customers… the hotshoe really needs some locking mechanism, I’m always a bit worried when I put my strobes on RF-602(on ebay-umbrella holder or ezybox hotshoe adapter… etc). The locking mechanism would make this RF-603 -update just perfect, IMO now it misses the most important part.
Incompability with old RF-602 is not good thing either, but it doesn’t really bother new customers.
I’m not too worried about the locking mechanism, the flashes themselfs have it and all my flashes lock solidly on any of my receivers.
What bugs me is the probably identic channel selector. I really would prefer a larger easier to use channel selector to help tweak BG / Rim / Key / Fill lights easier.
But the abolition of CR2s is alone worth the upgrade.
Also disappointing is that the location of the on/off
switch is unchanged. Using their own flashes like the 560 requires
that the transceiver be removed from the flash to turn it on or
off. Design fail.
Fail again Yongnuo, but they usually have their upgrade silently (ex: The metal hotshoe of flashes). Hope they will listen this time, otherwise, there is no reason to buy this trigger.
this all nice and all with everyone saying ‘fail’ and it’d be nice to have to features.. but that would cost them more money to make those changes and in turn would make the product that much more expensive for consumers like us, which is why we buy these.. because they’re cheap
Why a 2.5mm plug. I did a search and did not find much or 2.5mm. why not 3.5mm or threaded PC sync?
Release date is February 2011
Sorry, I’ll migrate to another product. Making these incompatible with my 602s is a deal breaker because, as soon as YN needs a boost in revenue, we can expect the incompatible 604s to be announced.
Of course this rant assumes the 602s have been discontinued. Since the YN ebay store no longer sells them, I think that’s a safe assumption.
Your assumption is mistaken, as you can still buy RF-602s from the Yongnuo eBay store.
Interesting. I researched the availability about two weeks ago and HKPE had *none* listed on ebay.
Glad to see they’re still around but one has to wonder for how long.
Thanks.
For the past couple of weeks the sellers have been off for Chinese New Year.
Is it true that the RF-603s are on sale in HK? Have a look at this:
http://www.dchome.net/attachments/day_110216/20110216_cc1ff13b85e95627b29cew1vDd0ontAw.jpg
Tried to look at it, but I’m getting an “access denied” error to the attachment.
I’ve mailed the YongNuo official eBay store again to ask them when they will have the 603′s on sale, last month they told me end of Feb, but it looks like someone has beat them to it ; )
http://cgi.ebay.com/RF-603-Wireless-Remote-Flash-Trigger-NIKON-CANON-/220742607569?pt=Camera_Camcorder_Remotes&hash=item336548e2d1
i got it from here,a little bit cheaper than ebay
http://www.lingosbox.com/yongruo-rf-603n-wireless-remote-flash-trigger-transceiver-for-nikon-d90-d3100-d5000-d7000.html
Can they be used to trigger my alien bees like the rf602 does?
Amazon now has these in stock.
The RF-603 works whit Flash METZ 50AF-1 and METZ 58AF-2?
thanks!
I have seen a review of Yongnuo RF-603, but is in polish language: http://www.mega-pixel.pl/Test-wyzwalaczy-YongNuo-RF-603-cinfo-pol-43.html
Hi, I’m using both Nikon and Canon cameras, And would like to buy a set of three Yongnuo RF 603 for Nikon, and another set of three for Canon, so that’s in total 6 Yongnuo RF 603 transceivers,
And my question is, will Canon and Nikon versions of Yngnuo RF 603 still communicate with each other ?
@Andy, as far as I know the devises are identical except the cable that converts them to shutter triggers.
Someone put up the photos of MK RC7
I found a Strobist discussion of this being compared to RF-602, but does anyone know how MK RC7′s compare to the RF-603?
http://www.flickr.com/groups/strobist/discuss/72157624668180585/