YN560 IV Universal Flash Speedlite, GN58 2.4G Hot Shoe Mount

I realize there are already almost 400 reviews for these flash units and mine will most likely get lost in the flood but I just wanted to weigh in on what makes them so awesome. First of all I have used Canon Speedlights in the past, still own a 430EX that sits in a box and collects dust. I really don't like using ETTL as I find it rarely gives me the kind of exposure I like in my photo's. I personally feel it looks flat and unprofessional so this review will be based on manual functions. This unit doesn't have a TTL function anyway so... on to the review. I have been using Yongnuo flashes for about 3 years now and I honestly have no gripes. None at all. Especially now that I've upgraded to the IV models and get the added wireless functionality built in. I dropped a 560III model about 4 feet onto the concrete a couple years back and the bottom of it broke off. It actually kept working for a full 2 hour shoot after that before it blew out completely. Probably due to some shorts after wires coming loose. But that just speaks to the durability of the Flash. Here's the thing, at this price, I was not upset. I dropped a Speedlight onto the concrete, watched a chunk of it fly off and thought, "Darn... well I guess I need to buy another." Try having that mentality with a Canon or Nikkon Speedlight. I take these hiking, out on major event shoots where I'm running around bumping into stuff, sometimes outside and getting rained on etc. etc. I never worry about breaking one because I know I can afford to grab another. It's a freeing feeling. I worry enough about my camera and my lenses as it is. Here's the other reason I love these. While I have a master controller for my speed lights, I prefer to use my flash in manual mode even when it's attached to my camera or on a trigger. On the Canon speed lights switching power while in manual mode takes a few extra clicks and requires you to depress the tiny center button first to let the unit know you want to start changing power level. It drives me a bit crazy now that I'm used to these. With the Yongnuo in manual mode, you just click one side or the other on the interface and your power level changes by standard stops. Click up or down to change power in smaller increments. I can get the exposure I want so quickly with these now that I really don't understand why Canon chose to design theirs differently. The wireless works well with the YN560-TX master controller though my shutter speed needs to drop to about 160 to avoid shutter shadow. They work flawlessly with the RF-603CII-C1 triggers. The power is also definitely up to par. Just one of these is enough to light up a medium-sized room with some bounced light. I have 3 (still less $$ than 1 canon) and dial them in at different levels for a better effect but have gotten by with 2 in very large rooms and been happy with my results. I've used them on both a t2i, t3i and a 6D and have friends who use them with 5D MarkIII's and love them just as much. If I had to pick one thing I don't like... I guess that they heat up and delay quickly. If you are firing off shot after shot the batteries get hot quick and the unit will force a delay until they cool down. You can attach an external power pack to eliminate the problem but I have learned to just work around it. I'm a bit more intentional with my shots anyway so I'm not one to just blast away, spray and pray style. I'd say I can get about 8 minutes of continuous shooting, full power, at maybe a shot per second before I start experiencing delays. You should also consider the speed, if you need to shoot at High Speeds like 250+ then these will not work. If you're using a controller you may even need to drop down to 160. Beyond that, no issues. Again, if you like automatic exposure and using the TTL or ETTL functions then this is obviously not for you since it doesn't offer that functionality at all. But if you use manual adjustments with your speed lights or you use a master controller then these are not only up to the job but they are incredibly affordable meaning you can have multiple flash units on standby if one gets broken. Really can't recommend them enough. I've bought 5 so far, broke one 560III and gave the other away once I got my IV's. I plan to buy a few more as backup and can happily say that I feel confident in my purchase.

The YN560IV has worked well for me so far and is a great addition the the Yongnuo line up. In TX mode it fully controls power and zoom of the YN560iii and fires YN603's or YN605's. In RX mode it acts just like another YN560iii, and of course it can be used as a on camera flash or a simple optically triggered off camera flash. This is a manual flash with a single firing pin (no-TTL) and should work with any brand camera that has a standard hotshoe. The controls are slightly more complex than the yn560iii but it's just like anything new with a minor learning curve. I find the YN560TX a little easier to use for changing settings on the remotes, but this product does make the 560TX unnecessary if you are on a tight budget. It fires fine in RX mode with the 560TX or 603 and has access to all 6 groups in both TX and RX modes. Range seems to be similar to others in this series (603, 560tx) and works fine in a mid sized reception hall (haven't tried it in a large hall). It is compatible with the newer yn605 which has group control, but I have not tested this. Output is as good as most other speedlights out there, although I did not test it precisely using a light meter. When in any slave mode (RX, S1, S2) an LED on the front flashes, I find this bit annoying in dark venues and cover it with a piece of black tape which significantly attenuates the brightness. The battery compartment door seems pretty solid (this was an issue on some earlier Yongnuo speedlights). The 560iv has a port for an external battery pack that should fit Canon compatible packs. Like similar flashes, it has a pull out diffuser and bounce card. The PC port is a traditional threaded style. The head swivels (with detents, but no lock) to the right 90 degrees and to the left 180 degrees, it would be nice if it also swiveled to the right 180. Elevation is from about -5 degrees to 90. The shoe tightener is the screw down style Yongnuo has used for a long time, many people prefer the quick release flip type lock that Canon uses (doesn't matter too much to me). The flash does not have a USB port or obvious way to upgrade firmware. Size is similar to other full sized speedlights such as the 580ex-ii or SB900, and is exactly the same size as the YN560iii. The main display is back lit, but the buttons are not. It comes packaged with a small stand like most other flashes in this price range or higher, as well as a decent quality pouch, and some instructions that while not great, are understandable. This series (560iii, 560IV, 603, 605) is the best bang for the buck on the market right now (late 2014) for manual speedlights. The cost difference between the model iii and iv is minimal making the iii somewhat obsolete so if you are just putting together a new setup, I suggest going straight for the 560iv. Of the competition I considered, the Godox V850 has the advantage of battery life over this (and pretty much every other speedlight out there), but it requires an external RX dongle that falls off easily, doesn't have a built in transmitter, has poor remote range, and more a limited remote feature set than the 560TX or the 560IV in TX mode. For a minimal investment one can have a complete on camera/off camera manual system (sans modifiers) that works quite reliably. And if you want to incorporate some monolights into your setup, the YN605 is a great option which enables you to selectivity enable/disable certain groups from remote. I will try to answer any questions left in the comments. Like this review if it was helpful to you.

Summary: This is a China made value flash that cost a fraction of a name brand flash. Only recommend if you use it with Yongnuo triggers, and for the cost there is no reason not to. Although I have had no issues with any of my Yongnuo flashes I would recommend professionals on a budget purchase and extra one, because thats what professionals should do. You will learn more on how to use this by watching online how to videos than you will by reading the manual. I use this in RX mode with the YN 560 TX controller. For the price it works very well. Plenty of light output for everything I have needed it for. If used in RX mode make sure you understand how the standby functions work so the flash will be ready to fire when you are ready to press the shutter. I have been using Yongnuo flashes for a couple years and have had no failures. Reading reviews you will notice many who say that they have had issues with them, but when you consider how many of these are sold some failures should be expected, especially when you consider the price point these are being sold at. If you absolutely NEED complete reliability either buy an extra flash or spend ten times as much on the name brand flash. These days, there is almost no reason to use an optical trigger when the wireless triggers are so reliable, especially with the YN 560 TX that offers so much control. I have never had a trigger or failure to fire issue on mine, even when shooting thousands of pictures at wedding receptions. I always carry extra gear so I am not worried about my discount flash failing, which has not happened. Yet. It is noteworthy that the different Yongnuo lines are not compatible with each other, at least not easily. Make sure you understand your needs before buying into either system.

I have about twelve of these flashes and use them for wedding, event and real estate photography. I'm very happy with them but only give them a four star rating, because the quality is a lottery game. They might be dead right out of the box or they might just die in a few months or weeks. They might survive three falls on concrete and still work rock solid after two years of daily use. Don't know. Considering the low price and always having backup flashes with me, I can live with that. Things you need to know: These flashes are fully manual. No TTL. No high speed sync either. Meaning your shutter speed cannot exceed 1/160s or whatever your camera's sync speed is. Most people not comfortable with shooting in Manual mode should exit here and look for other products. You can fire these with a) YN560-TX triggers (recommended) b) Yongnuo RF-603 I or II triggers c) another YN560 IV flash WIth 4 Eneloop batteries I get about 100 full 1/1 power pops out of them. Manual adjustments are really easy to make from 1/128 to 1/1 power in either full steps or 1/3 steps. If they don't suddenly die (which doesn't happen that often, but it does), they are otherwise very reliable. I never had an issue on the job. The light output is as powerful as any high end speedlite flash. Outdoors I like to use three of them on a triple hotshoe bracket and get the light output of a studio strobe in a highly portable package running on AA batteries. I like to work with them because the manual settings are really easy to adjust and they are chap enough that I can replace them. I can leave one on a lightstand in a conference room and walk away. I can knock the lightstand over and just destroy $70. Comforting.

The flash will work with any of my Nikon, Sony or Panasonic cameras without issue. It's a single pin connection with no TTL functionality. So everything is manual but I don't find this to be a problem and I'm okay with that. I got this after doing some research and hearing they might work with my Sony a6000. This review is for both the Yongnuo flash and 603N II triggers. This setup was a fraction of what it would cost to buy any of the name brand flash/triggers. When I first got it it was frustrating as it wasn't clear what I needed to do to get this setup to work on the Sony. First thing is to get the trigger and flash to communicate. They both need to be on the same channel, same group, in TX mode. Since I was already pairing it with the Yongnuo triggers this website http://www.davidpartington.com/m43/2015/01/03/yongnuo-yn560-iv-speedlite-review/ and this video review https://youtu.be/C-VukG3Cw9M gives a much better way to see how to set up the flash as the manual wasn't much help. Once the trigger and flash are communicating now you need to get the trigger on the camera. I read that the hot shoe on my Sony would need to have the black paint removed in order for it to work. This was false as the paint has nothing to do with it working or not. The pins on the triggers have to make a good contact with the hot shoe. What I found is that once you put the trigger on the camera the pins were not making a contact like they should. This is the key thing put some pressure down on the trigger pushing towards the hot shoe. Take a test photo while holding the trigger. It should fire and once it does lock down the trigger via the wheel lock. That is it...it just needed to have the pins make good contact before locking down. These also work for my Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000. I highly recommend both the flash and triggers by Yongnuo. Very cheap alternative when comparing to big name brand components.

Observe the attached, a pile of garbage literally. 5 completely nonfunctional flashes between 6 and 4 months old. I would not recommend purchasing these for professional photographers. Very disappointed but I got what I paid for I guess. As an event photographer this product seemed like the perfect solution for me; solid, easy to use, good light quality. Just mount them on a light stand adjust the power and start shooting, no more pocket wizards or transceivers. I purchased 7 of these this spring. 4 for off camera lighting, 2 for on camera lighting and radio transmission and 1 for backup. I had problems right from the start. First off my forehead will accidentally bump the power button, quickly causing all the synced lights to go up in power blowing out images suddenly. The first time this happened I thought my camera settings were off and just adjusted the aperture. 10 minutes later a blown out flash (thats when i figured out what had happened). Ok, my fault, moving on... next event I was careful to avoid the forehead bump issue, but somehow one of the flashes quit bursting at 1/32 and was stuck at 1/1.. nothing i could do and no settings would fix it.. it was stuck. Flash #2 trash. over the next 5 events i lost 2 more this exact same way.. somehow the camera was stuck at high power.. the display reads 1/32 but very obviously it was a full power burst. The other flash died differently, they made a quiet *POP* followed with smoke while not even in use but powered on. Lots of burning plastic smells. Thats 5 dead flashes in just 6 months of use. Obviously these flashes have some major kinks to be worked out.. I have Nikon flashes that have been used at hundreds of events and going strong but the cost is so high, I thought I could save a little money but I was wrong.

I use my flashes every day in my real estate photography business, and I need everything to work. I also need some redundancy to keep me going if something fails/breaks/gets dropped. My current flash setup starts with a YN560-TX in my camera's hot shoe, with YN560-III flashes. I recently had my tripod tip over and dump camera/lens/TX to the floor. This resulted in the TX snapping in half when it hit a chair on the way down. Problem -- I could stick a flash in the hot shoe and set the rest to trigger optically, but then I wouldn't have remote power control. The perfect solution - I ordered a YN560-IV for roughly the same price as a III. It serves as another flash in the arsenal, but it's also a natural backup for the TX. If I lose another TX in the field, I can put the IV in the hot shoe and I'll still have remote power control. It's a good addition to my camera bag. It's not perfect, though. The YN flashes are reasonably solid, but they're not the same as Nikon SB080DXs. Those things are built like tanks. I also note that going from one power setting to another can be inconsistent - increase by 1/3 stop and get a little change in power, increase by another 1/3 stop and get a much larger change in power. This isn't always noticeable, but spend enough time with them and you'll run into it. They also can have a very slight pinkish cast. Not a big deal if they're your only light source, just fix it in post. But if you're in a mixed light environment (daylight/incandescent/fluorescent) it's a pain in the neck to have to account for *another* different color of light. Having said all that, you can't beat 'em for the price. Nikon would be selling these things for $300 if they had the sense to make something for the "Strobist" community.

Works great. Manual only (no TTL). I personally don't require TTL and honestly, even if I did "require" it, for this price I would definitely find a way to manage without it. :) What's not to like! It can act as a radio transmitter (Tx) with or without the master flash, or a radio (or optical) receiver (Rx, S1, S2). It works through walls -- no line of site required (radio only), and it's so much more affordable than other comparable speedlights! There's really a lot packed into this device. I purchased these because this model doesn't require an additional transmitter or receiver when used as a master in conjunction with the same model (and I believe the 560 III) as slaves. It's all built in. Can't beat it. You're not going to find another brand that offers this much at this price. My first speedlight was a very low-end make and model. It only had three modes: manual, S1 and S2, and my options included more/less output flash and on or off. lol That's it. I got that for $40 bucks (compare that to the price of these which do so much more). Now that I'm starting to land gigs, it was time for an upgraded system. The ONLY CON of this device is the little plastic stand it comes with. The stand by itself is fine, but It has a plastic screw socket so you can set these lights on a light stand. But the socket is pretty useless since plastic strips so easily. However, if you're purchasing speedlights and require the use of light stands, then you should probably invest in some hot shoe light stand brackets for them instead anyway (which is probably what Yongnuo was thinking too).

Performs well and offers an affordable option to the expensive big name brands out there. I use an Olympus EM-5 MK-II and this flash is part of the Yongnuo RF trigger system which I think is far more useful than the optically triggered Olympus Flash heads. From a light performance perspective this flash is identical to the Olympus Flashes. The only feature you lose is TTL triggering. I mostly shoot indoors in a studio and prefer manual triggering anyway. The Mark IV is capable of being the master trigger for other Mark IV and Mark III units. I use a 560TX to trigger my flash heads so have not had occasion to use this feature yet. This unit was selling for almost the same price as the Mark III units so I bought it to have the option in the future. My only quibble with this flash is the manual that accompanies it. It is somewhat hard to understand. Fortunately there are a number of user video's on the internet that make up for the less than clear manual. So my recommendation is to look there first before even attempting to read the manual. Once you figure it out and have it set up the way you want it, the flash is very easy to use. And yes, I highly recommend this flash head to anyone who is considering it.

Very good Manual Flash. You can use it in your camera hot shoe. It works fine with my Nikon D5200. You can use as an off-camera flash with slave mode (optical trigger). I use my pop-up flash in TTL mode as optical trigger it work fine. You can also buy a compatible trigger - Youngnuo 603-ii (haven't tested but my friend says it works perfectly, I'm planning to buy the trigger too). If you're not familiar with manual flash then this is the best one to learn flash photography.

Puedo resumirlo en que es el mejor flash que he utilizado en ese rango de precio. Cuenta con varias modalidades, intensidades, zoom y un pequeño reflector que realmente no hace la diferencia pero se agradece la intención de colocarlo. Es posible rotarlo y tiene un pequeño difusor, por lo que es bastante versátil y en cuanto a la vida de las baterías es bastante aceptable. La pantalla se ilumina de ser necesario y es bastante intuitivo, es tan fácil como ponerlo y disparar la cámara, además puede actuar como flash maestro o esclavo. En conclusión es un muy buen flash que te sacara de muchos apuros y a un precio más que atractivo por lo que si empiezas en el mundo de la fotografía o estas iniciando un estudio y el presupuesto esta algo justo esta definitivamente es de las mejores opciones.

純正品とほぼ変わらずしっかり使えます。

Pour le prix c'est un super flash. Semble costaud même si tout en plastique. J'aurais aimé avoir la possibilité de le mettre en 1/250 mais on est limité a 1/125 max. La rotation de la tête semble costaud aussi donc pas de soucis pour mettre des accessoires assez lourds sur la tête du flash.