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I previously owned the orginial version, the 270EX, and I can say that the new version is outstanding and well worth the price. I use this on my 60D and can't begin to tell you how much more creative possibilities you can achieve utilizing the wireless capability of this flash. I would highly recommend this version over the original if you have a built-in transmitter like in the 7D, 60D, or T3i. If you like to be a minimalist and travel light, then this flash is for you. Its about the size of two decks of playing cards put together and requires only 2 AA batteries. Eneloops are the best for this.
One of the best things I like about Canon is actually this flash (previously the original). Its light, small and still does bounce flash (where you point the flash at a ceiling to redirect the light). It has manual zoom (only two settings though) so you dont hear the motor of the more poiwerful speedlites. But when they added remote shutter capability and wireless trigger I was sold before it even came out. What it lacked in swivel (turning left to right, critical for shooting in the vertical orientation), it makes up in being able to fire off camera. That alone opens up so much more creativity (place it behind the subject for a silhouette effect for example). This is the best deal under 200 bucks to venture into flash photography.
After playing around with it though, there are limitations I want to point out. The remote shutter is not wireless but rather IR line of sight kind of thing, and you need to be pointing the flash towards the front of the camera for it to work. Also, its always a 2 second counter, no instant shutter release whether or not your drive mode says so. On few occassions I get no wireless connection to the flash, but once I adjust my position a few feet or so I get it back instantly. For what it is, this still works out to be a whole lot of possibilities. With the 60D, I am able to fire both my built-in flash and the 270EX II off camera at the same time, and, change the intensity ratio between the two outputs (1:1, 2:1, 1:8, etc). Those with the T3i can do this too.
So there you have it. If you have built-in wireless in your Canon body and like to travel light, this flash comes with my highest recommendation. Otherwise, the original is just as good without the wireless. If you like making videos the new 320ex version might interest you with its modeling light, and while its a little bigger and heavier (4 AA batteries), its still a good chioce in my opinion. Hope this helps!
UPDATE 9.22.11 ***********
I discovered that I can fire this flash on-camera with high-speed sync up to 1/8000 sec on my 60D, which opens up some possibilites with freeze-action shots or isolating the subject with a dark background (see my "bee" pictures). There is a setting on the Flash Menu to enable this. You can also do 1st or 2nd curtain settings, and, evaluative TTL2 or average exposure. For the most part the flash does a very good job throttling up or down depending on the focus distance. I didn't know this before, but, since this is an automatic flash, the way to under or overexpose (darken/brighten) an image does not depend on the camera's exposure compensation, but rather the flash's exposure compensation (which you adjust in-camera). On a fresh set of batteries, this flash has a very fast recycle time and good burst rate that is able to keep up with my 60D for about 7 to 10 bursts before slowing down.
Off camera as a wireless slave, however, the sync capabilities get watered down a bit. Fastest sync is only 1/250 sec now, and the flash exposure compensation, while working as normal, really depends on where you setup the flash (the flash by itself doesnt know how far it is from the subject). I find I get better results when the camera and this flash are about the same focal distance away from the subject. Burst rate slows down too, before able to do the high-speed rate on-camera, now only capable of low-speed burst rate. Still, I adore this flash and take it everywhere I go, which is so easy because its so small. Sometimes I wish it had more power, but, adjusting the manual zoom to tele and/or upping the ISO helps. It is still about 2 times more powerful than the 60D's built-in flash (27 GN versus 13 GN). Oh for those wondering, you can remotely trigger your camera in front of you and have the flash fire as a wireless slave for the same photo.
UPDATE 9.26.11 *************
Started to play around with the wireless flash with close-up and macro photography over the weekend. I'm really enjoying this flash! I can see how important it is to have adequate light when you do really close up shots (see my other "bee" pictures). Having the ability to position the 270EX II anywhere is so liberating compared to using on-camera flash. You never get that dreaded half-circle shadow at the bottom of your pictures. Using bounce of course does help, but what do you use when you are outside? In any case, any of the bigger brothers, 320ex, 430ex, and 580ex all do wireless flash as well. It's just that this one is so small and compact, and the most simplest of them all (just 3 settings: OFF , Wireless Slave, and ON).
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