430EX speedlight 'v' 530EX

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bridgett
  • Start date Start date
Having the same dilemma myself. I don't really need any of the additional features of the 580 which just leaves the power issue. Now I wouldn't be using it for any commercial purposes or huge groups of people, just casual stuff in relatively small rooms but would be looking to use a diffuser such as a Stofen or Lightsphere and/or bounce it off of ceilings or walls.

Does the 430 have enough power for this? I see a lot of posts saying the extra power of the 580 is desirable/needed if you're looking to diffuse or bounce but is this just for bigger areas? Cost is a major issue so don't want to be spending the extra on the 580 unnecessarily yet don't want to find I can't use a diffuser or bounce on the 430.
 
Vertigo1 said:
Having the same dilemma myself. I don't really need any of the additional features of the 580 which just leaves the power issue. Now I wouldn't be using it for any commercial purposes or huge groups of people, just casual stuff in relatively small rooms but would be looking to use a diffuser such as a Stofen or Lightsphere and/or bounce it off of ceilings or walls.

Does the 430 have enough power for this? I see a lot of posts saying the extra power of the 580 is desirable/needed if you're looking to diffuse or bounce but is this just for bigger areas? Cost is a major issue so don't want to be spending the extra on the 580 unnecessarily yet don't want to find I can't use a diffuser or bounce on the 430.
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Twice the power from the 580 sounds a lot, which it is in one way, but it is also no different to raising the ISO by one stop, or lowering the f/number one stop, so there are other ways around it.

Nissin make nice guns that are cheaper, also Sigma and Metz. Most of these also have a built in bounce card which does pretty much the same thing as a Stofen. Canon have left it off the 430 which seems a bit petty.
 
Ok so I can still expect to be able to diffuse or bounce with the 430 without too much trouble then?

As a noob to flash, but keen to play and learn, I figured I'd be better off with a genuine Canon unit as the integration with the body would be better and I wouldn't have quite so much to figure out manually to start with.
 
Vertigo1 said:
Ok so I can still expect to be able to diffuse or bounce with the 430 without too much trouble then?
Click to expand...

Shouldn't be a problem.

As a noob to flash, but keen to play and learn, I figured I'd be better off with a genuine Canon unit as the integration with the body would be better and I wouldn't have quite so much to figure out manually to start with.
Click to expand...

Makes sense. Others might say cheaper guns are just as good and they have a point, but they are reverse engineered to work with Canon tech and Sigma for example have a problem with the Canon 50D which won't work with some of their older guns without a rechip. Peace of mind and convenience are worth a bit :)
 
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