Canon 430EX vs 580Ex mk2?

wez130

wez130

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I'm in the market for a new flash (not that i need it mind - just so i've got it if needed). I've currently got a 380EX, now i was quite fancying the 580Ex as it can be had for around £250 these days, but i heard it isn't that much better than the 430EX (well it is but not for casual use that i'd use it for.) and it's a LOT cheaper, so should i go for a 430Ex or spend the extra on the 'creme de la creme'?
 
don't know if it helps
I have a 430 and I'm in serious negotiations with Mr. Claus' appointed representative to add a 580 to my list

guide number is 58 vs 43, so 30% more powerful
580 can remotely trigger a 430, not vice versa

and I want one
and I want it now :stamp:
 
If you have the spends, go for the 580 ;)
 
Just got my 580 EX II last week from Hong Kong, and I could not be happier.
In my humble view, go for the 580 if you can afford it.

I haven't tried 430, so I could not comment on the difference.. but just giving my own opinion of 580 (after a week of use).
 
contact kerso he is selling the 580EX for £229 and you can still get the cash back through canon, so you can pick up the 580ex for £194, for that price is there a choice?
 
For normal flash work there's really not a lot to choose between them. The 580 though does have a quicker recycle time, a bit more range and can be used to control a second flash unit if required. If you can afford it it's probably worth the extra.
 
If it's just for casual use then the 430EX would serve you well. I've had one for over a year now and it's excellent.

I did buy a 580EX II as well in the summer because I was doing a wedding. It's much bigger (as you'd expect) and has a few extra features but generally there's not a great deal of difference when you consider day-to-day use. The only thing I really like about the 580 over the 430 is that it has a dial on the back for making exposure corrections instead of rubber buttons.
 
I have both and to be honest the 430 is a great flash but the other features of the 580 EX II just blows it away. Find the funds and get the 580 if you can, you won't regret it.
 
Thomas said:
contact kerso he is selling the 580EX for £229 and you can still get the cash back through canon, so you can pick up the 580ex for £194, for that price is there a choice?
Click to expand...

is that the mk2?
 
Yes that is the mkII. You can always PM me if you would like some contact info.
 
mmcp42 said:
guide number is 58 vs 43, so 30% more powerful
580 can remotely trigger a 430, not vice versa

and I want one
and I want it now :stamp:
Click to expand...

30% higher GN is a slightly misleading. In photographic terms the 580EX gives out a stop more light than the 430.
 
right, i've decided i'm going to go for the 580Ex II, (courtesy of kerso i think), i have one more question though, will i be able to use my 380EX as a wireless slave to the 580EX? It has a IR thingy at the front of the 380EX.

Aslo, how much longer are canon doing cashback for?
 
I'm not familiar with the the 380 Wez, but are you sure it's an infra red window on the front - not a AF assist beam window?

The 580EX's don't use infra red they transmit on a radio channel with the master and slave needing to be set to the same channel.
 
CT said:
I'm not familiar with the the 380 Wez, but are you sure it's an infra red window on the front - not a AF assist beam window?

The 580EX's don't use infra red they transmit on a radio channel with the master and slave needing to be set to the same channel.
Click to expand...

I thought the slaving was IR based hence you need line of sight and outside it can prove a little unreliable?

I'm looking at a 580EX II to add to my 430EX in the next couple of weeks and remote triggering is going to be something I want to explore.
 
Well I'm open to be corrected and in all honesty I haven't done too much of this multi flash stuff with my current kit, but the internal flash on my 20D wont fire my 580EX set as a slave, whereas my MT-24 Macro flash will if they're set to the same channel.
 
CT said:
Well I'm open to be corrected and in all honesty I haven't done too much of this multi flash stuff with my current kit, but the internal flash on my 20D wont fire my 580EX set as a slave, whereas my MT-24 Macro flash will if they're set to the same channel.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing that the MT24 has the same kind of IR transmitter on the front that the 580EX II has so it can trigger other Speedlites, hence why the MT24 will trigger your 580EX II and the on board flash won't.

I'm by no means an expert on this, I'm just going on what I've seen other people say when talking about multiple flash setups. I've been looking at the eBay triggers for when I get my 580EX II so I can have freedom to place flashes where I want - and take both off camera if I need to.
 
Well the MT24 has no window on the front at all. :shrug:
 
may well be an AF assist beam then, i need to know before i buy hte 580 though so i can sell it on if it's going to be useless to me.
 
CT said:
Well the MT24 has no window on the front at all. :shrug:
Click to expand...

Ah, it clearly works via the medium of Voodoo and Black Magic then! ;)
 
Richard said:
If it's just for casual use then the 430EX would serve you well. I've had one for over a year now and it's excellent.

I did buy a 580EX II as well in the summer because I was doing a wedding. It's much bigger (as you'd expect) and has a few extra features but generally there's not a great deal of difference when you consider day-to-day use. The only thing I really like about the 580 over the 430 is that it has a dial on the back for making exposure corrections instead of rubber buttons.
Click to expand...
Do you still use the 430 or is the 580 now used for all situations?
 
CT said:
I'm not familiar with the the 380 Wez, but are you sure it's an infra red window on the front - not a AF assist beam window?

The 580EX's don't use infra red they transmit on a radio channel with the master and slave needing to be set to the same channel.
Click to expand...

They certainly don't use radio waves. The canon remote flash system is entirely optical. I'm not sure if it's IR or visible light. I think the system uses the preflash to either trigger the slave or send settings to it as it always fires even when you have the master flash completely disabled.
 
xolotl said:
They certainly don't use radio waves. The canon remote flash system is entirely optical. I'm not sure if it's IR or visible light. I think the system uses the preflash to either trigger the slave or send settings to it as it always fires even when you have the master flash completely disabled.
Click to expand...
There's no doubt it's complicated :)

From photonotes

How wireless E-TTL works.

Canon’s wireless E-TTL system employs brief digitally-encoded pulses of light (either visible or infrared, depending on the master unit used) to transmit commands from a master flash unit to a slave unit or multiple slaves. Since the system relies on special digital messages built into the light pulses it’s immune to the problem that regular optical slave flash units have - that of being triggered accidentally in response to other flash units firing. (unless you’re near other photographers who are also using Canon wireless flash units, of course)
Click to expand...
 
Richard said:
I use the 580 mostly now. The 430 only ever comes out when I want to use a flash off-camera as you can trigger it from the 580.
Click to expand...
Okay thanks, I was in Jessops earlier and was suprised by how big the 580 is. Think its probably going to dwarf my 400D but I suppose I'll be future proofed for when I get a 40D. :lol:
 
I've got both the 430 & 580 (bought the 580 as a replacement a few months back) but still honestly prefer to use the 430EX for 'casual' type work, etc. But the price difference now-a-days is very slim on both units compared to what it used to be...so if you've got the $$$ for for the 580, as it will obviously be a better piece of kit. Both the 430 & 580 will also trip a studio flash head via their I.R. which is quite handy, too. Just the 580 has much more power (good for larger scale, etc.). xxx
 
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