Cheap Flashgun- Yongnuo YN460 or Canon 420EZ/430EZ for on camera & wireless PT-04 GY

wicker_man

wicker_man

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Hi, I am looking for an extremely cheap way of getting a flashgun for my Canon EOS 40D, mainly for bounce/fill on-camera and getting some cheap eBay triggers (something like the PT-04 GY, need to research more if it is good) for wireless off camera flash.

I've found two options:

1. Yongnuo YN460, a manual cheap flashgun with swivel from Hong Kong.
2. An older Canon Speedlite 420EZ or 430EZ, used from eBay.

Basically, which one would be best for my uses? I've researched and am aware that they will be in manual mode, but as I can't afford to be spending £100+ on an EX flashgun, I thought it would be a good idea to learn and experiment.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
 
If i were you, i would go for the YN flash, and wait a little while longer for the new 2.4ghz triggers to start arriving. A guy on Strobist flickr is rating them very highly. He has managed 200mtrs distance at 1/250th sync speed, for 100% of the time, he has also got them to shoot at 100mtrs in a forest, thick with trees, and through 3 old Manor House walls that he reports were around 2 feet thick:eek: This setup should cost you less than your £100 budget, so the rest you can spend on a nice coffee:thumbs:
 
Canon 430EZ flashes have a time out after 90 seconds. This may prove difficult for "Strobist" use.

They are nicely built though.
 
Thanks for the responses. I think I'll go for the YN flash then. I suppose the 90 second timeout on the EZ flash would make life a bit difficult!

Newyorkaddict, I'll check out the triggers a bit more, thanks for the link. I didn't say I have a budget of £100 (if I did, I'd probably get a used 430ex mk1!). I just want a cheap as possible flashgun (I'm a student with little money!)

I've found the PT-04 GY one for around £13 on eBay which seems quite good, but obviously I need to check out how people rate them.
 
I know the PT-04 triggers i had were OKAY, but only okay. I am now on the CTR-301's and am finding them far better. Build quality is better, distance, triggering, no misfires etc. They may be worth looking at too.:thumbs:
 
newyorkaddict said:
Problem with the Lumopro is the shipping, you will most likely get stung for tax.
Click to expand...


If you want these triggers and the YN460 or 462 flashes I can bring a batch in. They can be here next weekend if there is stock available and enough demand...
 
OK, after researching, I think I've settled on the Yongnuo YN-460 with CTR-301P triggers. The LumoPro looks nice, but a bit pricey.

Flash In The Pan, how much can you get them for? I've found the YN-460 on eBay for £29 delivered with a diffuser (like a Stofen), and the CTR-301P from DealExtreme for £13.93 (at current exchange rate). I'll probably also be picking up a YN-128 wireless remote (£11.79), I don't suppose you can get those also?

Many thanks.
 
newyorkaddict said:
Problem with the Lumopro is the shipping, you will most likely get stung for tax.
Click to expand...

There is that I guess. On the other hand I can't imagine you would get much of a flash for £26 delivered though. :shrug: Secondhand Nikon's are another option, but they aren't particularly cheap, but the build quality will be better. :thumbs:
 
wicker_man said:
OK, after researching, I think I've settled on the Yongnuo YN-460 with CTR-301P triggers. The LumoPro looks nice, but a bit pricey.

Flash In The Pan, how much can you get them for? I've found the YN-460 on eBay for £29 delivered with a diffuser (like a Stofen), and the CTR-301P from DealExtreme for £13.93 (at current exchange rate). I'll probably also be picking up a YN-128 wireless remote (£11.79), I don't suppose you can get those also?

Many thanks.
Click to expand...

I can probably do them for slightly more than the HK price
 
OK, I'll probably get them from eBay/DealExtreme then because I'm looking for the cheapest, but thanks anyway!
 
newyorkaddict said:
If i were you, i would go for the YN flash, and wait a little while longer for the new 2.4ghz triggers to start arriving. A guy on Strobist flickr is rating them very highly. He has managed 200mtrs distance at 1/250th sync speed, for 100% of the time, he has also got them to shoot at 100mtrs in a forest, thick with trees, and through 3 old Manor House walls that he reports were around 2 feet thick:eek: This setup should cost you less than your £100 budget, so the rest you can spend on a nice coffee:thumbs:
Click to expand...

I'm not convinced that these won't be plagued by radio interference problems in the UK, but if anyone is wanting to try them then I'll happily order a batch in...
 
Flash In The Pan said:
I'm not convinced that these won't be plagued by radio interference problems in the UK, but if anyone is wanting to try them then I'll happily order a batch in...
Click to expand...

The main guy testing them - Cleva Treva - is in the UK, he had them by his mobile phone and wireless router and found no problems. I am keeping an eye on the thread to see how things go as the batches get higher in volume, possible issues in lower quality, but from the reports they seem good so far.
 
I ordered one YN460 and CTR-301P Wireless Flash Trigger with 2 Receivers on ebay (hkyongnuophotoequipment) on August 5th 2009.

On August 25th 2009 I received the mail notice to go pick up the package from the postal office.
Going to pick it up tomorrow and I will post my first impression.

I also bought some other small stuff in total of 120$ and I got the following prices:
- YN460: 45$
- CTR-301P (trasmitter + 2 recv.): 39.99$
(including shiipping to europe)
 
2.4ghz is the frequency used for most radio control racing and ive never had a problem, even at a race meet where upto 200 people use it without a problem, most of them will sync to the same frequency and if its used or not avail it changes to a free one
 
I've picked up my YN460 and CTR-301ps.
I have to say that I am really really impressed with the low price they are sold for and the build quality for that money.
They were carefully wrapped so they came all the way from Hong Kong to Europe with no problems.

The flash feels very strongly build, except the battery door.
The CTR-301p's feel like cheap plastic, but they work exactly as they suppose to, so I see no reason to spend 20-30 times as much on a professional wireless trigger system that does exactly the same thing.

I tested the flash with the wireless triggers and had no miss-fires. It fired every time.

However I noticed at 1/250 a dark line at the bottom of the picture. (taken with my Canon EOS 40D).
I will have to test the CTR-310p with my Canon Speedlite 430 EX II to see if the flash duration of YN460 is to short or CTR-310p's cannot sync at 1/250.
I read somewhere that the batteries of the CTR-301p's might be the issues at 1/250 so I will also have to replace them and test again.

I have to mention the following:
- at 1/200 everything is ok.
- for the CTR-301p's I am using the batteries that came in the package
 
Personally, Id have gone for the 420ez canons and the new rf-602.

In fact, I have both of these things, and they work perfectly together. The auto sleep mode on the canons has now been overcome with the new yongnuo triggers, as they wake up when you press the shutter button halfway.

The triggers are truly fantastic, and I have used Pocket Wizards before. Id prefer them to PW's, my wife certainly does.

The canons are also very well made, I have two early 420ez and are both working perfectly after I have given them a good hammering. Not quite as good as Sunpak 383, they are my preferred option.

Kris
 
I received the YN460 and CTR-301p triggers the day before I went on holiday (2 weeks ago) and therefore didn't really have that much time to figure them out and experiment much.

During my holiday, I used the YN360 occasionally on camera to bounce the flash and impressions seem quite good. Due to the manual power management, it does require a few tries at different levels, and the power output doesn't seem that consistent (sometimes identical shots seemed brighter/darker) but for £29, I can't complain!

I'll leave more feedback, and more on the triggers once I have used them a bit more (but from first impressions they seem to work well.)
 
Spotted a guy this morning in the park trying out flashes, I wondered what he was doing at first. Turns out he bought three of these flashes on Amazon for just over £100 and was intending using them at a photo shoot tonight with some kids football team.

They easily flashed from the goalmouth to the centre line.

I might go along and watch tonight.
 
have to say, i use the 301p triggers for a little while now and find them excellent, never had a missfire, using with nikon sb25's and a d300 at 250th and im sure 320th as well.

i love the small size of the transmitter, seems much smaller than other budget options, which is great for working fast

definete recommendation
 
I've used CTR301 triggers for ages also, never had a problem... but I can only sync to 1/200th with my D200 and SB600. At 1/250th the curtain is just on the edge of the frame, although I've never changed the battery in either trans or receiver to see if that allows 1/250th as I've not needed to. I may splash out on a couple of cheap flashes to compliment the SB600 just to have a play.
 
Kris said:
Personally, Id have gone for the 420ez canons and the new rf-602.

In fact, I have both of these things, and they work perfectly together. The auto sleep mode on the canons has now been overcome with the new yongnuo triggers, as they wake up when you press the shutter button halfway.

The triggers are truly fantastic, and I have used Pocket Wizards before. Id prefer them to PW's, my wife certainly does.

The canons are also very well made, I have two early 420ez and are both working perfectly after I have given them a good hammering. Not quite as good as Sunpak 383, they are my preferred option.

Kris
Click to expand...

Kris

What's the max synch speed you are getting on these triggers - I'm using the same flash on an EOS 40D but can't get above 1/30 with the CTR 301

TIA
 
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