which canon speedlite is for me?!

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tikigod19

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Hi all,
Ive switched from nikon to canon and would like to buy a speedlite flash.

I used to have a cheap jessops one with my nikon d90 and pretty much hated it. If fired directly with TTL on it would always be too powerful.

I recently videod a wedding and the photographer had a belt mounted power pack connected to the flash (or possibly via the camera I'm not sure) did I see correctly or does this not exist!?

I like this idea and would like to know if it is compatible with all speedlites?

With my old jessop it was very complicated to just manually turn down the power, everything was measured in focal disdance, fstop, etc which is fine if it calculates correctly but this thing didnt! Is there any way on the speedlites just to select 80% power instead of 100% or is everything adjusted in the same way when in manual mode (ie - by dialing the camera settings)

It is to be used with a 60d for mainly bounced off of the ceiling stuff but I want to start using fill flash outside when in bright sunlight too. I understand the 60d can wirelessly activate speedlite flashes so again it would need to be compatible with this.

any help would be much appreciated!
 
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580 11 is the top range flash, but i get decent results on my 30D with a 430.
they are easier to tweek as they are dedicated flash heads by the manufacturer
pretty much all the EX flash heads will work with canon Dslr's.
oh. flash exposure can be dialed in from the camera.
 
Get the 580EXII. You have all the flash you need then.
 
thanks for the quick reply. I've read that the 430 is generally preferred to the 580 unless the extra power is needed. Recycle time and batteries lasting longer is more important than having that power as I dont think I'd need it.

Whats the difference between the 420 and 430?
 
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430 is the newer model i belieive. mine has been used at weddings for more than 5 yrs, and has remained faultless.
quality rechargeable battereis makes a difference to life too
mine will happily shoot a full day on one set of decent batteries.
you can get external battery packs, but they are EXPENSIVE.
we got two 430's from a well known seller on here who lives in America.
 
wow... a wedding on one set is incredible. I have 2700mah batteries and got through 4 sets at a recent wedding. Ok they didnt die totally but certainly the recycle time on my rubbish flash got too much to handle
 
"Unlike the 420EX, the Canon Speedlite 430EX Flash has a Manual Flash Mode with flash output adjustable from full to 1/64 power (7 levels). If your subject is consistent (formal portraits for example), a manual flash output setting can eliminate shot-to-shot exposure variations. Manual control of the flash head zoom is also a differentiating feature."

I think this is the posh wording for what I used to call the annoying "one minute its pitch black and the next its pure white" syndrome. I like this
 
tikigod19 said:
wow... a wedding on one set is incredible. I have 2700mah batteries and got through 4 sets at a recent wedding. Ok they didnt die totally but certainly the recycle time on my rubbish flash got too much to handle
Click to expand...

I too got a day's shooting (over 500 shots) from a 430 using one set of cheap Lidl rechargeables.

Absolutely no need for those Eneloop doo-dahs that folk on here think are the bee's knees!
 
I bought a 580EXII based on the fact what does more does less and I would always be wanting the 580EXII if I had bought the 430EXII. I loved it so much that I bought a 2nd one to save swapping it between boddies when using both cameras. Once you learn what the buttons and dial do you will be able to change settings quickly and easily. The downside is the size it is quite a bit bigger than the 430EXII no problems with recycle times I have a selection of rechargables enelops, hybrio's and the cheapy lidl 2700mha's all work fine.
 
The only thing is I'm far from a pro and the 60d is quite a small body so I think the 430 sounds like it'll be ok for me. Apparently it's silent when it recharges? The one wedding I did do, I used my cheap flash once before I decided it was too noisy and everyone was looking at me!
 
Yep the 430ex is lovely and quiet.:):thumbs:
 
Get the 430EXII. Great gun.

Main difference between that and the 580EXII is the master controller facility (which you have in the 60D) and the extra power - about one stop. But if you don't need that then the other benefits are relatively minor.
 
430EX II it is. Thanks guys
 
Or save a few quid and get a Nissin.
 
The23rdman said:
Or save a few quid and get a Nissin.
Click to expand...

Bu you then won't have the wireless E-TTL flash facility, which I think is a huge advantage, especially as it will work with multiple flash units.

Steve
 
I have several of both, using wireless ettl if/when the situation dictates.

The deciding factor for me is that the 580 head swivels 180 degrees both ways, thus can bounce off the wall behind me when in portrait orientation. The 430 cannot, and you are restricted to ceiling bounce. This only applies to on camera flash, obviously.

If this is your first, Id get the 580.

Oh, and it cant take a battery pack.
 
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430EXII can swivel sideways through 90 degrees in one direction & 180 in the other - I just tried it. Obviously i can swivel by just over 90 degrees vertically.

I run a 430 II on a 7D without a problem, but do intend to get a 580 to add to it.

Steve

Kris said:
I have several of both, using wireless ettl if/when the situation dictates.

The deciding factor for me is that the 580 head swivels 180 degrees both ways, thus can bounce off the wall behind me when in portrait orientation. The 430 cannot, and you are restricted to ceiling bounce. This only applies to on camera flash, obviously.

If this is your first, Id get the 580.

Oh, and it cant take a battery pack.
Click to expand...
 
The 430 wont swivel 180 degrees to the right, which is exactly where you want it too. The SB800 was the same, until people modded them by taking them apart.

Its essential to me, so I regard the 430 on camera as very restrictive.
 
Kris said:
The 430 wont swivel 180 degrees to the right, which is exactly where you want it too. The SB800 was the same, until people modded them by taking them apart.

Its essential to me, so I regard the 430 on camera as very restrictive.
Click to expand...

I don't understand.... :thinking:

If it turns 180 degrees in one direction then it solves the problem, unless you are saying that you need it to turn in excess of 90 degrees in both directions, as when you have the body in portrait mode, it won't go past 90 degrees the way you hold the camera.

Steve
 
The way anybody holds their cameras in portrait.

All my cameras have add on bottom grips or built in grips with shutter buttons. Hold the camera by the grip and you cannot get the 430 past 90 degrees pointing upwards, as the 430 wont let you and you are restricted to ceiling bounce, not rear wall bounce. Try it yourself and you will see. You may get it around to 180 the other way, but that's no good in portrait mode. I amy want it at 100 degrees, or 140 degrees. I certainly want it past 90 degrees in vertical camera orientation. Or rather my style of flash photography dictates that I have the 580.

Yours may not.

I'm sure Canon just do this sort of thing to make you buy the more expensive guns. But hey ho.

Hey, I used to live in Uxbridge!!!
 
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Just tried that "bounce of the wall behind me" technique - cool !!
 
Master, full swivel, battery pack, better built, waterproof, nicer controls (rotary dial), white bounce card, power, etc etc.

Easily justifies 150 notes, your opinion may differ.

However, the 430 is still an excellent unit.

Edit - I have read the opinions above about battery consumption. I have to disagree. Every wedding venue is different, and each requires different power output. Also, I keep to the lowest ISO I can. I could easily get a full wedding out of 4 AAs, but Id be running at 1600ISO. I usually go through two external battery clips - ie, 16 batteries per wedding.
 
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