silly flash question

[cowman345]

I'm thinking about buying an external flash as I've taken quite a liking to the 10d's wonderful fill flash abilities and want to explore flash photography a bit more.

I've never used an external flash, and am not sure what great benefits they hold in comparison to the internal flash.

Can someone give me a quick run-down of benefits and some suggestions about which unit to invest in? i think the 550ex is out of my range. how do the sigma counterparts compare to the canon models?

-dave-

[Pekka]

cowman345 wrote:
I'm thinking about buying an external flash as I've taken quite a liking to the 10d's wonderful fill flash abilities and want to explore flash photography a bit more.

I've never used an external flash, and am not sure what great benefits they hold in comparison to the internal flash.

Can someone give me a quick run-down of benefits and some suggestions about which unit to invest in? i think the 550ex is out of my range. how do the sigma counterparts compare to the canon models?

-dave-


I don't know about that Sigma, but benefits of external flashes are various:

Flash light can be redirected to bounce from roof or wall, or target subject only partly.

Several types of light diffusers can be attached.

Flash light can come from other direction than camera (radio, infrared or optical slave devices).

More than one flash possible (radio, infrared or optical slave devices).

Flash can zoom with the lens so it covers only the are you shoot (and range extends)

Longer range.

Strobo (550 only?)

Better control over exposure (flash EV an e.g. manual mode in 550)

Acts as AF assist light.

[charr5]

I have the Canon 380EX and it works well with my 10D, yet I bought it a long time ago and I'm not even sure they sell it anymore...I haven't looked for flashes in a while.
One thing I wish I had looked into was a flash that Rotates as well as tilts up and down. I read about this after I bought the one I have now (which doesn't have this option). If you are taking a verticle shot and want to bounce the flash off the ceiling you can't because it only will tilt upwards (which is now towards the side wall) Make sense?
I'm sure it can be done if you have a flash bracket on the camera, but things then get kind of bulky.
These are my two cents. Maybe it will help or at least give you something to think about.
Good luck.
CMH

[robertwgross]

Canon 550EX does the up-down swivel, and also the right-left swivel, so you can bounce it in most directions.

---Bob Gross---

[trsqr]

cowman345 wrote:
Can someone give me a quick run-down of benefits and some suggestions about which unit to invest in? i think the 550ex is out of my range. how do the sigma counterparts compare to the canon models?


I've been using the EF500 DG ST with a 10D happily for a couple of months now. If you're interested, I've written a short text about the flash: http://www.trsqr.net/photo/ef500dg.html

-olli

[Yance]

Get the Canons, they are well-built and you don't have to worry about something not being compatable with the camera. IMHO they are worth the extra prices.

[RichardtheSane]

If the 550 is outof your price range then consider the 420ex - basically the updated 380ex but still a very capable flashgun.

Or save a bit and get the 550, it is superb :)

[rdenney]

Something I haven't seen yet is that the cobra-head flash on the camera is higher than the nose flash, which will keep that big Canon lens shade from casting a shadow in the image.

Rick "who always recommends a lens shade, especially with flash" Denney

[dlhammer]

I have a Metz 54, 550EX and the EF500 DG ST. I've bought all of them trying to make the D-60 more consistent with the flash!!! In hindsight, it may have been better to learn and utilize the Sigma I bought first, but I can now try them all. :-)

The EF500 DG ST or the 550EX give me the same results on my 1D. In other-words, from the finished photos, I can't tell the difference. On the D-60, the Metz 54 works best because it functions well in Auto or ETTL and the D-60 has a hard time with ETTL if you don't FEL etc. In my opinion, if you own a D-60, the Metz is the way to go, especially if you don't need the flexibility of the ST-E2. You can fire away in Auto with the camera in manual and get great results.

As to build quality, quite frankly, both the Canon and Sigma look and feel comparable. The internals may be nicer on the Canon, but I don't know that. Visually, the Metz is head and shoulders above both. It's like comparing a Toyota to a BMW. Both are well built, but the BMW just feels better. I don't know if it means anything to you or not, but the Canon comes in a cheesy vinyl case that's an embarrassment for such a high-dollar piece of hardware. In this department, the Sigma is tops.

I've had good luck firing the Canon and Sigma into umbrellas with the ST-E2. That's the setup I use for a portable light setup and it works great with the 1D.

[cowman345]

can the sigma control a 420ex as a slave like the 550 can?

[dlhammer]

I don't have that combination, but I assume it will. It's a function for function clone of the 550EX. BTW - its the EF 500 DG Super version you want for Canon. Checked mine and that's what I have. See htttp://www.sigmaphoto.com/html/flashes.htm for a chart showing its specifications