Good Flash

[Amnesia180]

Hi there...

I'm looking for a good flash for my camera, I've been using the standard one at the moment - but seen as I have just forked out £190 for a Sigma 24mm-70mm EX Macro DG, I thought I might as well get a flash and the 50mm f/1.8 for £80.

So how much should I be looking to pay for my first flash... and what sort of make/model?

[etaf]

i would get the 580EX as its designed to work with the 20D, it offers a lot of functionality for DSLR
or the 550EX which is cheaper but does not take into account crop factor or WB etc
But it should not cost £870 for those two items

[Amnesia180]

Oops! I've edited the post, I meant £80 for the 50mm prime.. :)

[foxbat]

The Canon 580EX is the latest and greatest. I have it, it is very good and it can be had for £240 including delivery at one-stop-digital (http://www.onestop-digital.com/catalog/).

Take a look at the flash forum (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=35), there are dozens of threads on this subject.

[pfogle]

I've been using a jessops flash which cost £17 and it works great. It has it's own sensor for exposure (no ttl or anything fancy) but the results are fine. It's got a tilt/swivel head, and seems reasonably well made. Power is rated at 42, so I guess it replaces the 420EX, at about 1/10 the price.

I only use flash occasionally, so this one is fine for me.

[Ephemeral]

I have the 430EX. It serves me well. Unless you know you will use the extra features in the 580EX.

[Wilt]

Hi there...

I'm looking for a good flash for my camera, I've been using the standard one at the moment - but seen as I have just forked out £190 for a Sigma 24mm-70mm EX Macro DG, I thought I might as well get a flash and the 50mm f/1.8 for £80.

So how much should I be looking to pay for my first flash... and what sort of make/model?

The 580EX may well be far more power and a few more features than the 430EX. You may not need that for the photography you intend!

If you plan on using it for family snapshots, the power of the 580 is more power than I used FOR YEARS in professionally covering weddings and using Metz 45CL flash units (the 58 is GN in meters for 580, the 45 is GN in meters for the 45CL...so you can see how much power the 580 is putting out!) The 430 is plenty fine as a starter and well beyond.