550EX or 430EX?

[peber]

Hi all!

A friend of mine is looking for a flash and has found an ad for a used 550EX. The price for the used 550EX is about the same as for a new 430EX. What do you all think, should he get the 550EX or a new 430EX? He is using a 350D and his main lens is the 24-70L...

/Per

[René Damkot]

If you don't need the master capability, I'd go with a 430EX. If you need the master capability, I'd get a 580EX. I have a 580 and 550, and the 550 is used soley as a slave: I dislike the user interface.

[ray_lam5]

My 430EX is all the flash im likely to ever need unless i become a professional one day. Its a great flash for the money

[gjman]

That depends on how much the 430EX costs in your part of the world. Around here it costs $246.15 shipped from B&H. If you can get a used 550EX for about 200-225 (adjusting for your currency) its a good deal and your friend should get it.

Sure the interface is clumsy, but then a lot of folks used it just fine before there was such a thing as a 580EX. Its all about proficiency. I love both my used 550EX and I have compared it with the 580EX and with batteries the difference in weight is almost imperceptible sure the 550EX is larger but once it gets mounted on your camera and you have other things like a battery grip or a heavy L lens, believe me it make no difference. Your arms and shoulders will ache just as much with a 550 as it would with a 580.