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View Full Version : whats the best speedlight for an amateur?

thrash_273
21st of October 2007 (Sun), 19:48
model, price and why? thanks!
bwolford
21st of October 2007 (Sun), 19:52
Read the sticky threads at the top of this forum.
liza
21st of October 2007 (Sun), 19:53
430EX, about 230 bucks, and it's a decent flash for a beginner that can be used as a slave if you upgrade to the 580EX later.
thrash_273
21st of October 2007 (Sun), 20:00
430EX, about 230 bucks, and it's a decent flash for a beginner that can be used as a slave if you upgrade to the 580EX later.
ive check on ritz camera, its around 299. where can i get that for 230?
cdifoto
21st of October 2007 (Sun), 20:03
ive check on ritz camera, its around 299. where can i get that for 230?

Just about anywhere online. If you find it significantly less than $230 it's a scam.
thrash_273
21st of October 2007 (Sun), 20:06
Just about anywhere online. If you find it significantly less than $230 it's a scam.
ayt, tnx
///M3Matt
21st of October 2007 (Sun), 20:42
check out amazon.com

that's where i got my 430ex for 230....love it :)
Titus213
21st of October 2007 (Sun), 23:52
If you find it for significantly more than $230 it's probably Ritz.
thrash_273
22nd of October 2007 (Mon), 06:26
check out amazon.com

that's where i got my 430ex for 230....love it :)
i think b&h has same deal.
swimchic
22nd of October 2007 (Mon), 17:56
i think b&h has same deal.

You'll learn to love B&H, I quickly did, they're a great company!
Ya, go with the 430, it's a great beginner flash, cheap, and you'll learn a lot before you grow out of it.
Gatorboy
22nd of October 2007 (Mon), 18:23
Vivitar 285HV -- $90
onedownfiveup
23rd of October 2007 (Tue), 00:47
Vivitar 285HV -- $90

Just ordered this as my first flash. Can't wait to receive it. :D
thrash_273
25th of October 2007 (Thu), 20:17
Vivitar 285HV -- $90
do you have a picture?
DocFrankenstein
25th of October 2007 (Thu), 20:56
Vivitar 285HV -- $90
Awesome flash.

do you have a picture?
When you google, keep in mind that that particular flash works much better than it looks. lol

Just ordered this as my first flash. Can't wait to receive it. :D
Smart move. Where did you find a new one?
onedownfiveup
25th of October 2007 (Thu), 21:39
Smart move. Where did you find a new one?

bhphotovideo.com
DocFrankenstein
25th of October 2007 (Thu), 22:09
bhphotovideo.com
lol

I thought they were discontinued. I wanted to get one to have one new one. All of my others have been used to shoot millions of weddings.
onedownfiveup
25th of October 2007 (Thu), 23:22
lol

I thought they were discontinued. I wanted to get one to have one new one. All of my others have been used to shoot millions of weddings.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/61441-REG/Vivitar_233965_285HV_Auto_Flash.html

Not that I know of. I ordered one on Tuesday and should receive it tomorrow.
MONK3Y_M4GIC
26th of October 2007 (Fri), 04:21
the vivitar can't be used as a slave can it?
cdifoto
26th of October 2007 (Fri), 04:26
Vivitars don't swivel. They only bounce - fine for on a stand but not so much onboard. I'd rather (and do) have a Sunpak 383...it bounces and swivels. The Vivtar has a zoom head but the Sunpak does not. 99% of the time I'm bouncing though anyway...zooming doesn't matter.
cdifoto
26th of October 2007 (Fri), 04:27
the vivitar can't be used as a slave can it?

No, not in E-TTL. Neither it nor the Sunpak I mentioned are E-TTL flashes. You can set it up manually with a small, inexpensive optical trigger or PC cord or radio wireless (pocketwizards, et al).
Gatorboy
26th of October 2007 (Fri), 06:03
Vivitar started re-producing the 285 several months back. These can safely be put onto your digital camera.

For an amatuer, it's a great, inexpensive flash. It doesn't have E-TTL support, which is nice for it forces the amatuer to LEARN how a flash works! This is why the Pentax K1000 (totally manual film camera) was such a huge sucess.
thrash_273
5th of November 2007 (Mon), 08:20
atlast, i got my speed light.=) ff. are my first mini studio photo shoot. using my nifty 1/60 1.8 iso 100 using my 430ex.=)