Speedlite Flash

[Tumeg]

I am new to flashes... and was looking into buying one, but idk what to get.

I was looking into the 430EX but I am not sure if there may be a cheaper alternative, I am not looking for anything professional but I don't want a crappy flash. $250 is my budget,
also... do flashes come with the diffusers? (The ones that snap on the front) and do I need any extras to connect the flash to my camera? (I have a rebel XTi)

[Curtis N]

The 430EX is a good, basic flash unit. Most of the alternatives that are priced significantly less lack some capability that you may someday need. I think it's fairly priced.

It doesn't come with a diffuser, and you don't need one. It will work fine on your Rebel XTi.

Knowledge is much more important than accessories. I highly recommend the Lighting 101 tutorials at strobist (http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/), and the Flash Photography 101 articles here may help you too.

[Tumeg]

if the 430EX does not have a diffuser, wouldn't it be the same as the on camera flash? (Just bigger, more powerful, and better (lol)) Like... light wise, wouldn't it still be a "flat" flash?

[bostlaw]

Try bouncing your on-camera flash...bet ya have a hard time focusing...:D

[Curtis N]

if the 430EX does not have a diffuser, wouldn't it be the same as the on camera flash?Like I said,

Knowledge, not accessories, makes for effective use of flash, or any other light source.

It's not that accessories are worthless, but they aren't much good without knowledge.

Please take some time to study the resources I mentioned.

[MT Stringer]

Tumeg, here are some examples of the 430 used with my 20D. I have given it a pretty good workout and it just keeps on firing.

Pic #1 - I shot this pic of Haley sitting on a picnic table with an 85 f/1.8 lens. The camera was on manual ISO 400; 1/200 sec @ f/2.8. The flash was in the hot shoe with a Stofen diffuser on it.

Pic #2 - was shot at a high school football game from the sideline. The flash was mounted upside down about 18 inches underneath the camera on my monopod. It was connected to the camera via the Offshoe Cord 2. The camera was on manual; ISO 1600, 1/250 sec @ f/4. I was using the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 lens with a 1.4xTC (98-280mm).

I think the 430EX would do just fine for you.
Good luck.
Mike

[evorgsumaf]

^^
This might be a stupid question MT Stringer, but why was the flash upside down on the mono pod? So you could get the light under the girl's hats?

[MT Stringer]

Yes, to light up the faces in the helmets and to help eliminate the dreaded red-eye by moving the flash head as far away from the camera as possible. It works pretty good for eliminating the red eye.

Here's my contraption.
Thanks.
Mike

[rhys]

Might I suggest a Sunpak 383 at $80. It's not ETTL but will teach you a lot about flash and as long as you keep the aperture consistent with what you tell the Sunpak to do, it'll be fine and possibly be more easily controllable for power output. If, once you've done that and I do recommend reading up the strobist approach, you wish to go further then you will and you'll have $170 still in your pocket. Be aware though that the Sunpaks recycle very slowly in comparison to the Canon flash units.

[4x4rock]

MT Stringer, that's a pretty cool clamp you made there. How did you connect the coldshoe adapter to the Elbow threaded end?

Do they actually sell a clamp similar to this?

[MT Stringer]

Here's a couple more pics. The mount is 1" PVC pipe with the tee cut in half so it would fit around my monopod. The other parts are 1/2" mainly because I already had some 1/2 inch pipe and I knew I would need a connector between the tee and the elbow. The plug has a 1/4 x 20 bolt fitted through it and epoxied in place. I used painters tape to protect the monopod from the hose clamps.
I got the cold shoe from a swivel bracket I had bought here:

http://www.flashzebra.com/umbrella_adapter.shtml

NOTE: I used this setup for four games with no problems encountered.

Hope this helps.
Mike

[4x4rock]

MT Stringer, thanks for the info and more pics. I'll looking into making something like this soon.

Thanks