Flash for G9

[ccg]

I'm looking to add a flash to my G9. Can anyone recommend a nice compact unit for the camera?

thanks

Carl

[NickSimcheck]

EX430? or 220EX?

The biggest difference is the 220's head doesn't move, which is what would make the EX430 the choice for me as you can bounce it.

I can't think of any really small flashes that are on par with the Canon ones.

[andydajo]

The Speedlite 220ex complements to G9 well, although not in the same class, it looks more at home than the 580ex.

[bobtodrick]

I've found that the combination of the 220EX with the Canon Off Shoe Cord works well. When I want bounce it is fairly easy to hold the camera with one hand and the flash with the other...this way you have far more options to point the flash exactly where you want it.

[Savas K]

I have the 220 and 430 and will usually grab the 430 when I want flash photos to come out nice.

[Sonex305]

I've been using my 430EX and it works great, and actually feels quite good on the G9. I do have the aftermarket grip on mine though and the genuine Canon G9 leather case that stays on the camera.

[tuan209]

I wish Canon had something like the Nikon SB400 for the G9. Using the 580ex or 480ex almost makes using the G9 pointless, it loses its appeal of being portable.

[ccg]

Thanks for all your replies. I would love to find a low profile flash for my G9 like the SB23 i have for my Nikon. Great flash!!

Thanks again

carl

[andydajo]

I wish Canon had something like the Nikon SB400 for the G9. Using the 580ex or 480ex almost makes using the G9 pointless, it loses its appeal of being portable..

Thanks for all your replies. I would love to find a low profile flash for my G9 like the SB23 i have for my Nikon. Great flash!!

Thanks again

carl

Isn't the 220EX similar to both of the above mentioned nikon flashes??

[tuan209]

I think it is similar but the Nikon SB400 is physically a lot smaller. It might be half the height of the 220ex.

[MyG7]

I have a G7 and am happy with it except for photos indoors. The pictures always seem to be too dark using the G7's flash and red eye is almost always there. For example my daughter had a Christmas play at her school. It was in a well lit gym, but every picture was dark. After fooling around with the ISO and M settings, and flash settings, i gave up and just switched it back to auto w/flash. I know little about external flash use. Will any kind of external flash help this out? Are the Canon external flashes (e.g., 220ex) controllable from the camera, for instance in P mode I can adjust the intensity of the flash. Can this be done with externals? Thanks for any advice.

[andydajo]

I have a G7 and am happy with it except for photos indoors. The pictures always seem to be too dark using the G7's flash and red eye is almost always there. For example my daughter had a Christmas play at her school. It was in a well lit gym, but every picture was dark. After fooling around with the ISO and M settings, and flash settings, i gave up and just switched it back to auto w/flash. I know little about external flash use. Will any kind of external flash help this out? Are the Canon external flashes (e.g., 220ex) controllable from the camera, for instance in P mode I can adjust the intensity of the flash. Can this be done with externals? Thanks for any advice.

There is a flash exposure compensation feature, + or - 2 stops of intensity.

[nutsnbolts]

The 430ex is the best investment in my opinion. The 220, although smaller is nice as well. I am sure whether the 220 can be used as slave but to compliment my 580exII, a 430ex is a no brainer.

I would like a flash for my G9 that is a lot smaller than the 430ex but that is wishful thinking and that would mean I would only have to use it on my g9. I need versatility in my equipment.

[linuxguy]

I have a G7 and am happy with it except for photos indoors. The pictures always seem to be too dark using the G7's flash and red eye is almost always there. For example my daughter had a Christmas play at her school. It was in a well lit gym, but every picture was dark. After fooling around with the ISO and M settings, and flash settings, i gave up and just switched it back to auto w/flash. I know little about external flash use. Will any kind of external flash help this out? Are the Canon external flashes (e.g., 220ex) controllable from the camera, for instance in P mode I can adjust the intensity of the flash. Can this be done with externals? Thanks for any advice.

Allow me to let you in on a dirty little secret - properly done flash photography is much better than available light photography under marginal (indoor) conditions.

I had a D50 with a 50f/1.8 prime. Arguably one of the best camera-lens combos for available light photography. There were lots of situations where I could open the lens up, crank the ISO up and drop shutter speeds and get some pretty good images. But shadowing can be a problem. WB can be a big problem, especially if you are getting natural light and artificial light on the subject. And image noise can be problem too.

Then I bought a flash. The Nikon SB600, roughly akin to the Canon 430EX. I learned to bounce it and diffuse it and I learned to set the camera up for evaluative flash metering.

As a result, my indoor photography world changed. My subjects had more color and tone. Less shadowing. They looked brighter, more natural. I could shoot faster shutter speeds with less high ISO noise. It was great.

The key to all this is to diffuse the flash light source. In camera flash systems are very directional and the flash is too close to the lens. This gives harsh shadows, subject highlighting, dark backgrounds and red eye problems.

When you go to an external flash you can bounce the flash off the ceiling or put a diffuser on it. This makes the flash much less directional. The external flash is further from the lens center so red eye isn't a problem. And the external flash is much more powerful and wider so it lights up the subject and surroundings, making the picture look natural.

Luckily the G9 is great at flash photography. It has a flash hotshoe. It supports evaluative metering. (ETTL-II) It even supports wireless flash control ! The flash possibilities with the G9 are nearly endless. Start reading !

I don't know much about the 220EX, but I know it doesn't swivel so it can't be bounced. I also wonder if it has enough power to be used with a diffuser like the Stofen. I think I would get a 430EX even though it is larger and more expensive for just these reasons.

Good luck and let us know how it works out for you.

[Savas K]

220EX has more power than the built-in flash and places the light source marginally above the lens. It can light up a large gathering in a big room, though the 430EX does a superior job.

[gubak1]

Hi!
I have been using 220EX, and I am very pleased with the result. This model is the best choice!

[miguelmarcos]

Has anyone tried the 220ex with a gadget infinity or pocket wizard transmitter? It would make the lack of flexible flash head a moot point since you could point it wherever you want.

[Collin85]

I'd get a 430EX.. I find the 220EX far too limiting in terms of available features.

[miguelmarcos]

Do you suggest that because the 220 has no manual controls or lack of power?

I'm a neophyte at flash technique.

[Padrino]

The problem with 220 is the lack of Tilting capabilities. All that can be fixed with a proper TTL cable or a wireless trigger, counting on that you have one of your hands free or a little tripod to mount it.

[MyG7]

Thanks to all for the help. I will probably go with the 220 since it is small and the price is right. Anything larger seems awkward on the G7. Plus I want to keep the G7's compactness intact.

[arquitecto]

please explain to me (and don't laugh) why i can't use a nikon SB400 w/ my new G9?

[GordonSBuck]

please explain to me (and don't laugh) why i can't use a nikon SB400 w/ my new G9?

You probably can and probably will like the results. I don't have an SB400 but I regularly use SB-24 and SB-28 with Canon G3 and G9. You'll have to work in G9 Manual Mode though -- but that's OK. If the SB400 has the in-flash auto mode then that will work also but again, be sure the G9 is in Manual.

I just posted some external flash pics using the Canon 580EX with G9 on my blog and will be doing a sort of series on that topic. Next up is the 580EX + 420EX and the SB800 is after that. Nothing particularly fancy or special but illustrative that it can be done.

Gordon
http://lightdescription.blogspot.com

[linuxguy]

From Gordon's blog...

"ETTL flash control does not work when the Canon G9 is in Manual Mode. The output power of a Canon flash mounted on the G9 must be adjusted either on the G9 or on the flash when the G9 is in Manual Mode. I don’t like it but that’s the way it is -- same on all the G series cameras."

WHAT ! Please tell me this isn't true ! I used flash metering all the time in manual mode on my D50. It was great.

Could have you shot f/5.6 and 1/250th some other way and gotten the same exposure and had ETTL working for you ?

What if you would have stayed in Program mode, did an exposure out the window and locked it ? That would have set the shot at f/5.6 and 1/250th, right ? But would have the flash power then been automatically reduced ?

[miguelmarcos]

The SB400 has no manual mode. (Actually it does, but only via the Nikon D40.)

Would that preclude using it on the G9 in manual mode?

It really is an awesome size for the G9.

[carianoff]

I use my older 420EX with mine, and its fantastic. Maybe you could save some money buying a used one?

[thelightofsound]

i think i say this in all the threads about g9>flash, but i love the st-e2/580 combo. one of these days i'll get around to pp'ing some samples.

[simplykristib]

I'm looking to add a flash to my G9. Can anyone recommend a nice compact unit for the camera?

thanks

Carl

Get the 430 EX flash. You won't be sorry. :)

Kristi

[Padrino]

As Carianoff said, an used flashgun can be a great choice, small money, big light.

[Collin85]

Do you suggest that because the 220 has no manual controls or lack of power?

I'm a neophyte at flash technique.

Lack of controls, power but primarily it's lack of tilting capabilities. Sure there are ways to work around that such as using PW, but I'd rather just have a flash which tilts with no fuss off the bat.

[GordonSBuck]

From Gordon's blog...

"ETTL flash control does not work when the Canon G9 is in Manual Mode. The output power of a Canon flash mounted on the G9 must be adjusted either on the G9 or on the flash when the G9 is in Manual Mode. I don’t like it but that’s the way it is -- same on all the G series cameras."

WHAT ! Please tell me this isn't true ! I used flash metering all the time in manual mode on my D50. It was great.

Could have you shot f/5.6 and 1/250th some other way and gotten the same exposure and had ETTL working for you ?

What if you would have stayed in Program mode, did an exposure out the window and locked it ? That would have set the shot at f/5.6 and 1/250th, right ? But would have the flash power then been automatically reduced ?

Is the D50 a Nikon DSLR? The Canon DSLRs work in ETTL mode with external Canon flash. It's just the G series that don't. This causes me great confusion in going back and forth between cameras.

I didn't try the exposure locking. There's a bit of a problem in that one would have to get camera exposure locking in one place and then focus and flash exposure locking in another. But I think this can be done. Time to read the manual and experiment some more.

More and more, I am simply using all manual, off camera flash.

[Reservoir_Dog]

I have a 220 EX on my G7, it goes very well, this combination.
For bouncing, i use my 430 EX but its getting unbalanced with the latter...

http://users.telenet.be/reservoir.dog/EX220.jpg

[mzsupa5]

A slightly unorthodox approach. I have successfully used non ETTL Canon 160E and 200E flashes on my G6 (and 5D) with the camera in manual mode. Set shutter speed to 1/60 to1/200, guess an aperture and chimp the histo to find a correct exposure. With a bit of practise, not as hard as it sounds. These flashes are dirt cheap and small enough to fit a shirt pocket or camera pouch. At the other end of the scale I have used a Vivitar 285HV which auto exposes perfect thanks to its inbuilt thyristor sensor.

[30DChris]

the G9 and my 530ex are AWESOME together! Kinda clunky........but no biggie

[wcimages]

Recently purchased a G9 to compliment my 40D when I want to go light. Started thinking about flash for the G9. Remembered I had a 380EX that I don't use with the 40D (no wireless). Put it on the G9 and works great - E-TTL and zooms with lens! A little larger than I would prefer but balances OK.