ProMaster Vs. Canon

[larann78]

Hey, I have a Canon 430EX already, but have taken on another shooter at the studio that is going to help with weddings but doesn't have a flash. I looked into the 580EX, which I really llike, but it's so damn expensive. Have any of you heard of ProMaster? What do you think of the quality? Which ProMaster flash would be similar to the 580?

[forkball]

For weddings... I'd steer clear of Promaster. But their 7500EDF I believe is their flagship.

[scorpio_e]

If you have Canon equipment, I would stick with a Canon flash. It is engineed to work with the Canon cameras.

[pixelmechanic]

Promaster is a buying group that uses various companies as suppliers and then markets under their own name. (Promaster lenses are Tamron, not sure who makes their flashes).

Promaster flashes have compatability with Canon shoes, but they are not totally Canon ETTL compatible.

[Curtis N]

If you have Canon equipment, I would stick with a Canon flash. It is engineed to work with the Canon cameras.The Promaster is engineered to work with Canon cameras, too.

But the problem is, it's reverse-engineered. So it works with today's cameras but maybe not tomorrow's. I have a Promaster 7500DX that works great with E-TTL bodies but not E-TTL II bodies. When I bought my 20D, I had to buy a new flash. Canon's EX Speedlites work with every Canon body, even the Speedlites that were manufactured before E-TTL II came along.

Aftermarket brands like Promaster and Sigma are designed as low-cost alternatives for amateurs. They generally are a good value but they aren't designed for heavy professional use and sometimes have compatibility problems down the road.

The Promaster flash also limits your options for system expansion. It has no wireless E-TTL capability, no high speed sync, and no provision for an external battery.