best flash

[JCnflies]

I have been shooting macro for a number of years, mainly because I love to flyfish for trout and that game is all about the bugs. For next season, my big "project" is to try and photograph pretty much every hatch in a local river and some upstate. I'd like to really do this right ...... I am buying the Canon 180L to replace my 105 Sigma 2.8 and, because all the publications stress its importance, an excellent flash system.

So if you were me, what flash system would you recommend. i have seen some in the mid $600 range. That number does not frighten - unless there is one just about as good for a lot less.

Thanks.

[troypiggo]

Can I ask why you'd trade the 105 for the 180L? AFAIK the only thing it'll give you is a little more working distance. Image quality and magnification will be the same. I'd save the money and put it towards the flash.

If you've got that sort of budget, and you only want the flash for macro, and there isn't other equipment that you feel you need (like tripods, speedlites, off-camera shoe chord, remote shutters, filters etc) then I guess the flash to get would be the MT-24EX.

PS - this is the photo sharing section of the forum. You'd be better off posting in the macro or flash discussion forum.

[ben_r_]

Ha, funny you should ask... The best macro flash on the market just happens to be in the mid $600 range. You should look at the Canon MT-24EX and think about getting a pair of Gary Fong Puffers to use as diffusers for each of the twin flashes.

[racketman]

180L looks an excellent lens, check out this gallery taken with the cheaper Tamron 180 (I think its meant to be very sharp but AF is poor - no big deal with macro - and build quality not up to the Canon. The 180s give lovely bokeh:

http://www.pbase.com/allonkira/butterflies

his other macro and general galleries are pretty classy too.

p.s when he uses flash its the Canon 420ex

[DeCeccoNET]

+1 for the MT-24... I haven't tried diffusers, but I absolutely LOVE this flash (many possibilities creatively)

[Greg_C]

I'll spend all of your money and more and say the combo of a 180L and a MT24EX work very very well together:D I use these all of the time and love the results.

If you go for the Macro flash and keep the Sigma you'll need a adapter to mount the flash onto the front of the Siggy 105.