Bought a 430EX II and WOW!

[kindollfamilly]

Just wanted to say that I just recently bought a Canon 430EX II and I have to say that my photography has forever changed! I am now a believer, LIGHTING IS EVERYTHING. I am actually catching on to the bouncing flash thing better than I thought I would. It's amazing that just by rotating the flash head how many different looks you can get. I am a flash convert, Officially.


Brandon

[borism]

Congratulations
Not so long ago I got a 580II and my first words where also Wow

Changed forever ;)

[tim]

Wait until you get that light off your camera, it's the next big step and it's worth it :) Enjoy the flash on the camera for now :)

[DL.Photography]

I hear you....I didn't believe what bounce flash did until I tried it.

[samurairx7]

=) i was just like you when i first use a flash, it makes taking picture even that much more fun...

[Vascilli]

Wait until you get that light off your camera, it's the next big step and it's worth it :) Enjoy the flash on the camera for now :)
I sort of jumped the line, tossed aside my rarely used 380EX for a set of D-Lite 4's.. so fun. :D

[JeffreyG]

I too came at it slow (which costs more, BTW).

I got a 430EX. Very happy just to be bouncing the flash as the results were quite good.

Then I wanted to get the flash off camera, so I got an ST-E2, stand and umbrella. Even better! But I really needed a second light to fill shadows more consistently.

So I added yet another 430EX, stand and umbrella.

This all works to be sure, but since I am wanting yet even more lights I am starting to realize that my piecemeal approach was more expensive than if I had dived in. Diving in would have been all 3rd party flashes for cheap and a RF remote trigger set.

[powerslave]

Ditto! Got mine last week. Not only has it introduced me to a new chapter in photography, it has magically resurrected all my glass (18-55IS, 55-250IS, 50 f/1.8) into something magical with superfast AF and low light capabilities.

I no longer have any fear of the dark :D

[InsaneSkippy]

I'm in the same position. I just got my 430EX II the other day and I loveeee it.

[dan j]

I felt the same way when I got my 430EX II. I snapped off a few photos:
Internal flash
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b173/Dan-imal/video/IMG_0083.jpg

430EX II bounced of the ceiling
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b173/Dan-imal/video/IMG_0087.jpg

Obviously the picture isn't great, but external flashes are great!

Oh, I should point out that the photos are taken with my SX10 IS so the internal flash isn't quite as powerful as the 40D. Now I'm on to off-camera flashes thanks to my ST-E2.

dan

[Andrea Skywalker]

^ HOLY CRAP! That's a huge difference!

I'm glad you like it! This topic has made me SO much more excited to get my 430EX - I just ordered it and I'm SO excited to get it!

[tim]

In the second image the light needs to be pointed at the ceiling back towards the camera, maybe even behind it slightly. As it is the light is too near the back of the image.

[Psychobiker]

what a difference it makes eh? Photographers capture light. When you can manipulate the light...! The world is changed forever. You can make a person look ominous, happy, shocked etc., all by pointing the flash different directions!

[HSK]

I really need to get hold of a flash, i'm debating which one to get.

[freebird]

Yep a good flash is money well spent for sure.

[dogwalker]

My 430EX II is supposed to arrive today, and I'm anxious to try it. Also getting the f/1.8 50mm lens.

I have a Sunpak 383 Super Auto, and it's quite good, but I wanted TTL, and I'm hoping I'll get even more difference.

I like to bounce light, and I bought the Lumiquest 80-20 setup. It's pretty nice, can't wait to see how it works with the 430EX II.

[PBest78]

Thanks to an unexpected Christmas bonus, I finally have a 430EX II on its way, should be here tomorrow :D

[seagate]

Following some of the links at the top the flash forum I read that the ST-E2 isn't compatible with the 430EX, obviously this isn't correct.

Can you guys confirm that it indeed works with it?

cheers

[p4olom]

I don't mean to hi-jack your thread but I just got my 430ex II today from amazon!!!!!!



I'm just waiting for the eneloops to come in now.

[JeffreyG]

Following some of the links at the top the flash forum I read that the ST-E2 isn't compatible with the 430EX, obviously this isn't correct.

Can you guys confirm that it indeed works with it?

cheers

I own an ST-E2 and two 430EX and I can confirm that they work.

[seagate]

I own an ST-E2 and two 430EX and I can confirm that they work.

Thanks ;)

[dan j]

In the second image the light needs to be pointed at the ceiling back towards the camera, maybe even behind it slightly. As it is the light is too near the back of the image.
Is that in order to get rid of the shadow in front? Thanks for the tip. FWIW, that was my first day with the flash and I think I'm getting better.

dan

[shakyhand]

One way to learn to use flash is never take it off... even though outdoor in a bright sunlight... unless you're shooting landscape.... :-) I'm planning to add another 2 Canon flashes to the total of 4.

[mr.lemarc]

just got a 430ex II about 2 weeks ago...it literally does resurrect your lenses.. I almost want to put the kit lens back on my xsi.

it also puts off the desire to buy fast glass, which i think is a really good thing for our budgets.

best of all, i only paid $162 using ebay+live cashback for the 480EX II

for what its worth, I've held the 480ex II and 580 EX hand in hand, and the only noticeable difference in size for me was volume (not so much the weight). I think i'll probably pick up the 580ex II before I buy new glass.

[JeffreyG]

just got a 430ex II about 2 weeks ago...it literally does resurrect your lenses.. I almost want to put the kit lens back on my xsi.

it also puts off the desire to buy fast glass, which i think is a really good thing for our budgets.

best of all, i only paid $162 using ebay+live cashback for the 480EX II

for what its worth, I've held the 480ex II and 580 EX hand in hand, and the only noticeable difference in size for me was volume (not so much the weight). I think i'll probably pick up the 580ex II before I buy new glass.

$1000 worth of lighting (strobes, transmitters, modifiers) can do a lot more for your images than $5000 worth of lenses provided you can work in an environment that you have some control of.

But yes, overall far too many photographers dismiss flash as either being too hard to learn or always looking bad after they use an onboard flash for a while. This sends them down a path of fast glass and uselessly shallow DOF for a while before they figure it out.

I think the 'right' progression should be 1) slow zooms 2) Flash system and 3) fast primes for most photography (not including things like indoor sports or whatever). This has the advantage of delaying the big bucks until the last stage.

[sgogula]

my 430EX II is arriving tomorrow...lets see how it goes...