Canon 420 or 550 EX flash

[sharmarkasch]

Hello,

I have a canon powershot G1, and a Canon 1000FN.
i want to get a new flash, and can not decide if i should buy a 420 or a 550 EX flash?
Can anybody give me a good advise, and is the 550 not to heavy to wear on the G1 camera, i specialy make pictures of Dogs, and also closeups holding the camera in my hand.
Can please anybody HELP ME giving me good advise.

you can also email me sharmarkasch@wxs.nl

thanks i hope there is anybody who can help.

[sharmarkasch]

sorry it is a canon powershot G2

[IainB]

Hi
I bought a 420EX flash on the strength of positive comments on this forum. I have been delighted with the results! It is pricey enough, and the 550EX even more so. I can't comment on the merits of the 550 in comparison but I'm sure others will. Possibly the 550 involves unnecessary expense.
Search out the posts on this topic. There are plenty.

[kleinletters]

The 550EX is packed with features and may be more value for money (if you've got the money to spend).

I've been using the 420EX with the G1 for 2 years+. The only problem I had with it is using the flash at high shutter speeds or while the camera is set to M (manual mode). Maybe the G1 is the limitation, because I can't say that the same happens when using the EOS 30 (EOS 7E?).

I can recommend the 420EX for the G1. I don't think I'll often use the 550EX on the G1, but it's also because I need it (the 550EX) for the EOS 30.

If you want to set up a studio for the pictures of dogs etc., and want a master-slave set-up, you need at least the 550EX or the ST-E2.

Because I acquired the 550EX a few days ago, I would only be able to comment on the practical differences once I've had time to experiment. You may get more useful comments from somebody else by the time I finished playing.

[bkrotec]

I just purchased a 420 EX to use with my G1. What kind of problems did you encounter with the high shutter speeds?

[kleinletters]

bkrotec wrote:
I just purchased a 420 EX to use with my G1. What kind of problems did you encounter with the high shutter speeds?

Taking flash pictures at speeds over 250/s is killing me. I can do it with my EOS 30 & 420EX, but have trouble doing the same with the G1-420EX combination.

Because the smallest Aperture is f8 on the G1, some pictures I tried under an open roof on a sunny day had the background washed out. Having successfully overcome that problem previously (with manual camera & non-dedicated flash), I thought it would be easier with the G1. Not so. To make matters worse, I tried setting the G1 to M to force the highest Shutter and smallest Aperture, but then the flash doesn't operate E-TTL or TTL or Auto by any chance. Most of my pictures came out white to off-white.

I've seen that in certain modes (Sv) with the flash on and set to HSS (pace Minolta), although you select 500/s, the G1 reverts to 125 when you depress the 'shutter button' to take the picture.

Tell me if you have more luck or insight in this matter once you've tested your combination. But I've now read in the forum that it's a fact that the flash reverts to full blast if the G1 is put on M. (Canon Type A cameras should not do this with the 420EX.)