How limiting is a 430 really? (430 users here!)

[zod]

I keep hearing "if you have the money get a 580," followed by people really happy with their 430's. How limited is it, besides the 90 degree right turn. For those of you that have one, do you wish you would have waited to save for a 580?

Are there any in between third party flashes? Sigma, vivitar...?

I have read tons of threads about them but none really seem to answer this.

[bad karma]

I am in the market for a 430 too, what else is limiting about it? I have to know.

[M_ark]

i have a 430 and find the control system for changing settings very tedious, especially in manual mode. but i don't have a 580EX to be able to compare.

I believe the "90 degree right" is a 'limitation by design' especially as i do portrait shots often where i wish to bounce the flash off the ceiling.

if you have to point the camera 'down' to catch a subject - say a baby, and you rotate the flash up, you still have the flash tilted in the direction of the subject even at 90degrees. this means that the light is bounced off the ceiling directly above the subject, which can produce less than flattering shadows under the eyes and nose.

if the flash could go further i could bounce it off the wall/ceiling above and behind me without issue (and can with my sunpak 383 super). as it is, i can only twist it 180 degrees the other way and get at times just 'wall bounce' or nothing (if i'm not near a wall)

i'm not worried about its power, ISO is always there in a tight spot, wireless (radio, not IR) would be nice, but the 580 doesn't do wireless like that)

[bad karma]

Thanks for the feedback Mark!

What would be an equivalent to the 430EX for another brand?

[M_ark]

the closest i've seen would be:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._TTL_Shoe.html
or look into the sigma DG SUPER range... more pricy but features on-par with 580EX (except build quality)

[bad karma]

Originally Posted by M_ark

the closest i've seen would be:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._TTL_Shoe.html
or look into the sigma DG SUPER range... more pricy but features on-par with 580EX (except build quality)

That's pretty impressive for $99. I may look into the DG super too, I've heard great things

[Hinrik]

The 430EX II doesn't have the "only 90 degree swivel to the right" limitation of its predecessor. It can turn 180° both ways.

[BiffoBear]

If you are planning to use a 3rd party flash with your Canon camera then you might not get the ETTL / ETTL-II automatic exposure that the 430ex and 580ex give you. It would be wise to check carefully just how compatible the 3rd party flashes are with the Canon metering system.

The 430ex II head can swivel 90 deg up, 90 deg right and 180 deg left so you can point it backwards.

I too find the controls on my 430ex II to be difficult to operate in manual mode, but I believe that the 580ex II has the same layout.

The 580ex II can trigger other Canon flashes wirelessly while still using ETTL for metering. The 430ex II cannot.

On the whole I'm really happy with the performance of my 430ex II for on camera automatic flash, but I find it awkward to use in manual mode.

[Hinrik]

Originally Posted by BiffoBear

The 430ex II head can swivel 90 deg up, 90 deg right and 180 deg left so you can point it backwards.

No. It can swivel 180° to the right, not just 90°.

[msowsun]

The Canon specs are incorrect because more than one 430EX II owner has confirmed on this forum that it does not swivel 180 both ways. http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...4&postcount=13

[LeighM]

I've had a 430EX since I got my camera 18 months ago and can't fault it. They may be a little difficult to change settings in M, but once you've done it a couple of times there's no issue.

I've just pulled the trigger on a 580EX II so that i can have 2 lights and trigger the 430 remotely (using the 580 with a OC-E3 cord) but when I eventually get some PW's, my 3rd light will probably be another 430 as with the release of the 430 II, the 430 will be a lot of flash for a low (relatively) price.

Cheers,
Leigh

[DozerLYP]

this is correct, it only goes 90° to the right and 180° to the left.

can someone tell me how to change the M setting?

[tmonatr]

Originally Posted by DozerLYP

this is correct, it only goes 90° to the right and 180° to the left.

can someone tell me how to change the M setting?

Press Mode until you see M. Hold the Set/Sel button until it flashes, and adjust the power with the + and - buttons. Then press Set/Sel to lock the setting. Alot longer to type than to actually do it.

[gary88]

I used a 430EX for a year, then recently upgraded to a 580EX II. It served me VERY well. The build quality and ease-of-use of the 580EX II are light years ahead of it, but it's really an excellent flash for the money.

[DozerLYP]

I can hold it down forever and for some reason, it never flashes.