Best Speedlite for Home Photography?

I need to purchase a Canon Speedlite for shooting new home interior and exteriors for a local homebuilder. I would likely use the flash for exterior fill lighting as well. My intent is to pair whatever I get with a Rogue Flashbender or some other type of diffuser. Having said that, am I better off purchasing a 430 EX-III RT or biting the bullet for a 600 EX-II RT?

Also, I'm not a professional photographer. I occasionally need to shoot a few photos in support of my graphic design business, which is why I have this equipment. My current setup is a Canon 70D, which is usually paired with an 18-55 kit lens or the Canon EF-S10-18mm F4.5-5.6 IS STM.

Thanks!

I was in a similar situation and went with two Yongnuo 600EX RT-II speedlites and the wireless transmitter and have been extremely happy with them. They are significantly cheaper than the Canon versions and have worked great for me every time I've used them. I don't have the Canon to compare, but from what I've read they're not built quite as heavy duty but unless you're really hard on your gear they're built tough enough to save the hundreds of dollars.

-Joe

Take a look at the Flashpoint R2 series from Adorama. The R2 system is a communication system that is all-encompassing. So if you get more flashes and mix different things, it will all talk and be happy together. Just as good as Canon's stuff. Much cheaper.

You could get an ETTL capable flash, but I know the 70D has issues with exposure & bounced ETTL flash for some reason. You can search up tons of info on this. It's weird. And hasn't been fixed yet. Just be aware.

Or you could get a couple of manual flashes, and have plenty of good flashes to place around and light a place up, inside or out.

Lots of folk who do images of interiors/exteriors of buildings, use speedlites and strobes that are portable so that they can light an area, take an image, and do a few like that, then blend the images together and remove the flashes so that the final composite has all the lighting applied from one or two lights, rather than needing a dozen. It's not hard to do. Might be worth looking into.

Very best,

Learn tone mapping/HDR before you try to light an interior with one speed light. It's a LOT easier than lighting an entire room with one light.

Left Handed Brisket wrote in post #18491109
Learn tone mapping/HDR before you try to light an interior with one speed light. It's a LOT easier than lighting an entire room with one light.

Super true!

Very best,

I recommend to start with umbrellas, the flash benders are great for lighting people when they are a very close distance to the subject. And another vote for the flashpoint R2 speed lights.

To answer your question, the 600-RT has a guide number of 197' vs the 430-RT at 141', so it's a little more powerful, but weighs about 4 1/2 ounces more. The main difference between the two that I own shows up in the 600's ability to swivel 360 degrees as opposed to 330 degrees for the 430-RT. This has sometimes proved limiting for bouncing the flash for me. I know many on this forum have had good luck with their Godox flashes. I bought my Canons before I became aware of them and the Yongnuo line, but I have no regrets.

Osa713 wrote in post #18491503
I recommend to start with umbrellas, the flash benders are great for lighting people when they are a very close distance to the subject. And another vote for the flashpoint R2 speed lights.

You use umbrellas to light real estate shots?

My input on flash is to buy the highest-powered one you can afford. You'll want/need the light at some point. Higher-end units usually come with a few more features, too.

We purchased 2 AD200s with compact light stands from Manfrotto, and are controlling these with the X1C.

We have the Godox diffusers as well. This set up allows us to put lights high or low in 2 places in the room, and gives us the light of multiple speedlites for less money. We can also dial down one or the other very quickly in power to match the room using the X1. These can be treated as floor lamps this way to light the room.

It is a truly flexible set up and very compact, lots of light when you need it. Shopping around can lower the overall cost too.

2 x https://www.adorama.co​m/fplfev200.html

https://www.amazon.com …sr=8-3&keywords=x1c+godox

Something like this, but I spent about 1/2: 2 x https://www.amazon.com …nd-Replaces/dp/B001M4HXB2

Left Handed Brisket wrote in post #18491673
You use umbrellas to light real estate shots?

In terms of learning how to shape light, jumping straight into the flash bender as a first modifier is not the best route.

kcrossley wrote in post #18491055
I need to purchase a Canon Speedlite for shooting new home interior and exteriors for a local homebuilder. I would likely use the flash for exterior fill lighting as well. My intent is to pair whatever I get with a Rogue Flashbender or some other type of diffuser. Having said that, am I better off purchasing a 430 EX-III RT or biting the bullet for a 600 EX-II RT?

Also, I'm not a professional photographer. I occasionally need to shoot a few photos in support of my graphic design business, which is why I have this equipment. My current setup is a Canon 70D, which is usually paired with an 18-55 kit lens or the Canon EF-S10-18mm F4.5-5.6 IS STM.

Thanks!

I was and still am a Canon 600 EX-RT, ST-E3 RT Guy myself. Since first introduced in 2012, I was one of the first in my area to jump in to the new Radio based system. Since then they have multiplied quite a bit. As a big part of my work, they just get the job done. Better build. Dependable and a proven track record. Plus they will work with newer Canon bodies in the future with no delays.
For me it is not worth going the cheaper route.

Osa713 wrote in post #18491769
In terms of learning how to shape light, jumping straight into the flash bender as a first modifier is not the best route.

So is that a "yes, I use umbrellas with speedlights to light real estate" or a "no, I don't shoot real estate." Or something in between?

The OP is shooting interiors and exteriors of real estate, in my experince shooting the same, something like a flash bender can be very useful as a flag when bouncing flash.

Yes to answer your passive aggressive question, but let me elaborate why I recommended starting with an umbrella.

My experience w/ flash benders were always used with the diffusion panel on. So my first inclination would not be to used as a flag in real estate when bouncing as I shoot portraits more. Using it with out the diffusion panel and bouncing light sounds like a great tool.

But as I originally stated someone that is new to using speed lights should start with an umbrella so you have the full concept of how to shape light, but to each its own.

Nick5 wrote in post #18491775
I was and still am a Canon 600 EX-RT, ST-E3 RT Guy myself. Since first introduced in 2012, I was one of the first in my area to jump in to the new Radio based system. Since then they have multiplied quite a bit. As a big part of my work, they just get the job done. Better build. Dependable and a proven track record. Plus they will work with newer Canon bodies in the future with no delays.
For me it is not worth going the cheaper route.

And have you used the Godox lights? I have used all Canon flashes in the past, and now have Godox lights. It is a more powerful and versatile system by a large margin. Canon flashes aren't the epitamy of build quality in the lighting industry either, they break pretty easily if mistreated, as would Godox. I don't care for reviews where someone says "this plastic feels better made than that plastic", that is a terrible way to compare builds.

The V860 is slightly more powerful than the Canon 600, and on a fully charged battery, will out last at least 2 sets of AA batteries on the Canon, while being 1/2 the cost. Recharge times should be a bit quicker and longer as well.