do I need manual controls on a flash?

I think this may potentially be a question with a really obvious answer:

Do I need to have the "full manual" controls on a flash unit I'm interested in buying?

For all the pictures I currently take, I have the camera in full manual. I'm looking to get a flash for 1) fill light outside, 2) maybe some informal portrait-type stuff, 3) indoor shots of students working on projects in dimly lit areas. My research thus far has led me to see the benefits of the "auto" features of a flash unit, like ETTL. I haven't found anything telling me about what situations I would use the manual controls for, and whether they would be useful for my shooting situations.

I've recently come across some 420ex's at prices I can deal with. Ideally I would just get a 430EX and not have this conversation, but the difference in price is a deciding factor against the 430EX.

You don't have to have manual control but if you decide to take your photography a step further and want to start doing off camera flash work, then yes you want manual control.

flowrider wrote in post #12784101
You don't have to have manual control but if you decide to take your photography a step further and want to start doing off camera flash work, then yes you want manual control.

Would it be realistic of me to start with the 420ex and then when I'm ready (and decided I want to do flash photography) upgrade to something like a 430ex II?

I started with the 420ex and then got the 580ex a few years later. Now the 420 makes a good slave to use with the 580.

Personally I'd save for a 430. Seen any MKI version used?

Village_Idiot wrote in post #12786810
Personally I'd save for a 430. Seen any MKI version used?

Yeah, for $175-200. I'll have to think about that.

You can still do off camera flash work with ETTL with canon flashes.

Manual controls on your flash units will give you more control when doing more complex lighting with off camera flashes (think key light, hair light, fill lights all set at different ratios/power levels). You can do all this using ETTL, however you will get more consistent results using manual settings, as well as better control and ability to tune your lighting...

to do off camera work you will need to have a camera capable of wireless flash control, a ST-E2, a 580EX (mkI or II), or wireless flash triggers (i.e. pocket wizards). the 430EX and 420EX to my knowledge do not have the capability of triggering other flashes... therefore, if you start off with a 420ex or 430ex, you will need to purchase on of the things I previously mentioned to do off camera flash work (or you could by a hot shoe extention cord).

https://photography-on-the.net …read.php?t=8520​54&page=13

Doesn't have to be canon...

nes_matt wrote in post #12789028
https://photography-on-the.net …read.php?t=8520​54&page=13

Doesn't have to be canon...

I can't thank you enough for showing me the Yongnuo stuff.

cisobe wrote in post #12787158
You can still do off camera flash work with ETTL with canon flashes.

Manual controls on your flash units will give you more control when doing more complex lighting with off camera flashes (think key light, hair light, fill lights all set at different ratios/power levels). You can do all this using ETTL, however you will get more consistent results using manual settings, as well as better control and ability to tune your lighting...

to do off camera work you will need to have a camera capable of wireless flash control, a ST-E2, a 580EX (mkI or II), or wireless flash triggers (i.e. pocket wizards). the 430EX and 420EX to my knowledge do not have the capability of triggering other flashes... therefore, if you start off with a 420ex or 430ex, you will need to purchase on of the things I previously mentioned to do off camera flash work (or you could by a hot shoe extention cord).

The point is, the OP would be spending even more money to get off camera TTL operation when they could get a 430 for on camera and off camera work that would do off camera manual controls with a cheap trigger. The 420 off camera would only fire at full power with no way to control it without using TTL. At that point, they could mix and match with other manual strobes.

When I was first learning I splurged on a 580EX II for on camera TTL when I needed it and for using it with two cheap vivitars off camera. The OP could get a used 430 and down the road get several cheap manual flashes to use of off camera lighting.

imsellingmyfoot wrote in post #12789556
I can't thank you enough for showing me the Yongnuo stuff.

I'd still stick with Canon if you can afford it. No one knows Canon's TTL system like Canon, and even then how much they know about it can be debated...

imsellingmyfoot wrote in post #12789556
I can't thank you enough for showing me the Yongnuo stuff.

the yongnuo stuff is cool - if you can stomach using a Chinese communist brand flash

watt100 wrote in post #12791411
the yongnuo stuff is cool - if you can stomach using a Chinese communist brand flash

As far as I can tell from my readings they all work reasonably well; and if it works then it works, I don't care who makes it. I'm thinking about getting the YN-468.

watt100 wrote in post #12791411
the yongnuo stuff is cool - if you can stomach using a Chinese communist brand flash

Complete ignorance considering Canon outsources some of it's products to China to manufacture.