Flashes?

Hi guys

Does the quality of the flash really matter?

I have a Canon 550D and need a flash asap. Need bit of help.

Yes in most cases, but it really depends on what your shooting? Usually the better the quality of the flash the more options it has for you to use. It also has more power and can send light further then a cheaper flash. The lowest you would want to go would be a Canon 430EX II.

Take Care,
Cheers, Patrick

captureR wrote in post #14983831
Hi guys

Does the quality of the flash really matter?

I have a Canon 550D and need a flash asap. Need bit of help.

Check out the other section which does nothing but talk about flash, it should have great answers for you. Welcome to the board!

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/forumdis​play.php?f=35

Build quality certainly matters, but I doubt that you'd see much difference in the quality of the light produced from flash to flash from major manufacturers. There also may be differences in the features of various flashes such as degree of automation available, 2nd curtain sync, high shutter speed sync, strobing, etc.

Having said that, I can vouch for Canon's EX series of flashes...They have all the above including top build quality, so I will recomend one of these. I have an old 550EX which I think is a great flash(not quite as automatic as the modern ones, as most functions must be set on the flash itself, but it still works flawlessly)...I'm sure that you could find one used for a good price.

Thanks guys. I'm leaning towards the Canon 580EX II.

Nikon Speedlight SB-910 would that go for a Canon 550D? Would you guys recommend a Canon 580EX II orNikon Speedlight SB-910?

captureR wrote in post #14984506
Nikon Speedlight SB-910 would that go for a Canon 550D? Would you guys recommend a Canon 580EX II orNikon Speedlight SB-910?

For a Canon camera, get a Canon flash. Can't use Nikon flashes with Canon cameras and you cannot use Canon flashes on Nikon. The pins wont line up.

My sigma flash works well for some months in ettl mode and then suddenly stops behaving. I am planning to put in my museum and buy canon 430.

captureR wrote in post #14984499
Thanks guys. I'm leaning towards the Canon 580EX II.

I think the 600EX-RT is only $80 more now. I'd go for that because of the added RF functionality.

580EX II is an ace flash. Well worth the investment

captureR wrote in post #14983831
Hi guys

Does the quality of the flash really matter?

I have a Canon 550D and need a flash asap. Need bit of help.

depends on your budget and features, I've been using a yongnuo ETTL flash for three years, the light seems as good as a Canon. Best $50 I've ever spent on camera gear

watt100 wrote in post #14984908
depends on your budget and features, I've been using a yongnuo ETTL flash for three years, the light seems as good as a Canon. Best $50 I've ever spent on camera gear

this^^

I use a yongnuo 468 and it has all the features of a 480ex with the exception of high speed synch. Best $100 I ever spent on a flash.

Somewhere recently I was reading an article about "10 rules", one of which was you can't go wrong with a flash made by the same manuafacturer of your camera. Overall integration of the functions are assured. I have a 20 year old Canon flash that integrated perfectly with my 60D when I bought the camera last summer.

John from PA wrote in post #14984943
Somewhere recently I was reading an article about "10 rules", one of which was you can't go wrong with a flash made by the same manuafacturer of your camera.

Canon and Nikon made those "rules" !
Those cheap Chinese flashes just don't follow the party rules

The older 430EX has served me well over the last few years. Plenty of power for general purpose and I think you will find one for $160-180 on CL pretty easily. It has a plastic mount, and the hotshoe base did break off once when the camera and flash went flying off my car seat. $12 part and 15 minutes - flash fixed. I do not have any ND filters so the high speed sync has come in handy in some cases when I want to shoot wide aperture outdoors, or for fill flash, etc. I get very good life on Eneloops as well with this flash.

Hope this helps...