Jessops 360AFD vs Metz 24 AF-1 - HELP!

Okay so i'm going to take some photos this weekend at a friends nightclub, but i dont currently own a flash which i will obviously need.

Now the Metz 24 AF-1 is a very small and very cheap little flash unit. Looks very easy to use and should suit my need for the one night.
But the Jessops 360AFD is only slightly more (i mean like £20) and has a few extra benefits. These benefits include - Of camera slave mode (use my inbuilt flash to trigger this one), has a rear LCD display to show all the settings, has a built in diffuser and deflector.

Now those pros seem worth it for the extra say £20, but this flash is probably going to be replaced for a Canon Speedlite flashgun in the very near future. Now when i say replaced i mean i'l still keep the 'cheaper' flash as a back up but wont use it no-where near as much.

Also i'm not so clued up about Guide Numbers and stuff, but anyway the Metz 24 AF-1 has a Guide Number of 24 and the Jessops 360AFD has a Guide Number of 36 both at ISO 100.

Which would you go for and why?
Thanks!

I used the AFD till i got the 430. It is ok but you should know off camera it will trigger by the preflash so you need to let it recharge before firing. If you think it is ETTL compatible from the on board it is not. You will need triggers.

Dannybegood wrote in post #15455738
I used the AFD till i got the 430. It is ok but you should know off camera it will trigger by the preflash so you need to let it recharge before firing. If you think it is ETTL compatible from the on board it is not. You will need triggers.

Now i'm glad you have mentioned triggers, what are these!? Like i said i'm a novice to using external flashes. So i can't use my inbuilt flash to set off the Jessops flash when off camera?

You can use the inbuilt but as you will know they preflash to get focus so in slave the AFD will fire during this. So you will then have to hold the pose etc till it recharges, quite slow.

So try all these. As u uk i will link UK ebay only. High to low OK?

http://www.ebay.co.uk …&_nkwusc=pixelk​ing&_rdc=1

http://www.ebay.co.uk …+king&_osacat=0​&_from=R40

http://www.ebay.co.uk …igger&_osacat=0​&_from=R40

Also read the threads stickies etc answers all around. I have PIXEL they great from amazon £105 2 day delivery.

http://www.pixelhk.com​/Proshow.aspx?id=101

For info, i use the 430 ETTL and then use that flash to trigger my AFD if im using 2 flash. Sometimes just 430 and a reflector suffice. Go to Strobox etc and see some examples incl lighting set ups/settings etc.

Dannybegood wrote in post #15460077
For info, i use the 430 ETTL and then use that flash to trigger my AFD if im using 2 flash. Sometimes just 430 and a reflector suffice. Go to Strobox etc and see some examples incl lighting set ups/settings etc.

Thanks a bunch, your info is really helpful. So i know what triggers are now (basically wireless device that send info from the camera to the flash so no pre-flash in need, correct?).
In using the set-up you stated, does the AFD not pre-flash when used with the 430? Because surely having the 430 as your master flash, it would be the same as using the inbuilt flash on my 650D body? Or am i just confusing things further?

Would you recommend me just spending abit more and getting the Canon Speedlite 420EX?

First the 430 is not a master flash, it can only be used as an on-board flash or as a slave OFF.

You use the 650 in wireless mode to trigger it in ETTL. No doubt you have found this out. I use the ETTL triggers which DONT send that annoying preflash per se they send it via radio tiggering so the AFD does not see the ettl trigger. So the 430 fires OFF camera this then triggers the AFD. If i leave one On camera i dont use the AFD as it will go off, unless i have time to wait for a recharge, ie Still life, non moving objects.
If you can spring the 430 it will open a world of possibilites to you, but remember YOGONO or whatever do an ETTL trigger flash. Searching this forum or ebay will give you the number. might be this one maybe others. But i say 430 if you have the funds.
http://www.ebay.co.uk …ts_JN&hash=item​2578577d1f

I have just read this:
http://www.canon.co.uk …14-521865&page=1&type=faq

If i still need to use a transmitter/trigger, what is the point of the inbuilt wireless speedlite technology on my 650D?

It is helpful if you are using CANON ETTL flash units or compatabile 3rd party units.

It is NOT designed to fire OCF that uses the flash to trigger it as they send out pre flash signals. So say you have 2 ETTL camera compatabile, 430 etc they will be fired from the on board, which can and cannot be set to help with the lighting depending on situation. If you pop the flash as to trigger an ETTL flash it works if you want to use 3rd party it sets them off. Are you clear yet?

Dannybegood wrote in post #15460122
It is helpful if you are using CANON ETTL flash units or compatabile 3rd party units.

It is NOT designed to fire OCF that uses the flash to trigger it as they send out pre flash signals. So say you have 2 ETTL camera compatabile, 430 etc they will be fired from the on board, which can and cannot be set to help with the lighting depending on situation. If you pop the flash as to trigger an ETTL flash it works if you want to use 3rd party it sets them off. Are you clear yet?

I'm getting there

I think my best option is to just go all out and buy a 430EX. For the nightclub shot the flash will be on camera anyway so thats not the problem, it's for when i want to do portraits and use the flash off camera that i want to be able to trigger it wirelessly.

So if i buy the 430EX and want to use it OFF camera, i would still need triggers if i didn't want my inbuilt flash to trigger the 430EX to pre-flash? The Canon FAQ on speedlites that i posted really threw me off, as they are saying i cant use the inbuilt flash to trigger any off camera flash at all.

Yes that is right the camera "emits" a signal, try it if you can to see. That if you are using the AFD as well will triiger the AFD as it uses "flash" to fire. So it has fired the AFD but not the 430 as that is getting a signal only till you press the shutter.

Your 650 WILL trigger OCF COMPATIABLE flash units. You just need to know which ones.

600/580/550/430 for sure NISSAN some YOGONO 568 !! i think.

READ your manual on the flash section and just practice with the AFD, to see what im talking about, set camera menu to wireless enabled and see what happens with the pop up.

The 430 WILL NOT preflash as it is compatiable with the "Canon wireless trigger system"

Dannybegood wrote in post #15460158
The 430 WILL NOT preflash as it is compatiable with the "Canon wireless trigger system"

Right i'll do some more research in the manuals and online.

Overall, if i buy the 430EX, i would not need any triggers to use it OC? As my 650D and the 430EX are both wireless compatible?

Yes correct, or any "canon ettl wireless system" compatible flash.

Dannybegood wrote in post #15460304
Yes correct, or any "canon ettl wireless system" compatible flash.

Sweet thanks alot my friend!