Is 430ex sufficient?

I really like trying to use ambient/natural light as much as possible however I realize the need for a bit of extra light does come up occasionally so would the 430ex be enough to do that sort of job (act as fill as necessary) or would I be better off going for the 580ex?

For fill light or bouncing in a normal home-sized room, I think it's sufficient. I have the 580EXII but I rarely use it at full power and I think the 430 is about a stop weaker. More power available never hurts, but it the price difference is a problem, grab the 430.

I started with a 430EXII... it was my gateway drug to more lights. I would have no problem starting there again.

It can't be a master (to control other strobes), it's less powerful than a 580EXII, but it works well and is reliable.

I'm actually selling (2) of mine... upgrading to the 600EX-RTs which have built in radio transceivers. FS link in my signature (as well as feedback) if you're interested.

430ex is actually less than a stop weaker than 580ex. Pretty much identical other than the master and swivel ability. http://www.robgalbrait​h.com …3697_brightness​_table.jpg

The 430ex will be fine for fill. The problem is that as you get more comfortable with flash, you'll want to pull it out in more situations. Once you play with bounce flash, you'll see the shortcomings of the swivel on the 430ex. It doesn't sound like a big deal now, but it might be. If you're handy, you can modify the swivel later (there's instructions somewhere on the internet).