Simple lighting for macro - practicality?

Hey all

I'm looking to use the current rebates/B&H discounts to get a 580EX II and a 100mm f/2.8 macro. I have a 30D and a 430EX at the moment with a variety of lenses, but no macro.

I'm wondering how practical it is to do handheld macros with just a speedlight or two. Can I get by with them or is it just not worth it without the specialised macro flashes? Would it be worthwhile for me to throw in a Canon OC-E3 off-hotshoe E-TTL II cord or some other remote device for firing a flash?

I want to take my macro travelling to Japan for the cherry blossom season next year but with the 30D, 10-22, 17-50 and 70-200 I've got enough lenses to be getting on with...even leaving my 50 and 85 1.8 primes at home. I won't take the macro if I can't provide enough light for it, so I could put off buying it till later.

You can certainly use your 580 ex II. You'll probably want to make a simple modifier that will direct the light that is emitted to the front of the lens where your subject will be. That is really the only limiting factor.
There are many, many examples of simple flash modifiers that can be made for next to nothing.
Search the macro forum...especially a poster named LordV. He has excellent tips on macro lighting on his Flickr site (I think he uses LordV as his screen name on flickr also).
Nop notch stuff.
Handlheld again won't be a problem with flash. But like anything...it does depend a bit on what your shooting and what effect your going for. I'd say most people posting in the macro forum shoot handheld.

For about the last 20 years or so, I have been hand holding my flash for macro shots. At first I used a Vivitar 283 set to manual with a 100mm macro lens on a Canon F1 body. When I went to EOS A2 and A2E bodies and then finally went digital, I used a 380EX with an off shoe cord and relied on through the lens automatic exposure. I have since replaced the 380EX with a 580EX. I still hand hold the flash and and the camera and usually place the flash head right against the lens on the top side, but not always. The 100mm macro gets you far enough from your subject that aiming accuracy isn't usually a problem. You can also get away with using the flash in the hot shoe, although I don't do this very often. I have a number of brackets designed for macro work, but they are generally a PITA so I don't use them.

Handholding the camera in close-up photography is not a big problem at low magnification. However, as you go above 1/2 life size, the ability to hold the camera steady becomes problematic even with flash. You may find you have cut off something at the edges or something you tried to eliminate appears there. Additionally, shake occurs forward and back leaving critical areas soft or out of focus even at small apertures.
Regular flash units are very suitable for macro photography. The larger diameter light area produces a softer light. They have a more powerful light to allow smaller apertures, or more battery life at wider apertures. Their disadvantage is the added weight and clunkiness. Keeping the flash just at the top of the lens gives an even light with few shadows which works well with most subjects. But do move the flash to the side or above for more dramatic light.

Thanks for all the replies guys, that's really useful

I'll have a tripod some of the time, but I may not always want to set it up. Looks like I'll have to get a cord for the flash and hopefully get a friend to hold it for me!