What should I do?

I was trying to make up my mind about which flash to get 430EX or 580EX. Then I started to read more about Pocketwizards and Vivtar 285 or Sunpack 383 flashes. And now I don't know what path should I take. I just bought my camera a 40D a month and half ago, I'm still learning. I'm really impress with the results you get with off camera flashes. Should I get just a single flash and learn first from it, or buy some Pocketwizards and some Vivitar and learn to use them. Do you think is better learn first with E-TTL or full Manual?

If you get a 430 or 580 you can still operate in manual, plus you have the speed and ease of use of ETTL, the only downside's price.

Do you want a flash to learn about flashes or do you actually want to use it? What do you photograph? And how do you pronounce your username?!

First I want a flash so I can learn about them and start using it. I love the idea of shoot outdoors with flashes, and maybe weddings don't know really well yet.

Weddings aren't something to vaguely think about doing, read some of the wedding threads and you'll see why.

If you want to use multiple off camera flashes sunpak units and radio slaves are good and cheap, kinda slow recharge, and to get decent radio units is expensive. If you want full auto then you need speedlites, but they don't work well outside in bright sunlight. Ideally you want 580EX IIs and Skyports, that way you get ETTL and reliable radio triggering, and PC sync port on the flash. The only downside is cost.

If you tell us what you want to take photos of you'll get more useful advice.

Start with the 580.... go from there

tim wrote in post #5837247
If you get a 430 or 580 you can still operate in manual, plus you have the speed and ease of use of ETTL, the only downside's price.

If you use your Canon flashes in manual, or if you fire them with a wireless trigger, you will not be able to use ETTL.

I often wonder why people buy Canon flashes with all the ETTL features and then fire them remotely with a wireless trigger in manual.

Why not just buy a couple of Sunpak's or Vivitar's for half the price?

msowsun wrote in post #5837889
I often wonder why people buy Canon flashes with all the ETTL features and then fire them remotely with a wireless trigger in manual.

Why not just buy a couple of Sunpak's or Vivitar's for half the price?

That's what I'm thinking. In the future I guess I'll be using wireless triggers so why no start now?

msowsun wrote in post #5837889
If you use your Canon flashes in manual, or if you fire them with a wireless trigger, you will not be able to use ETTL.

I often wonder why people buy Canon flashes with all the ETTL features and then fire them remotely with a wireless trigger in manual.

Why not just buy a couple of Sunpak's or Vivitar's for half the price?

You're correct, apparently I didn't spell things out well enough.

Using 580s you have the option of wireless ETTL. They also have sync ports so you can use them in manual with radio triggers.

The reason to use 580s instead of cheap sunpaks is general refinement:
- Speedlites happily fire even if they're not at full charge, sunpaks don't like to fire unless they're full or very close to it.
- Speedlites recharge more quickly than cheap flashes.
- Speedlites are sturdy, the head rotates.
- You also get ETTL

I use Sunpak 383s with external batteries (home made sealed lead acid system) when I use radio triggers. I should get a couple of sync port feet thingies for my speedlites so I can use them too.