Alternative Less Expensive Flash For EOS 30D?

Hey guys, great forum with lotsa info! I am looking to buy my wife a flash unit for her Canon EOS 30D. She is not a professional, but loves taking photos as a hobby. We have 3 children and they are often snapped with her camera! LOL! Anyways I have been looking at the 430ex, but it is a bit pricey right now for me as I am wanting to get her the Canon 100mm 2.8 USM macro lens and a flash, but I just can't swing the cost of the 430ex at the moment. Not sure what ETTL is or zoom and all that for a flash unit, but I want to get her something that she will like and be functional and use for years to come. Any suggestions, I am not partial to any brand names or anything, it if works and does a good job then I am all for it. It may be very well that my only option is the 420ex, not sure as I am not very knowledgeable with photo equipment. Looking forward to any suggestions and thanx in advance for your time!

I've seen used 420ex's going for $100.00 but I've seen 430ex's going for $175.00. I'd try and swing the 430ex if I were you just for the manual burst compared to the 420ex.

Or:

Sigma have some good, ETTL compatible flashes that are affordable. I haven't used them though so I don't know if there are any issues.

I haven't used a Canon flash so I can't compare...

I have the Sigma EF500 DG Super and its done everything I want it to. It can rotate in the 2 axes and be used as a slave to the popup camera flash.

http://www.sigma-photo.com …ashes_details.a​sp?id=3257

I would recommend the 430EX (original, not MK II) or the 420EX. I bought my daughter a mint 420EX for $110 including shipping and it works great. This would be your best low cost option or spring for a new 430EX for about $200.

380ex on ebay

dekalbSTEEL wrote in post #6794292
380ex on ebay

The 380EX is a lousy choice because it cannot swivel to allow bouncing to the side at all.

The 430EX is, by far, the best choice today for a reasonably simple but effective hotshoe flash unit to go with the current crop of EOS cameras.

I use the 550EX that I bought for my Eos-3. Maybe it misses a few of the newer gimmicks but it's perfectly usable on the 30D and offers more advanced functions than I'll ever use. The big advantage is that it can be found on the second-hand market at sensible prices.

Circuit City has their 430EX flash units on clearance for $170. Additionally, if they dont have any in stock, you can usually bargain for the floor model. I recently got two floor models. One for $109 and one for $139... both are perfect mechanically, and with only slight cosmetic scratches from the security apparatus thats attached to it at the store...

Ok what about these all compared to the 430ex ETTL are they FULLY FUNCITIONAL with my Canon EOS 30d?:
1. Canon 550ex TTL
2. Phoenix flash ZBIS-112C11
3. Phoenix flash ZBIS-106C
4. Bower SFD926c

For really cheap,look at a Sunpak 433D with the adjustments on the rear panel.Maybe $30-40 on Ebay

Go through livesearch and ebay and get a 430ex with 30% cashback. If you can get it for $200, in the end, it'll come out to $120.

SkipD wrote in post #6796493
The 380EX is a lousy choice because it cannot swivel to allow bouncing to the side at all.

The 430EX is, by far, the best choice today for a reasonably simple but effective hotshoe flash unit to go with the current crop of EOS cameras.

Just trying to save the guy a buck or two! Who knows, someone else may have wanted to jump on it....

The Vivitar DF400MZ is highly ranked by many people and it is cheap http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …_Shoe.html#spec​ifications