nissin di622 vs canon 420ex

I have been looking for a really cheap flash but finances are really tight. I am no professional but an avid hobbyist I find myself in situations where flash is really needed for a decent shot other than the pop up.

IF I were to buy one right now, which would you choose nissin di622 vs canon 420ex?

I know the nissin has manual controls as well as ettl (plus some other functions). I have read all the reviews and I think its a decent flash. Fits well in my budget too. I know the canon has ettl too but lacks manual control (i could be wrong), but IT IS A CANON.

I know if i add a little more and probably look harder i could get a really cheap 430exI. or better. But if you had to choose? which one and why?

if i were to allot just around $100 (i know both flashes are a bit over this) what else?

thanks

First. Full disclosure. My Nissin Di622 is currently on ebay for auction.

I was in the same boat as you are now. I bought the Nissin a few months back for just family indoor shots. As I get into it more and more, I found myself wanting to get the flash off the camera. I did not want to use a long shoe cable and Nissin requires some modification to go with a manual trigger. E-TTL Optical slave trigger works well on Nissin but you need to figure out the metering yourself.

To make a long story short, I ended up buying a Canon 430EX and a ST-E2. And I will likely get another 430EX or 580EX to complete the kit. This allows for E-TTL infrared wireless triggering. Much cheaper than E-TTL radio wireless triggering. But both will add up to $350 used for one flash + ST-E2.

I learned a lot about on-camera shoe flash, bounch flash and tupperware with the NIssin. But there is no substiute getting the flash off the camera shoe. Every shot simply looks better. Additionally, all the diffuser in the world is no better than bouncing the flash off the white ceiling. I tried a few options + DIY some.

So Nissin Di622 indeed is a great cheap way to get into this game, but just be awared that you might want something more down the road. It can also acts as your emergency backup later. For about $120, it will have similar power to 430ex series.

thanks will take a note of those.

I am just in a position that i dont want to miss a good shot just because my flash was the pop up flash. you know?

But if I read between the lines with what you just said, am i better off with the pop up flash than buying these two cheap models? (remember my cosideration for a flash is the 420ex NOT the 430ex) So i wait before i can "afford" at least the 430ex knowing at the back of my head that in the future this nissin and 420ex flash will be "limitting" to me?

any other input from others?

Any larger flash will be better than onboard flash just due to the distance from the lens. Plus some of lens/hood is so large that the onboard flash will cast a shadow.

In your case, go ahead and get an inexpensive E-TTL flash to learn but expect to pay more to upgrade later just like everything else in this hobby.

BTW, if you are in door with a white ceiling, bounce flash off the ceiling is quite good. But it does take some pratice to get the right shot. It's not one of these thing that you can put it on and just shoot and get great results.

johnj2803 wrote in post #8516646
thanks will take a note of those.

I am just in a position that i dont want to miss a good shot just because my flash was the pop up flash. you know?

But if I read between the lines with what you just said, am i better off with the pop up flash than buying these two cheap models? (remember my cosideration for a flash is the 420ex NOT the 430ex) So i wait before i can "afford" at least the 430ex knowing at the back of my head that in the future this nissin and 420ex flash will be "limitting" to me?

any other input from others?

thanks liupublic...

have some more thinking to do then...

I guess the nissin is really a better alternative to the 420ex

I am sorry, I don't have a Nissin or the 420EX, but the statement below is not correct in my opinion. No, you are not better off with pop flash, Nissin as an external hotshoe flash will be much better and powerful. Nissin is an ETTL flash and compatible with Canon cameras the only problem as stated before is that you cannot use any wireless trigger with it without modification.. BUT you can surely use it with long ETTL cord like any of the followings:

This is the 24ft ETTL cable for off-camera
http://www.flashzebra.​com/products/0125/inde​x.shtml

This is the 16ft ETTL cable for off-camera
http://www.flashzebra.​com/products/0123/inde​x.shtml

So, if your money is short, get the Nissin and you will not regret it. I have read from many who are using it here and they have said all good things about this flash. My opinion only.

Mufutau

johnj2803 wrote in post #8516646
thanks will take a note of those.
But if I read between the lines with what you just said, am i better off with the pop up flash than buying these two cheap models? (remember my cosideration for a flash is the 420ex NOT the 430ex)

mufutau55 wrote in post #8517198
I am sorry, I don't have a Nissin or the 420EX, but the statement below is not correct in my opinion. No, you are not better off with pop flash, Nissin as an external hotshoe flash will be much better and powerful. Nissin is an ETTL flash and compatible with Canon cameras the only problem as stated before is that you cannot use any wireless trigger with it without modification.. BUT you can surely use it with long ETTL cord like any of the followings:

This is the 24ft ETTL cable for off-camera
http://www.flashzebra.​com/products/0125/inde​x.shtml

This is the 16ft ETTL cable for off-camera
http://www.flashzebra.​com/products/0123/inde​x.shtml

So, if your money is short, get the Nissin and you will not regret it. I have read from many who are using it here and they have said all good things about this flash. My opinion only.

Mufutau

noted sir! but as you may have noticed in my last post i said this:

johnj2803 wrote in post #8516999
thanks liupublic...

have some more thinking to do then...

I guess the nissin is really a better alternative to the 420ex

i am just contemplating between the 420ex and the nissin flash. It seem like the nissin is a better alternative according to the two who replied here.

I am just stressing more on the power of external flash compare to the po-up flash. I am only sorry I could not help much because I don't have either flash. I only have Canon 580EX, 580EXII, Sigma EF-500 DG SUPER, and from ebay 2 Yongnuo YN460 (manual flash only).

But I have read a lot on Nissin Di622 because at one time I wanted to buy it and was reading all the reviews.. I bought the Yongnuo YN460 instead because I just needed them for off-camera only and wirelessly.

Mufutau

johnj2803 wrote in post #8517218
i am just contemplating between the 420ex and the nissin flash. It seem like the nissin is a better alternative according to the two who replied here.

mufutau55 wrote in post #8517250
I am just stressing more on the power of external flash compare to the po-up flash. I am only sorry I could not help much because I don't have either flash. I only have Canon 580EX, 580EXII, Sigma EF-500 DG SUPER, and from ebay 2 Yongnuo YN460 (manual flash only).

But I have read a lot on Nissin Di622 because at one time I wanted to buy it and was reading all the reviews.. I bought the Yongnuo YN460 instead because I just needed them for off-camera only and wirelessly.

Mufutau

thanks Mufutau. WOW you really have a lot of speedlites! I also considered the YN460 but i think for a novice like me, Manual without ETTL will be really difficult.

Yes. Manual settings for flash will not be easy for newbie.. Get the ETTL flash first, learn that for few weeks/months and you can gradually move to the wireless and manual off-camera setttings.. after some times with the ETTL flash you can start practising off-camera flash with the cord I showed you earlier and that will still support ETTL except the flash will be off camera.

"If you don't start anything, you can never finish it." says my deceased father.

Mufutau

johnj2803 wrote in post #8517274
thanks Mufutau. WOW you really have a lot of speedlites! I also considered the YN460 but i think for a novice like me, Manual without ETTL will be really difficult.

mufutau55 wrote in post #8517555
"If you don't start anything, you can never finish it." says my deceased father.

Mufutau

Your father was a very wise man! thanks mufatu

just want to update this thread... bought a 430ex!

now looking for a wireless transmitter that is cheap!

Reliable and medium priced: AlienBees Cybersync: Transmitter $59.95 Receiver $69.95. So Total is about $130 for a set.

Ebay1 - Low Priced: Yongnuo CTR-301P around $30 for a set of Transmitter and Receiver.

Ebay2 - Cactus V4 about $40 for set of Transmitter and Receiver

Ebay 3 - Yongnuo RF-602 about $35-$40 for Transmitter and Receiver set.

Elinchrom Skyport Universal - about $180 at B&H

So from the above the choice is yours. My opinion is either Cybersync or the lowest of the cost Yongnuo CTR-301P.
Search for an extended review of each product review. At present I use CTR-301P and I have been happy, I am not a professional though.

Mufutau

johnj2803 wrote in post #8702598
just want to update this thread... bought a 430ex!

now looking for a wireless transmitter that is cheap!

mufutau55 wrote in post #8704304
Reliable and medium priced: AlienBees Cybersync: Transmitter $59.95 Receiver $69.95. So Total is about $130 for a set.

Ebay1 - Low Priced: Yongnuo CTR-301P around $30 for a set of Transmitter and Receiver.

Ebay2 - Cactus V4 about $40 for set of Transmitter and Receiver

Ebay 3 - Yongnuo RF-602 about $35-$40 for Transmitter and Receiver set.

Elinchrom Skyport Universal - about $180 at B&H

So from the above the choice is yours. My opinion is either Cybersync or the lowest of the cost Yongnuo CTR-301P.
Search for an extended review of each product review. At present I use CTR-301P and I have been happy, I am not a professional though.

Mufutau

thanks for these! exactly what i needed!
which among these will enable HSS?

I am not too sure, any of them will enable HSS. May be someone will chime in here and enlighten us more.

I think only the new Pocket Wizard Mini/Flex and Radio Popper can do that. But then I may be wrong.

Mufutau

johnj2803 wrote in post #8704335
thanks for these! exactly what i needed!
which among these will enable HSS?