UWA or Flash?

Darkwand wrote in post #9318881
I'm in the same dilemma should i get a sigma UWA of a 580EX II next month.
I know I'll be using a UWA a lot this summer for nature shots. The trouble is that i find it hard to get excited about having an external flash.
A flash feels like when i spent roughly 300$ on a new power unit for my computer, it didn't do anything by itself but it was vital to put more other hardware into the computer.

Well atleast the 580 is the best and i should have the best, and it will intimidate compact users. That's some consolation.

Oh and tripod definatley comes before a flash, iId say it comes even before DSLR.

Oh.... you probably wouldn't find much difference between a 430 and 580. And 430 is like 1/2 the price of 580. 430 gives me enough juice for any general photography. The extra "power" from the 580 is not much more. i used a 580 and at times the amount of light it gives just won't cut it, (gain you about 10-20% more distance). So the idea of "master", "slave" flash come to my mind. Now the good question is what's the "difference"?
580 can use as "master" and a little more adjustment that can play with and 430 can only be act as "slave", so if you need studio lighting, or off camera flash, i'd recommend a 430 first, and get a 580 second.

after all, what's the point of getting a master without having a slave first?
But my answer only pertains to someone that is budget concises and/or getting the "first" flash.

Currently i shoot outdoors a lot but i might shoot more indoors if i had the right tools.
I've used the pop up a few times but it's a hassle to bounce it or only use it for fill. I'm more into primes for indoor photography but alas i don't have a wide enough one for that either.

The thing is i know i need a flash an UWA and many many primes i just need to decide what order to get them in.
The main goal for my photography right now is to get professional looking photos, if i psychologise i guess the UWA is competing because i know i'll be at places i love when I'll use it but that's this summer.

cheungupdt wrote in post #9318964
after all, what's the point of getting a master without having a slave first?
But my answer only pertains to someone that is budget concises and/or getting the "first" flash.

I had to slave through 4 days of extra work in order to afford a 580EX (or a UWA) don't you dare mention budget constraints.
Now if you'll excuse me I'll be looking at noodle rebates at the store.

But to the OP, The question is what do you need? is a simple $200 430ex will satisfy your flash desire? Then you can put that extra $200 into the UWA. If you have a 17-55mm already, and if you only wants to "fit stuff into the frame", actually, 11-16 doesn't gain you too much. I have a 17-50mm, and most of the time, i found myself grabbing the 17-50mm and take a few step backward to fit things into the frame instead.
But if you always uses the "distortion" of the UWA, or if you can't take a few step backward anymore for the landscape, and only if you use it THAT frequently, i'd say the UWA, otherwise, if you don't have flash, flash first.

Darkwand wrote in post #9319010
I had to slave through 4 days of extra work in order to afford a 580EX (or a UWA) don't you dare mention budget constraints.
Now if you'll excuse me I'll be looking at noodle rebates at the store.

Thanks for the humor, but all i'm trying to say is that it'll save the person a lot of money up front without having too much compensation and it is $200 towards the tokina. and it also provide a up-front economical way to upgrade if it ever needed that path of studio lighting.

@ the OP, would a 430 ex allow you to have both, true the 430 ex is not the newest flash out there but if you need both it might be a option,