Canon speedlite 430ex II

Phall82

Phall82

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Colin
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I am thinking of buying an external flashgun for my canon 500D and wondered from other people's experiences how significant the difference is compared to built in flash.

My main use will be for family/baby shots for my expected newborn in September but it will also be used for other events such as weddings etc.

I am thinking that the 430ex II would suit my needs and budget but at £200 is it worth it?

Any advice would be welcome.
 
Phall82 said:
I am thinking of buying an external flashgun for my canon 500D and wondered from other people's experiences how significant the difference is compared to built in flash.

My main use will be for family/baby shots for my expected newborn in September but it will also be used for other events such as weddings etc.

I am thinking that the 430ex II would suit my needs and budget but at £200 is it worth it?

Any advice would be welcome.
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If you can afford the 430 then I would say go for it. I originally bought a Jessops dedicated flashgun specifically to take shots at a family christening. I found that it was not 100% reliable and ended up with a lot of unusable shots. I ended up buying the 430exII and have found it to be perfect for my needs. Never misses a shot. Now just use the Jessops for off camera flash when I need more than one light source.
 
I got the 430 and would have to agree with the above reply. I make it a rule now that I will not compromise on what I want even if it means waiting a lot longer for funds or availability. Always pays off in the long run.
 
Same here, 430EX II is worth the extra you pay, well made and produces excellent shots.

They sometime go for around £150-£160 second hand but are usually snapped up very quickly.

I'd hold out and get one as you wont need to change it again.
 
Another vote for the 430 II. It integrates with the camera seemlessly and gives excellent results, especially if you use it for fill-in.
 
Phall82 said:
I am thinking of buying an external flashgun for my canon 500D and wondered from other people's experiences how significant the difference is compared to built in flash.

My main use will be for family/baby shots for my expected newborn in September but it will also be used for other events such as weddings etc.

I am thinking that the 430ex II would suit my needs and budget but at £200 is it worth it?

Any advice would be welcome.
Click to expand...

If you just use a separate flash shooting direct, then not much difference to the pop-up.

But they have the power to bounce, which will transform your flash photography. And use accessories. And the good ones have high speed sync (including 430EX) which is essential for fill-in flash outdoors.

Basically, if you're indoors, point the flash anywhere but straight at the subject. Learn how to use it, loads of creative potential.
 
Phall82 said:
I am thinking of buying an external flashgun for my canon 500D and wondered from other people's experiences how significant the difference is compared to built in flash.
Click to expand...

As HoppyUk says - if you get the 430 EX II you can bounce the flash or get it off the camera (you can buy cheap triggers to do this) - the difference between this and on camera flash is like night and day. It will totally transform your indoor pics.

If you haven't got one already though a 50mm 1.8 is also a nice inexpensive option for 'arty' ( :) ) shallow depth of field shots indoors.
 
Thanks for all the advice.
 
For weddings etc, fine, but try to avoid using a flash unmodified for your newborn (congrats by the way). Natural lighting will be much kinder, with a wide aperture prime.
 
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