Which flash?

[GadgetRick]

Ok, making the switch to Canon. Picking up a 50D today but have to now replace my Nikon accessories with Canon accessories.

Will need a good flash. I currently have a Nikon SB-600. Deciding on whether I need to spend the extra cash and get the Canon 580 EX II or the 430 EX II. Looks to be about a $160 difference in price. I will be shooting some weddings (as a 2nd) as well as sports (although I'm trying to get away with fast glass for the sports). Other than that, just general photography.

Thanks.

[OsmosisStudios]

The 430exII is essentially the canon equivalent of the SB600. The 580exII is the SB-900 equivalent. Canon users really get the shaft for flashes.

[Samanax]

Originally Posted by GadgetRick

Ok, making the switch to Canon. Picking up a 50D today but have to now replace my Nikon accessories with Canon accessories.

Will need a good flash. I currently have a Nikon SB-600. Deciding on whether I need to spend the extra cash and get the Canon 580 EX II or the 430 EX II. Looks to be about a $160 difference in price. I will be shooting some weddings (as a 2nd) as well as sports (although I'm trying to get away with fast glass for the sports). Other than that, just general photography.

For what you're going to use it for...between those two choices, I'd get the 580EX II.

But there are many 3rd party flashes that work with Canon DSLRs. Here's a list from B&H Photo. The Metz brand is very good.

[inkista]

Might also want to consider picking up a 580EX, used. Little less spendy. Much like an SB-800, only without SU-4 mode, a PC port, or an auto-thyristor. (sigh). But at least it does the 360° swivel.

[GadgetRick]

Well, after doing more research, I feel I need to be able to get a flash which will work with a wireless setup. Was playing with my friend's setup over the weekend. Wow! Very nice. I'm guessing that pushes me to the more expensive one, eh?

[inkista]

Maybe not. Depends on which wireless set-up you're talking about.

If you want to do the Canon equivalent of CLS, then you're in for an expensive ride. Unless you've got the 7D, you need a master unit on the hotshoe to pop the off-camera light. Nikon's actually better, here, since the D90 has a commander in the pop-up flash. That means not only getting an EX, but also getting another 550EX, 580EX, 580EXII, or ST-E2 to put on the hotshoe. So, double the expense.

If, however, you're talking about a Strobist set-up with cheap eBay triggers that attach to the hotshoe, you can use a 430EX. But then all that extra money you paid for eTTL and such is pretty much down the drain, as you're limited to popping the flash in Manual and 1/250s (your max. sync speed). So, you might as well get an LP120 or other manual flash instead for half the price, but then it won't be as nice used for bouncing on the hotshoe.

If you want to use radio receivers that don't attach to the flash hotshoe (pocketwizards, cybersyncs), then you want a flash with a PC port. And only the 580EXII has one. Or you'll have to buy a hotshoe-to-PC adapter. (sigh). Canon's really thought that their system was so perfect that you wouldn't want anything as old-fashioned as optical slaves or PC ports in your flashes. How wrong they were. They're definitely playing a bit of catchup with Nikon in the remote flash/Strobist arena.

[GadgetRick]

Hmm, so clear as mud, eh?

Was discussing this with my friend (which flash) and I'm still not 100% sure which way to go as I'm not sure what I'll wind up with in the future. I've got a lot to learn with flash photography so I'm not sure what I don't know if you know what I mean.

I may do as my friend suggested and get the lower model and, later, I can always upgrade and worry about it then. Just not sure since the price isn't all that much different--about $160--for the higher one.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by GadgetRick

I may do as my friend suggested and get the lower model and, later, I can always upgrade and worry about it then. Just not sure since the price isn't all that much different--about $160--for the higher one.

If this is the way you're thinking right now, let me put you out of your misery. Get the 580EXII. I've seen posts time and time again of folks who first went for the 430EX/430EXII and then regretted that they hadn't gone for the 580EX/580EXII instead, I've never seen anyone who regretted going for the 580EX/580EXII right off the bat.

A flash will last you longer than a camera. You have plenty of time to learn and take advantage of all your flash's features, and the advantages the 580EXII gives you over the 430EXII for both on and off camera work are substantial enough to make the cost difference seem trivial by the time you figure out what they are.

For on-camera work, such as weddings, the 580EXII swivels a full 360°: 180° to both the right and left. When you are bouncing the light, this means you can choose the direction of the light. You can mentally say to yourself, "where would the softbox go, if this were a studio?" and then point the light towards that direction to get the direction of light you want. This is the biggest battle with on-camera flash--to make the light not come from the camera. The 430EXII, like your SB-600, only rotates 90° to the right--you've lost 25% of your directional options just like that.

Secondly, the 580EXII is more powerful than the 430EXII. You've already found out what this means, in terms of limiting your working distance. Light falls of very quickly. The intensity of the light is proportional to the square of the distance (inverse-square law). The more power--the more distance you can throw and bounce the light--the higher the ceilings you can work with...

For these two features alone, the 580EXII is worth it. I'm mostly just echoing what I read on Neil van Niekirk's blog, but I really think he's put his finger exactly on why the high-end flash is worth the bucks.

[GadgetRick]

Thanks ink. You're thinking just like I am. I've bought the lower model of stuff before only to wish I had bought the higher-end model. I really don't want to do that again with this. Think I'll save my pennies and go for the better flash.

Thanks to everyone for voicing their opinion. Very helpful!

[Alexander]

I'll put in my 2-cents worth and second Inkista's reply. I've got the 430, and while I really like it, there are times when I've wished I had purchased the 580. Someday I will probably get one. One advantage of the 580 is that it can be used as a master with a 430 as a slave. If you're ever considering getting two flashes for that type of setup, it would make sense to get the higher-end one first.

Gary