Advice on flash attachment for Canon Rebel XS

[Lisanne]

I have a new Canon Rebel EOS XS EF-S 18-55 IS I think it means it is a 55mm lens.

Anyway, I am an older person retraining in a Forensics course, lifetime photographer, owned an SLR Zeiss Ikon from when I was 17 and saved up for it, and bought an auto Kodak camera when the SLR got too heavy to carry. (I have a back birth disability)

I got the Rebel as it is comparable to what I am training to use in college, and what most Police Crime Lab Agencies use - a Canon Rebel of 8 megapixels.

I need a flash unit, one that will tilt and rotate on top of the hot shoe, but can be taken off and held to one side to do 45 degree angle shots. This is so I can practice taking photos of items like fake crime scenes and fingerprints in every lighting conditions I can think of. I will not be using it when I finally get a job, you use the cameras provided by the agency you are with, but it will remain my personal pride and joy.

I'm also sticking with the 55mm lens and not getting macro lenses or anything else. I am doing this on a very tight budget. The Canon flash units like the Sunpack are too expensive, and I really don't need anything that powerful as I am not doing Pro standard (or court standard) night shots etc.

What I also need is likely a hot shoe with a plug for the flash unit when using it unmounted from the camera, as obviously the Rebel has no socket for a flash connection.

I know that the question of voltages comes into buying both items so would really appreciate advice for someone like me, with very little money coming in at the moment, to be able to buy something worth buying that will do the job for me.

Thanks for any help. I am in South Cal, San Diego way.

Lisanne

[oldwolf]

Here you go:

Amazon.com: Vivitar DF383 Digital TTL Shoe Mount Power Zoom /Swivel /Bounce Auto-Focus Flash for Canon TTL, Guide Number 45m (147'): Camera & Photo

Amazon.com: Vivitar Digital Off Shoe Flash Cord for Canon Digital EOS Rebel XS 50D T1i: Camera & Photo

I've never used either of these but you can use the flash on camera with ttl and the cord will get you off camera.

[Thunder_o_b]

Go with the 540EX II
Canon 430EX II Speedlite TTL Shoe-Mount Flash 2805B002 B&H Photo

Or the 580EX II. I have this one and it is an outstanding flash.
Canon Speedlite 580EX II 1946B002 B&H Photo Video

This is the off camera cord that I use.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search...tialSearch=yes

[inkista]

Originally Posted by Lisanne

...I need a flash unit, one that will tilt and rotate on top of the hot shoe, but can be taken off and held to one side to do 45 degree angle shots....

The Canon flash units like the Sunpack are too expensive...

... What I also need is likely a hot shoe with a plug for the flash unit when using it unmounted from the camera, as obviously the Rebel has no socket for a flash connection.

What you probably need is a hotshoe-to-hotshoe cable, like the ones they use for flash brackets. This will also let you retain eTTL (if your flash has it). Googling or doing an Amazon/B&H/etc. search on "off camera flash cord" will likely find you a lot of cheaper 3rd party alternatives to Canon's OC-E3B.

Not sure which Sunpak you're talking about, but assuming a <$100 budget, if you're willing to risk having to return a flash to Hong Kong , I'd say go for a Yongnuo YN-465 (you can find them at the yn store on eBay for a little more than $70. The cheapness basically comes from cheap manufacture, so build quality/consistency with YNs is the risk.

[Lisanne]

Thanks, guys. Sorry for the delay but was swamped with college work etc there for a bit.

Oldwolf - that looks exactly like what i want, thanks.

Inkista - meh, as you say the worry is returning it to Hong Kong, and cheap manufacturing! Thanks for the suggestion, though.

Thunder_o_b - those are on the Wish List that the Camera Fairy will need to bring me, Yeah I know about them, we use them in class, but no way I can afford them at this time, sadly. That's why I wanted less expensive alternatives.