Canon Flash Gun, how much?

[SteveEllis]

Hey Guys,

I'm looking at getting a flash for my canon 20D, I've been looking around and am shocked by the prices, they seem to go for £150 to around £400 (Thats $300 to $800 to my American friends on here )

Are these prices realistic or am I just looking at the wrong end of the market?

What should I look for in an external flash?

Thanks,
Steve.

 

[JIP]

Sounds about right......

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/486706-USA/Canon_1946B002_580EX_II_Flash.html

 

[SteveEllis]

One of those is off my list for a while then

 

[Big Mike]

You could go with something cheaper like a Sunpak 383...but you won't get all the functionality of using a Canon flash unit.

I suggest the 430EX, it's a couple hundred dollars...but it's a great unit.

 

[JIP]

Well if you go by this guy http://strobist.blogspot.com/ the only thing you need is cheap (relatively) vivitar strobes http://www.amazon.com/Vivitar-285HV...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1191371380&sr=8-1 .

 

[SteveEllis]

Do the cheaper ones still run off the hot shoe or are the connected some other way?

What extra functionality does an expensive canon flash give me over the cheaper models you've described?

That strobist site looks interesting, I'll have a sneaky read of that throughout the day whilst working

 

[SteveEllis]

Ok, been doing a lot more reading and am starting to understand all this

Quick question though, is it possible to damage my camera by using a flash gun not specifically designed for my camera?

I've been looking at ebay remote transmitters and a Nikon 728 flash gun, the whole shebang will only set me back about £40.

I have a canon eos 20D

 

[Big Mike]

Quick question though, is it possible to damage my camera by using a flash gun not specifically designed for my camera?

It is possible, if the flash trigger voltage is higher than the camera's capacity for flash trigger voltage. The 20D's capacity is 250v, so just about any modern flash will be OK. Many flash units have been reported to THIS SITE...but the list was made for film EOS cameras, which were rated much lower.

To be absolutely safe, you could get a 'safe sync' which goes between the flash and the camera and protects the camera.

 

[SteveEllis]

Cheers Mike, I'll check the flash trigger voltage.

I'm going to be mainly using the remote triggers explained on the strobist site as I want to use coloured gels to illuminute ruins etc

The safe syncs are very affordable too so I think I might get one just to be safe.

 

[Big Mike]

The safe syncs are very affordable too so I think I might get one just to be safe.

Are they? I always thought that a Wein safe sync was something close to $100...which was too much for me, if I had a good idea that the flash was already safe.

 

[JDS]

$50 at B&H...


I bought one for mine..just in case.

 

[SteveEllis]

Yeah I saw them for $50, which is only £25 in my money