canon flashes for 70d

BraCas · Jan 28, 2014

for an occasional user, do you need the top of the line flash?? wont the middle road do the same for basic flash pictures. I am looking at the cost vs performance in flashes.
thanks
brad

lambertpix · Jan 28, 2014

You probably don't need top-of-the-line. You may, in fact, not even need Canon. I've been pretty happy with my Yongnuo yn-568ex ii. You can pick up one of these, along with a set up 622C triggers for less than a high-end Canon flash.

Typically, by the way, the types of improvements you see as you move upscale with flashes are more power (see "guide number", but take published numbers with a grain of salt), and features like ETTL and HSS, both of which might not make much sense when you're starting out, but are likely to come in handy once you figure out how to use them. Higher-end flashes also tend to have flash heads that tilt & rotate, LCD screens to keep track of settings, off-camera flash capabilities, and the ability to plug in a power pack for quicker recharges. Like Canon's high-end cameras & lenses, their top-of-the-line flashes are designed to work for a living, but you might not need that kind of duty cycle & durability. That's what you're paying for, though.

Big Mike · Jan 29, 2014

Hi Brad, welcome to the forum.

The differences between something like the Canon 430EXII and the 600EX-RT;
The 600 has more power. That is certainly useful when shooting outside or in large indoor spaces, but the 430 has plenty of power for typical indoor situations.
The 600 is a 'master' unit that can control remote 'slave' flash units. It even used radio transmission (RT), which the previous flagship (the 580EXII) didn't have. But of course, you need to have compatible slave units to take advantage of that feature.
If you don't plan on having multiple flash units and using them off-camera, then you probably don't need a 'master' unit.
One thing that I really don't like about the 430, is the button layout. It has these crescent buttons that are hard to press. The higher models have a dial which is much easier to use. Although, the things you usually adjust most often, can be done via the camera.

As mentioned, you can save money by going with an off-brand flash. The Yongnuo brand has been popular in the last couple years.