Cheap flash vs Name brand flash

[GerritSmith]

Hey! I am wondering, what are the downfalls on using a cheap no name flash? Like are they fine for a beginner or what. Here is one cheap flash I was thinking about. Flash Unit for b Nikon Canon Pentax Camera SLR DSLR | eBay Thanks!

 

[Jakefreese]

I have some of the vivitar 285 flashes. That flash does not seem to have much power. I bought the vivitar since they were well reviews in the budget end of the flashes.

 

[enzodm]

Among the no-name, Yongnuo and Nissin have now a sort of name.
Anyway, something you may loose, in addition to power, is TTL (in the one you linked). Another thing is manual power control, useful if you plan to use it off camera. There is instead some Yongnuo that is compatible with either Canon or Nikon TTL system.
A place for good reviews: Yongnuo Speedlite YN 460-II Flash Review (Manual Flash) | Speedlights.net

 

[joealcantar]

I wouldn't be putting a flash like that on my camera, some folks here have had luck with others and have been tried. Just looking at the Guide # on it , I could probably light something better with my flashlight. Save your money and get something you will not regret buying. You have a nice start on your gear ask what others are using and advantages and disadvantages.
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Shoot well, Joe

 

[Matt24138]

I just ordered the vivitar 383 from bh photo for 129.95 free shipping. The reviews are good and people on here use them. It will do ttl and has slave function.

 

[GerritSmith]

Ok thanks! So should I just save up and get like a Canon Speedlite?

 

[enzodm]

If you have money, yes. I bought a Yongnuo 465 (does TTL, and also manual for off camera shooting with wireless transmitter).

 

[c.cloudwalker]

The question is not one of price but one of quality. Not everything expensive is of equivalent quality. What you want to look for is built quality to match the use you will make out of the gear.

If you are going to use a piece of gear day in, day out, you want to get the best quality you can get. On the other hand, if you're going to use the same piece of gear once every few months, a lower quality item may be just fine for you. And it will probably be cheaper.

 

[Dao]

I have some of the vivitar 285 flashes. That flash does not seem to have much power. I bought the vivitar since they were well reviews in the budget end of the flashes.

The Vivitar 285 is not bad at all as far as power goes.

Vivitar 285HV guide# 140' @105mm
Canon 430 exII guide# 141' @105mm

So they are comparable in terms of power.


OP, the guide number of the ebay linked flash is kind of low. Even if it is in meter instead of feet.

 

[pgriz]

There are a number of things to consider when purchasing a flash:

1) Guide number (the higher, the better)
2) Which modes does it support? (ETTL/manual/master/slave/etc?)
3) Is the head tiltable/rotatable (important in bounce lighting)
4) How strong is the foot? (because cheap plastic feet break... often)
5) How many ways can you trigger the flash? (hotshoe, PC, Optical, Radio?)
6) In manual mode, how much control do you have over the flash output (1:1 down to 1/128 or more?)
7) Does the flash head screen move to accomodate different focal lengths? (cheap:no, expensive, yes).
8) Does the flash have a power-saver option (auto-shut-off after X minutes of disuse),
9) Build quality (weather-sealed? built like a tank?)
10) Warranty (1yr, 3yr or...)

Those are some that come to mind. The more options and the more integration with the camera system, the higher the price.