Which flash best suits me?

[Canon John]

The 580 EX/EX II or the 430 EX?

I will be investing in a flash in the next few months, I hope, and having next to 0 experience with any flashes other than my own Sunpak Auto 144 D. My flash was made for film, it is 3rd party, and it had NO auto features on any camera I have ever used it with.

I had a nice flash with the Oly I had way back when, but I never really had much chance to use it.

So, enough background. I would be using the flash mainly for close up nature, and people. Shots like these...



http://lh5.ggpht.com/almoagain/SHK1XWRV4MI/AAAAAAAAASI/fgXiIQ694GA/IMG_4945.jpg?imgmax=640

I would eventually like to use the flash along with another/others in a master slave combo for my fish photography, but that is a future concern. The issue here is the two I mentioned above.

I am not adverse to buying the 580ex or the ex II, but the 430 is way more in my price range. Power only has to be good enough for close up work and portraits. The fish stuff counts as close up.

The camera and lenses I have are the 30D, EF 70-200 f/4L, EF 50mm 1.8, Sigma 17-35mm 2.8-4 EX, and I am looking into The Sigma 10-20mm 4-5.6 EX.

This is my situation. Advise would be great!

Thanks!

 

[Big Mike]

The 430EX will probably fit your needs. As you probably know, the 430EX can only act as a slave in Canon's wireless system, so if you did want to use Canon's wireless/multiple flash system in the future, you would need to purchase a master unit...either now or then.

I have the 430EX and it works very well and has lots of power. There are times when I wish that I had more power but that is for scenarios which may not be very common.

Also, forum rules state that an image in your signature is limited to 60 pixels high. So please change or remove that large image. Thanks.

 

[Canon John]

Also, forum rules state that an image in your signature is limited to 60 pixels high. So please change or remove that large image. Thanks.

OMG!

I read this, and at first I was like, what is he talking about???

I can't see ads with my browser, Camino, it is a Mac only browser, and the only one I know that blocks them. Yesterday at work I noticed the ad in my sigline, but I blew it off, thinking it was something to do with the site, and not me, and since I couldn't see it at home I didn't care.

Then you made that request, and it dawned on me that the ad I saw yesterday was what you meant. It took me a little digging, but I realized that it was a result of my actual signature being linked to my Picasa web gallery. I opened up firefox and looked around, it is on every photo forum I use. I have been snaked!

I am very sorry. I was completely unaware of this. I only just put that sigline up when I joined here a few days ago, and changed all my sigs on the other forums to match it. I would never put such a ghastly, and pointless thing in my signature. I have removed my signature and I am replacing it.