Fill flash for Canon 5D

I was disappointed that Canon did not include a built in flash with the 5D. I

had gotten used to having a flash available at all times, mostly for fill flash,

with my 20D. With larger separate flash units, I tend not to bring them along

and never have them when I need them. I don't want a large, powerful flash unit

but a small compact unit that is completely integrated with the electronics of

the 5D. Any suggestions? Someone recommended the Metz 28AF-3C to me. I'm not

sure if the E TTL it uses is as good as the latest Canon E TTL II. Any advice?

 

Jason

E-TTL flash metering is a feature of the body not the flash. The Metz is E-TTL dedicated and will perform the same as any other E-TTL dedicated flash. This is a very nice little flash unit with excellent features.

<P>I use the 220EX Speedlite as the "missing popup" on the 5D. It works great, is tiny (fits in

a shirt pocket), has near IR AF assist and is about twice as powerful as a typical popup. Load

it with lithium AAs to keep it light.</P><P><P><A HREF=http://

emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/frary/canon220ex.htm" TARGET="_blank">My Speedlite 220EX

Review</A></P>

<A HREF="http://

emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/frary/canon220ex.htm" TARGET="_blank">His Speedlite 220EX Review</A></P>

 

The Metz is much smaller -it weighs 100g vs 160g for the 220Ex but these are weights without batteries. The Metz take two AAA batteries while the 220EX takes 4 AA batteries. <P>

 

The feature that is not normally supported by these small third party flashes is High Speed Sync (FP mode).

Thanks Alistair for fixing my link. I wonder what went wrong with my HTML?

 

The Metz 28AF-3C Digital TTL Shoe Mount Flash looks like a nice little unit. Even has

manual control! I just looked at the picture at B&H and couldn't see an AF assist lamp.

Does it have one? I'd really miss one...

 

Also Nikon has a cute little fold up flash, the SB-30. Of course it's dedicated to Nikon but

sports both non-TTL auto mode and full manual as well. I briefly tried on my 10D in non-

TTL auto mode and it worked great. I never take it off my FM3A (leave it folded down most

of the time). It has wireless slave mode but no AF assist.

Puppy, the description on B&H says the Metz does have AF assist. I'm not sure how it's achieved, though, since I've never handled one.

I had the Metz and returned it for the 220EX.

 

The Metz has "white light" AF assist, same as the AF assist on the 20D on-camera flash....which I turned off...all it did is get the subjects think the picture was over and move...and is generally annoying...kind of like redeye reduction :-)

 

As I remember, the Metz also did not have High Speed (FP) flash, which for fill flash is, in my opinion, absolutely necessary. The only annoyance on the 220EX is that you must turn it on each time you turn the flash on...no memory as on the 580EX.

 

The Metz was a nice unit, but I just could not exist with the short comings.

 

For those interested, the 220EX can also be adapted with a diffuser for better indoor spread http://www.pbase.com/jrschwaller/image/56486626/original<div></div>

Puppy,

 

'Twas a missing " at the beginning of the link.

Thank you all for your input. I think I will stick with the Canon. The AF assist and the high speed flash synch are features that I think would be useful to have even at the expense of having a larger heavier flash.

 

Jason