430ex or the 430exII

[miniscott]

Hi I have a quick question,

 

I currently have a 580ex II and was looking to Buy a Slave flash. A 430ex has come up at a reasonable price, should

I hold out and get a 430exII. Is the 20% slower recycling time and the recycle noise and only set back if I buy the

430ex?

 

Thanks in advance for your help

 

Kind regards

 

Richard

[bluphoto]

Think so. If you're rapid shooting then go for the II, otherwise, I don't see much difference - is there a PC sync socket on it yet?

[mark u]

There's probably a good 20% difference in price ;)

[chrisjb]

Have not seen mentioned yet :(

 

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0806/08061001canon430iiex.asp

[colin_woon]

The II has metal mount, the 430EX has plastic mount. I'll prefer the metal mount, feels more solid.

[anov]

I like metal shoe too. However I think plastic is "better" so if the flash got knocked off plastic would break off while metal will bend your camera shoe flash too maybe. So you have to deal with 2 repairs as opposed to one and you might not be able to attach replacement flash on the camera.

 

The II probably won't show up until September. I'll travel to Asia soon. I'll check it out if they have it there.

[PuppyDigs]

The 430EX II also has improved compatibility with new DSLRs as all the features may be controlled via on-board camera

controls. Some of the normal features of the 430EX are grayed out on my 40D LCD. Of course you can always use the

flash controls instead.

[steve_dunn2]

<p>If you're just planning on using it as a slave to your existing flash, then most of the items mentioned above

are of little or no consequence, and in your shoes, I'd grab a 430EX (original model) and save a few bucks.

Heck, if you're just using it as a slave and don't need manual controls (i.e. using wireless E-TTL to control

everything), a 420EX will do virtually the same job and cost even less. If you're also planning to use it

on-camera (e.g. as a smaller, lighter flash unit for the times you need to pack as little gear as possible), then

some of the extra features in the II may well be worth having.</p>

[james_fitzell]

Just FYI I've heard that it's not a good idea to use the 430EX as a slave (even though it's designed as one) because it's lower in power than the 580EX. The reason being that you presumably are using a second flash in order to avoid the "deer in headlights" look given when the camera-mounted flash is powerful, yet you wont be able to make the 430EX more powerful than the 580EX.

 

Of course I guess this is assuming you NEED the full-power of the flash and in most circumstances it wont matter if you're using 1/8 power on the 580 and 1/2 power on the 430.

[bluphoto]

You just have to work out your lighting rations properly, remembering that the 580 has a guide number of 58 and the 430, 43 - so 1/1 isnt' the same amount of light on both units. You can either move the 430 closer to match the intensity of the 580, or shoot the 580 wider, or cut the power of the 580 etc - assuming you're looking for equal power.

 

More often than not you DON'T want equal power from both flashes, and like any other piece of photographic equipment, you'll soon get to understand it and use it to the best of its ability.

 

cheers,

Guy

[chrisjb]

`the 580 has a guide number of 58 and the 430, 43 - so 1/1 isnt' the same amount of light on both units`

 

Guy, are you talking maximun power in manual modes or excessive distance, If I use my 430 as a single flash for a portrait at 10 feet, then my 580 2 same shot. Noth give out the same amount of light for correct exposure. Now with 580 on camera and 430 on a stand 10 seet (equal distance from the subject) to the right 1:1 ettl both still put out the correct same amount of light. The only difference I see is spread of light from the different size hrads, not that noticable when diffused. And only other difference by ratio.What am I missing here ? :)

 

regards

[bluphoto]

I'm talking max power in manual mode. (or any common fraction of max power). Obviously in ETTL mode both should meter the same, although the 580 is more capable if it needs more power.

[dave_holland]

With NiMH batteries I find my old 430 works fine, really good as a slave flash. With alkaline batteries it is of course a lot slower, but no where near as slow as my older 550. I don't find the power difference to be much of a problem.

 

Dave

[mark u]

The fact that a 580EX is just under a stop more powerful than a 430EX isn't necessarily difficult to work with in manual mode. Just putting it in that fashion should explain how to obtain matched lighting with both heads equidistant from the subject. However, it is also much more common to use a ratio in the range 2:1 to 4:1 for portrait work so the power difference becomes far less important. Careful studio work entails the use of a flash meter - simply because you can't predict the effects of any modifiers you may be using accurately enough without one - again making power differences between units of much less practical consequence.