 Darlene Christensen |
A 420EX Speedlite question!! A few weeks ago I asked a question about what flash attachment would be good for my Canon 10D. The advice was either a 420ex or a..is it..550ex? Anyway, I just ordered a 420ex. The guy from the store called me and asked me where I was going to use it..indoors or outdoors. I told him indoors. He told me I couldn't use the 420ex indoors...only outdoors..and tried to sell me the 550ex (that # could be wrong..I just can't remember). I didn't want to spend that much money. Then he told me I should get one by Signa...still too much money. So I told him I'd hold off. Then he said I COULD use the 420ex indoors IF I got a "pocket bouncer". My question is...why wouldn't I be able to use the 420ex indoors? It just seems odd to me since I would normally only use a flash indoors or just occasionally for fill-in outdoors. Also what does a "slave" mean? Does it mean the flash is attached to the camera..and not connected to a cord off the camera? You know, the biggest thing I've learned from reading this forum every day...is just HOW MUCH I DON'T know!!! Thanks all!
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H |
I own 420ex. I don't understand why you couldn't use it indoors either. I think the salesman is out to scam more money from you. You can actually use 420ex as a secondary flash using two or more flashes at once. That's what it means by "slave", you need to get another kit for that to work.
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Jon Close |
"He told me I couldn't use the 420ex indoors...only outdoors..." You may not know much, but that's no excuse for the salesperson to treat you like an idiot. I'd shop elsewhere. The 420EX can be used very effectively both indoors and out. While a "pocket bouncer" or other flash diffusers (from Lumiquest, Sto-fen, and others) can be useful, they are not necessary. A flash set up as a "slave" is mounted off the camera and simply fires in reaction to another flash (triggered either with a light sensor or radio signal). The 420EX can be controlled as a slave with a 550EX, 580EX, MR-14EX, MT-24EX, or the ST-E2 flash controller. These units not only signal the 420EX to fire, they have wireless TTL control of its output.
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Darlene Christensen |
Thanks Jon and Haesong for your responses! I DID go ahead and order the 420ex with the pocket bouncer (because I had read about them) from the place but I doubt I'll do any more business with them. We'll see how the transaction goes! It's been shipped..within one day..so far so good! I had a feeling it was "policy" for them to try and sell something more expensive..but I wasn't sure. Seems like working with a digital camera is more tricky. I AM assuming I'm just going to attach this flash onto my Canon 10D flash shoe..and it's going to work like a regular flash attachment does!! Is that right? I don't want it to become "rocket science"..I just need a good flash attachment to take indoor pictures of people at a party! If it hadn't been for the good advice I received here about what flash would work for me..the salesman probably would have fast talked me into something I really didn't need! Thanks SO much for this site! Darlene
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Kerry L. Walker |
I know this is after the fact, but the guy was just trying to sell you something at a higher price. He probably works on a commission. I don't really have a problem with someone trying to get me to upgrade as long as they aren't pushy. I do draw the line at lying. If I had been you, I would have hung up and ordered from somewhere else. You didn't NEED the bouncer but it will come in handy. The flash will work just like it does on a 35mm. Digital and 35mm aren't THAT different. The main difference is in the capture medium, not the operation of the camera.
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Darlene Christensen |
I agree with you Kerry. I should have just hung up but he called me at work..was very difficult to understand (his English wasn't very good)..I needed the flash quickly..and he just caught me off guard. A lesson learned. I had found the online store by going through PricingCentral. They had the lowest total price out of about 20 vendors. "Abe's of Maine". Their customer feedback was positive. Thanks for reassuring me that there's no big mystery about using the flash...I was getting a little nervous! :)
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Andrew Laverghetta |
I talked to a salesman one time at a local camera shop and asked some question about the canon speedlights to which I recieved an answer similar to but not exactly, "for Canon 35mm SLRs, you can use any 3rd party flash like sigma or quantaray but for digital, the voltages won't match up and the camera could be ruined." Is this true? Or was he just trying to get my to buy from them since they didn't carry any of those third party flashes? Also, I'm getting a 20D soon, how many of these flashes, canon or third party, will take advantage of the E-TTL II? Will the flash say if it works with TTL II? I usually shop at B&H. Thanks!
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Christopher A. Vedros |
As my Dad used to say, "Pull this leg too, so I can stand straight!" Okay, he was no Will Rogers, but I loved him. I get really frustrated when I hear about salesmen misleading customers, either intentionally, or because they just don't understand the products they're selling. I was at BestBuy this afternoon, and I saw a woman I knew from Church. As I went over to say hello, I overheard the "advice" she was getting from a camera salesboy. He had very spiky hair and very baggy pants. He was explaining to her that digital zoom was better than optical zoom because optical zoom only affects what you see in the viewfinder, but digital zoom actually affects the digital picture. I was compelled to interrupt. I politely set the record striaght, though I didn't really want to be polite. I don't know much about Quantaray, but I know that Sigma makes a flash specifically for the Canon EOS digitals, with full E-TTL II capability.
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anonymous |
OMG - what a load of rubbish! I have a 420EX and it is great for indoor or outdoor, if you are going to use it outdoors though, just defuse the flash a little with a bit of tissue paper etc, just to reduce it's power in "fill flash" situations! I LOVE MY 420EX!!! oh, except when I forget to put new batteries in it and wonder why it isn't working..... LOL!
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