 Kathleen Brennan |
Canon External Flash I am considering buying an external flash for my Canon 30D Any opinions on the best one?
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Tareq M. Alhamrani |
Canon 580EX
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Denyse Clark |
Hi Kathleen, I have the Rebel XT and have both the 420EX and 580EX. I recommend the 580 ... it's more powerful, can be used as a master if you ever want to get more for to act as slaves, and has a built-in bounce card that is great!!
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Jeff Coleman |
I too have a Rebel XT. I have a Sigma 500 super that is close to the Canon 550 for a lot less money. But I still plan on getting a 580EX down the road.
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Rich Collins |
Denyse Built-in Bounce Card? Do you mean white balance?
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Denyse Clark |
Hi Rich- no, I mean bouce card! Ever hear people say to take a white business card & rubberband it to the flash head to give you a built in bounce surface? Well the 580 has a plastic one that you can pull out or push in actually built right in. Very cool!
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Rich Collins |
Kathleen & Denyse I just went out & bought one. Wow you are right. If I angle the flash head at what it tells me is 45° & lower the plastic slide out white bounce card & slide out plastic diffuser screen, the light is so much softer. I really like this 580EX. Now how do I tether my 420ex to this as a slave unit? There's no plug anywhere on the 580, must be a hotshoe mount then a splitter. I'll have to look this up. Kathleen the 420 will do what you want but the 580 is in a league of its own.
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Christopher A. Vedros |
Rich, You don't need to tether the 420EX to the 580 - those flashes have a wireless system built in. The switches at the base of the 420EX will put it in slave mode. I'm sure the manual for the 580 will explain what to do on that end. Have fun! Chris A. Vedros
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Denyse Clark |
Rich- Chris is right on the wireless feature for master & slave between the two!!! I just did it the other day, works like a charm. Set the 580 as Master (it's written right on it) and the 420 to slave and away you go!!! FYI the clear diffuser screen is for using the flash with a wide angle lens from what I read in the manual. It says when you are using a regular lens & want the bounce card, just push the clear screen back in.
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Rich Collins |
I've spent hours at Pro sites asking questions & getting a multitude of varying answers which all require further investigating. Thanks for the straight answers Chris & Denyse. I have a practice shoot coming up tomorrow which I'll use these as suggested in differing locations. Wow how easy. And using my 17-40 I'll try the diffuser again. I was using my EF100. I hope this is also helping Kathleen.
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Denyse Clark |
That's why I LOVE BP too- you can get some straight up answers that are SO helpful!! Good luck, let us know how it goes!
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Rich Collins |
Will do.
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Kathleen Brennan |
Thank you all. I just received my 580 EX in the mail yesterday and plan to do some practice shoots with it today. I read about the diffuser screen and built in bounce card. Very cool. I also bought an omni bounce for only $12.00 from adorama, so I am eager to experiment with that as well.
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- Bob Cournoyer Contact Bob Cournoyer Bob Cournoyer's Gallery  |
Kathleen, are you in my macro class? I have the 580 and 420 and the omni bounce that I use on the 580. The omni is marvelous and the 420 works perfectly as a slave. Altho on the 420 I just throw a paper towel or waxed paper or an old t-shirt sleeve over the flash head for diffusion... :-) Bob
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Kathleen Brennan |
Hi Bob, Yes I am. These classes inspire me to buy all of this equipment. Lots of fun and hard on the pocketbook. I would love to have another flash and learn how to do the slave setup. I was inspired by you to buy the EZ cube light tent and took a bunch of shots using that yesterday. Your comments and examples have been so helpful in class. I will be visiting my parents in Silverdale, WA. for Christmas week. I know you live in that area. Perhaps we could meet somewhere for coffee. Kathleen
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- Bob Cournoyer Contact Bob Cournoyer Bob Cournoyer's Gallery |
Thanks! I'd never played with lighting before this class. I'd find something to shoot and just work around it with whatever light was available. This is really eye-opening using lights that you can move around something and reflectors and stuff!!! My tent was delivered yesterday, but since I'm on day 4 of 11 in a row at work, I doubt I'll have much time to play for awhile. Yes, I'm about 30 minutes or so from Silverdale. I don't drink coffee, but if you come up with a place that serves coffee AND beer let me know... :-) All kinds of waterfront around here, so we should be able to come with something. Bob
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