# Need expert advice on which flash to buy.



## Vuyo (Nov 9, 2010)

Hi all

I am new here and I'm an amateur. I bought a Canon Digital SLR 450D. I am planning to start photography service on a small scale and grow into it however I don't have the technical/equipment knowledge. I somehow trust this forum better than sales guys who just want to get a sale by selling you whatever you can afford.

Need help here: Canon Speedlite 270EX Flash or Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash

What is the difference between the 2 flashes? What can 430 EX do better than the 270EX? The 430 costs more than double than the 270EX. I am a bit tight with cash but if it makes technical/photographic sense to buy the more expensive one then I will have to. Should I even buy the 270 or just get the 430?

Thanks in advance


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## DonaldG (Aug 23, 2007)

Hi Vuyo

Welcome to TSF & especially to the Photographer's Corner. :wave:

I have both the 270EX & a 530EX (The 430EX has very similar features) those flashes & since i got the 530EX II i have not used the 270. There are many differences but the greatest advantage that I see is that on the 530, there is an LCD Display of it's settings. 

I use it with Canon 20D + stock lens or a 70-200 L and a Canon 5DII +28~300 L is USM.

Both types of flash 'sense' the zoom settings as servos adjust the reflector in the flash head to narrow the flash beam to give then greater reach when on zoom. The exposure feed back. However, because of the way exposures levels are fed back to the flash processor, the exposures can vary depending on various factors. On the LCD display of the 530, it is very easy to override the automatic exposure settings and add or decrease the exposure. The display will show that you have set it as, say, + a third or whatever. This is especially useful in 'stress' situations like wedding photography. Using it as flash fill in...it can be reset in just a couple of seconds.

Another valuable use of the exposure override is that the flash zoom setting matches to 105mm ... with my 200 & 300mm zoom I can increase the exposure on the flash head to quickly compensate and give the camera extra reach. For example, I was at a function and using the zoom at 300mm with the subject 100 metres away, I was able to get correctly exposed shots.

Just for that capability with the readout on the LCD, I am happy to pay the extra.

There are many other advantages too. Most of which I don't use.

I suggest that you look up the Canon info on the Speed flashes here. This is a very interesting PDF file on working with flash. In particular, have a look at page 27 where there is a comparison between the 220, 430 and 530 models.

If you anticipate using it a lot and can afford it, I don't think you will be disappointed with the choice of the 430.


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## Vuyo (Nov 9, 2010)

Hi Donald

Thank you so much for taking time out to reply to my post! I really appreciate it. Your response is helping a great deal in deciding what flash to go for. I definitely won't be going for the 270EX.

Vuyo


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## DonaldG (Aug 23, 2007)

Glad it helped. :wave:


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