Canon Speedlite 430EX Flash Review. Once the decision on Camera is made, then there is a high and low flash model. You really do want a flash in most circumstances particularly indoors where bounce flash is very useful. The net is that the 580EX has a guide number of 190 (vs. 140) so is more powerful and is a little bit bigger. The 580EX is a breathtaking $365 at “pricegrabber”:http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=4690192/sort_type=bottomline so it is really the pro model while the 430EX is “$242”:http://www.pricegrabber.com/p__Canon_SPEEDLITE_430EX,__11456350/sort_type=bottomline. So for my money, the 430EX is probably just fine. Nikon has the same split with the SB-800 and SB-600.
Performance of the Canon Speedlite 430EX Flash is consistent with that of the Canon Speedlite 580EX Flash – very good. I don’t have much to report on it. Both of these flashes work very well as long as you understand Canon’s flash technology. For the difference in price, my advice is to get the Canon 580ex Flash. Of course, if the 430ex’s differences are meaningless to you, it will serve you very well.
See also “Lee Ward”:http://emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/Frary/canon_430ex.htm actual use of the thing on his 10D
