Best budget master flash for Canon 400d...

[limetreepictures]

I'm working to a fairly limited student budget at the moment, and with spending most of my cash on studio equip I am looking for a good flash to act as a master for my 400d.

I have a speedlite 430 ex II which can only slave, but happily Canon have only just looked at making the on camera flash useable as a master for future upgrades...ie the 7D. That's for next year as a purchase for me (wife permitting obviously), but can anyone recommend a good, robust model that will come in cheaper than the Canon speedlite 580 ex II?

:icon_nice

Mike

[tenchy]

I'm not sure there is a simple alternative to the 580 II.

I asked a similar question some time back:
http://www.photography-forum.org/showthread.php?t=27624

The 580 is a nice unit mind, steeper than the Eiger Nordwand, but nice.

[simonpaul64]

Have you considered getting some cheap radio transmitters? They aren't quick as reliable as pocketwizards or whatever, but the price is right!!! Something like this -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PT-04-Radio-Wireless-Remote-Flash-Trigger-2Rx-for-Nikon_W0QQitemZ170395221478QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_P hotography_DigitalCamAccess_RL?hash=item27ac58bde6 #ht_2852wt_958

When you use something like that you can add extra flashes (of any brand) and just set them manually. It won't do ETL, but then you just use your 430.

Just a thought.

[tenchy]

Have you considered getting some cheap radio transmitters? They aren't quick as reliable as pocketwizards or whatever, but the price is right!!! Something like this -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PT-04-Radio-Wireless-Remote-Flash-Trigger-2Rx-for-Nikon_W0QQitemZ170395221478QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_P hotography_DigitalCamAccess_RL?hash=item27ac58bde6 #ht_2852wt_958



A good suggestion and a LOT cheaper than the ST-E2 that I have!

[chortler]

I'm using cheap triggers from ebay, which has allowed me to use whatever flashes I can find,beg,borrow,steal...

Look at strobist.com, to get an idea of what you could do with off camera flashes

[limetreepictures]

Thanks Guys, I have some receiver/transmitters of the type Simon mentioned above coming to me from China from Ebay (Postie's turning up for work permitting of course!), so this should solve at least part of the problem.

Does anyone have any horror stories from using Nissin/Sunpak flashes....?

[Owenhow]

I had the Sigma 580 dg super, its got more power than the Canon and also can do light sensitive slaving without the need for a separate trigger