Flashlight for EOS 5D

[Elie7Elie]

Hello,

I just upgraded to the EOS 5D from the EOS20D and I need to buy a flashlight.  Does it matter whether I buy a Canon or non-Canon flashlight.  I realldy don't know anything about flash photography other than that I have to set my suhtter speed to 1/60, so I thought I stop first here to get your feedback and maybe I'll dig more into flash photography techniques. I  am looking at the following flashlights:

Canon Speedlite 430EX  $225
Sigma EF-500 $150
Metz 44AF-4 $190
Sunpak PZ-40X II $180

Most flash photography that I will be doing for now is for snapshots, but may get more into it.

[gochugogi]

The 430EX was released at the same time as the 5D and is sort of its "kit" Speedlite. This dynamic duo is is amazingly consistent, nailing the delicate and subtle balance of ambient and fill flash with ease. However it is also flexible, allowing you to disable fill-in flash algorithms and blast your subjects with the deer-in-headlights-look 'till the cows come home. I must say this is the best camera/flash combo I have owned. And, unlike the 10D/420EX combo I upgraded from, I rarely need to touch the flash exposure compensation.

Incidentally, the 430EX covers all 9 AF sensors with their AF assist light, something most 3rd party Speedlites can't do.

My 430EX Review

[Sfleming]

I've always liked Maglights.  They're just about indestructible and double as a handy weapon in a pinch.  

[gochugogi]

Yeah and they're jim-dandy as an AF assist aid when taped to your head.

I've always liked Maglights.  They're just about indestructible and double as a handy weapon in a pinch. 
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[Nigel Johnson]

Elie

I realldy don't know anything about flash photography other than that I have to set my suhtter speed to 1/60.
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

You do not need to set the camera to 1/60. Many years ago the maximum flash synch speed for most 35mm focal plane shutter cameras (ie SLRs) was 1/60 second and setting a higher shutter speede with flash would result in the flash exposure registering on only part of the film (or sensor). Since then the speed of travel of the shutters have got faster and the flash synch speeds higher. The synch speed for the 5D is 1/200 s (for the 20D it was 1/250 s, however the shutter curtain has further to travel on the full frame camera versus the APS size frame). Most flashes can therefore be used on the 5D with shutter speeds longer than 1/200 s (some very powerful studio flashes may have long durations when used at full power and thus underexpose at higher speeds).

In the case of dedicated flashes such as the Speedlite 430EX the shutter speed will automatically be set to the synch speed (or a longer speed if the appropriate camera mode is set to allow balancing the flash and ambient exposures). In addition the Speedlite 430EX offers a high speed flash synch mode where any of the shutter speeds can down to the shortest exposure offered by the camera. In this mode the the flash delivers a greatly reduced power as it has to rapidly fire many times during the approx 1/200 s the shutter takes to travel across the sensor (note that this is the time to travel, not the shorter time that any part of the sensor is exposed for when making short exposures.

Two useful websites that explain how the different Canon flashes and modes work are [a href=\"http://web.canon.jp/Imaging/flashwork/index.html]Canon BeBit Flash Work[/url] and Flash Photography with Canon EOS Cameras

I hope that you find the above useful. Unfortunately I have not used any of the flashes you have mentioned and therfore cannot help with your choice.

Regards
Nigel