What flash guns can I use?

[Otispunkmeyer]

Hey guys

Got some of these on order from ebay: (not the exact ones as these are C1, mine are C3 for use with the 7D)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yongnuo-RF-603-wireless-...

and I just got my flash gels in the post today

The next thing I need is a spare 2 or 3 flash guns. I am assuming they don't have to be anything fancy, just flash guns with manual power adjustment. But with these do I have to stick to canon/canon compatible or will any old flash guns do? There are a couple of job lot things going on ebay very cheap with a selection of old, random manual flash guns but I don't wanna buy them to find they don't work. There a few Centax/Jessops own flash guns going as well though most seem to have the disclaimer of for Film only, not Digital.... not sure that matters if I am not mounting on the hotshoe of my 7D.

Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Saturday 28th April 16:05

Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Saturday 28th April 16:08

[SamHH]

Yes, pretty much any flashes with manual control will work. The "not for digital" thing is for mounting to the camera. But unless you are going to be using the flashes exclusively off-camera, it may make sense to buy one fully Canon-compatible flash, either one made by Canon or another reputable manufacturer like Metz, Sigma or Nissin. Even if you don't plan to need one right now, a flashgun can come in handy in lots of situations.

[Otispunkmeyer]

SamHH said:

Yes, pretty much any flashes with manual control will work. The "not for digital" thing is for mounting to the camera. But unless you are going to be using the flashes exclusively off-camera, it may make sense to buy one fully Canon-compatible flash, either one made by Canon or another reputable manufacturer like Metz, Sigma or Nissin. Even if you don't plan to need one right now, a flashgun can come in handy in lots of situations.

I already have a ex430II speedLite for on camera. These are for mucking about with so cheap as possible is required!!!

Just read actually that any flash that triggers off the middle pin will do.

[RobDickinson]

Make sure they are low voltage trigger flashes, you probably wont find too manyh high voltage ones on sale now but still...

Yongnuo and nissin etc all produce great cheap manual flashes

[DIW35]

If they are old flashes, they may very well have high trigger voltages. Either way, I would test any non-Canon specific flash for voltage before mounting it on my camera. It's a simple test, and if it saves you frying the flash circuit in your camera it's worth the short amount of time it takes to do it. I have an old flash upstairs somewhere that has a trigger voltage of 130v. Needless to say it's never gone anywhere near the hotshoe of my camera.

[LongQ]

Otispunkmeyer said:

I already have a ex430II speedLite for on camera. These are for mucking about with so cheap as possible is required!!!

Just read actually that any flash that triggers off the middle pin will do.

If you are using them off camera then the onty limitation on what to use (other than its performance and light quality although that may not be critical for playing around) is how you to trigger them.

The triggers may have some voltage requirements of their own. Plus you need to know what sort of off camera triggering options the flash units offer.

Additionally how are you going to control their output? Relatively modern units may offer quite fine gradation for power outputs but older ones probably don't so balancing light across an image can be a little trickier. Depends what you are shooting of course. If you expect to use mainy full output having lots of control settings doesn't matter much!

[Otispunkmeyer]

LongQ said:

Otispunkmeyer said:

I already have a ex430II speedLite for on camera. These are for mucking about with so cheap as possible is required!!!

Just read actually that any flash that triggers off the middle pin will do.

If you are using them off camera then the onty limitation on what to use (other than its performance and light quality although that may not be critical for playing around) is how you to trigger them.

The triggers may have some voltage requirements of their own. Plus you need to know what sort of off camera triggering options the flash units offer.

Additionally how are you going to control their output? Relatively modern units may offer quite fine gradation for power outputs but older ones probably don't so balancing light across an image can be a little trickier. Depends what you are shooting of course. If you expect to use mainy full output having lots of control settings doesn't matter much!

to be honest not sure.... some of the flashes I am looking at appear to have some kind of EV/power control on the backs.... usually sliders. Guess I'll just do it like that, manually. Either that or get some ND gels to reign in the flashes that way. Hell they're cheap enough.

[LongQ]

Otispunkmeyer said:

to be honest not sure.... some of the flashes I am looking at appear to have some kind of EV/power control on the backs.... usually sliders. Guess I'll just do it like that, manually. Either that or get some ND gels to reign in the flashes that way. Hell they're cheap enough.

Or you can just move the flashes but that introduces other things to control for.

The problem with filtering the flash is that whislt the filter materials might be cheap enough if ou are still blasting away at full power (for example) you will be scoffing battery power and suffering on re-cycle times, neither of which add anything to the experience. In the case of batteries they may rapidly outweight the benefit of cheap flashes and ND gels.

Just a thought or two, probably most pertinent to long term use rather than short term learning curve.

You still need to consider how you are going to trigger them. Cables, optical or wireless are the options possibly depending on what sockets the flash offers. Don't think you have metioned that before but apologies if you have and I have missed it.