Flash help - Canon 430EZ - any good?

[Pixel-Snapper]

I'd like to get into using flash for automotive and portrait shoots.

I know of a guy selling 3 Canon 430EZ's in good condition for £100, would they be worth picking up at that price and having a play with them?

Not intending to use them on camera, will they work with fleabay provorty triggers / canon wireless transmitter that sort of thing or even say a 580ex as a master.


Thanks inadvance.

Matt

[jon-]

All 3 for £100? If so I would. They're more powerful, and should be more reliable than the equivalently priced chinese ebay strobes.

They'll work just fine with poverty wizards.

[Pixel-Snapper]

Thanks Jon-

I'm reading that with DSLR's they only work in manual mode, but seem to have more power than the Vivitars ive looked at before.

Im not too fussed about having to use them in manual metering as surely that way it would teach you more about using them than just sticking to auto mode.

Ive emailled the guy and wait for a reply.

[V8S]

Pixel-Snapper said:

Thanks Jon-

I'm reading that with DSLR's they only work in manual mode, but seem to have more power than the Vivitars ive looked at before.

Im not too fussed about having to use them in manual metering as surely that way it would teach you more about using them than just sticking to auto mode.

Ive emailled the guy and wait for a reply.

I think that's what I have. With my 5D Mk2 it is useless as it only outputs 100%, and you can only adjust it a little bit on the flash itself.

Only way I have found is to bounce it off a ceiling.

[Pixel-Snapper]

V8S said:

Pixel-Snapper said:

Thanks Jon-

I'm reading that with DSLR's they only work in manual mode, but seem to have more power than the Vivitars ive looked at before.

Im not too fussed about having to use them in manual metering as surely that way it would teach you more about using them than just sticking to auto mode.

Ive emailled the guy and wait for a reply.

I think that's what I have. With my 5D Mk2 it is useless as it only outputs 100%, and you can only adjust it a little bit on the flash itself.

Only way I have found is to bounce it off a ceiling.

Thanks V8S

Ive read on Photography on the net and a couple other site that they seem to work in full manual mode with a 30D I have 300d so not quite advanced as a 5d mk2.

Lifted from POTN thread.

Using any "EZ" flash is a giant step backward because they don't have ETTL capability. The 420EZ, 430EZ, and 540EZ, at least have manual mode so you can adjust the power output.

That is OK for a studio setting, but when you are walking around shooting moving subjects, it just doesn't work well. The power or aperture needs to be adjusted every time the flash to subject distance changes. That is the way we had to do it in the fifties and sixties using Guide Numbers to calculate aperture.

Then came "Auto Thyristor" where you could just set one aperture and let the flash adjust power automatically. That should be the least amount of automation if you are going to use a flash as a walk-around light source.

[jon-]

Once you get the strobe off camera you're going to have to shoot manual anyway (until you invest in big bad strobes), so you might as well get used to it

FWIW I have a 430exII and rarely use ettl anyway, even if it's on the shoe. I find it doesn't do as good a job as me now I'm used to guessing the power. There's nothing like a quick bit of chimping

[Simpo Two]

V8S said:

I think that's what I have. With my 5D Mk2 it is useless as it only outputs 100%, and you can only adjust it a little bit on the flash itself. Only way I have found is to bounce it off a ceiling.

I wonder if you could fix an ND filter over it?

[V8S]

Simpo Two said:

V8S said:

I think that's what I have. With my 5D Mk2 it is useless as it only outputs 100%, and you can only adjust it a little bit on the flash itself. Only way I have found is to bounce it off a ceiling.

I wonder if you could fix an ND filter over it?

Possibly, but I'm just going to buy an EX gun when I can be bothered and think I need one. I hardly ever shoot anything that needs flash. Some fill for people pics would be nice though.

[Snapper7]

580Mk11 is a much better flash

[Pixel-Snapper]

Snapper7 said:

580Mk11 is a much better flash

yes but they are also 300 quid a pop and i need at least 2 to shoot cars really.

[jon-]

Snapper7 said:

580Mk11 is a much better flash

And the 1Ds MKIII is a much better camera

[Pixel-Snapper]

Deal done should get them next week as its a bank holiday.

Then time to play........and read books on off camera flash!!!

Anyone have any good sites to read up on?

[jon-]

Pixel-Snapper said:

Deal done should get them next week as its a bank holiday.

Then time to play........and read books on off camera flash!!!

Anyone have any good sites to read up on?

http://strobist.blogspot.com - job done

The flickr strobist group is ok for inspiration but there's a lot of the same questions recycled in comments.

There's also a car strobist pool which give you commentary on how they lit the car.

[Pixel-Snapper]

So all my flash kit arrived last week at last after ordering the wrong wireless trigger kit of ebay...

So far trying to get my head around setting the flashes up manually but Think im getting there.

Did some test shots with a mini studio on my lounge floor and a die-cast Mini. No problems and the Yongnuo triggers work perfectly so far, not had a chance top test the range yet but 20feet they seemed to work fine.




Looking forward to getting out and doing some testing on full size cars.