External Flash for Canon Rebel XS

[Tuna]

I bought a Rebel XS a little while ago and I am enjoying playing around with it. I like the fact it has the flip up flash but was wondering if there was a good, relatively inexpensive external option that was a little "softer" and a bit more versatile. I've looked around on the web a bit for used stuff but I'm not sure what's compatible with my camera.

Any suggestions? Or where to look?

Thanks.

[Aleks]

Re: External Flash for Canon Rebel XS

Well, you could stick with Canon and go with the 430EX, which is the cheapest versatile canon flash, the 580 is a bit more useful in terms of flash power, but the 430 is equivalent to my SB600 I use with my Nikon and it gts the job done....

If you're looking for off brand stuff to save a couple bucks, you could go with the Sunpak PZ4000 flash, which costs about half, and is a good TTL flash. It has fewer manual options for flash powr (ttl, 1/1, and 1/16), the 430EX has 1/1-1/64 in 1 stop increments, but I imagine you'll be using TTL anyhow which modifies the flash power for itself....Another option (and available locally) is Sigma, for the Canon they have the EF500 and EF530, both worth less than the 430EX and more than the Sunpak, but also are more powerful than the Sunpak and the canon.

The Sunpak is least powerful, its guide # max is 131' at 80mm, whereas the 430EX is 141' at 105mm, so it would be less versatile..The Sigma's are very powerful at 165' and 174' respectively for the EF500 and EF530..To put that into perspective, your guide # for your camera's flash is around 40'

That being said, you could buy 2 sunpaks for the price of a 430ex......If you're just starting into the whole flash thing, I would suggest buying the Canon, because later on it can act as a wireless slave unit, the sunpak can't, so when you buy more flashes (preferreably a 580ex) you can reallty unleash some creativity (I personally LOVE my off camera wireless flash photos)......The Sigma will also do slaving and the 530 can master.

Capiche?

Oops, where to look! Well I use Ebay for alot of that camera stuff, its easy, sometimes cheaper, but often US or grey market product so you risk the warranty not being honoured....Locally for a 430EX you'd be looking around $325, pretty standard....Sigma's locally are <$300 for both models (thecamerastore.com), and the sunpaks are usually <$200 online......

[Reggie@MWDesign]

Re: External Flash for Canon Rebel XS

I am selling one 480EX along with the Canon Wireless Flash Transmitter for $400.00 if your interested, the retail value is about 700 bucks for both. both are about 4 months old.