# Low-cost external flash for Canon Digital Rebel XT?



## mikef

I don't have much $$$ and would like to get an external flash for taking pictures indoors during the holidays. I have the original kit lens and the 50mm 1.8 from Canon.

I see Henry's has the Canon Speedlite 270EX on sale for $159.99. Is this my best bet?

(Disclaimer: I haven't ventured into any of the photog specific forums; I'm a total amateur and haven't taken the time to better my skills much since purchasing the camera in 2005 )


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## Guest

Yep that speed light would be a good choice and the path of least resistance. As long as it support E-TTL (which it does, I just looked) you should be golden.


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## WCraig

Just so you're not disappointed with your flash, do some reading on using it. The obvious way to use a flash will leave you with "mug shot" pictures. (Harsh brightly lit faces with dark shadows on necks and such.) Bouncing or otherwise diffusing the light of the flash will give you much more natural shots.


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## Kami

If you save a bit more then you may find the 430EX II at $249 a much better flash to learn with and grow into. 

Things to consider about the 270EX:
- limited bounce angles on the head
- less light on the subject as distances get greater (vs. 430EX II)
- can't be used as a slave flash
- no test flash button
- no display panel on the back
- head doesn't swivel left or right


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## mikef

WCraig said:


> Just so you're not disappointed with your flash, do some reading on using it. The obvious way to use a flash will leave you with "mug shot" pictures. (Harsh brightly lit faces with dark shadows on necks and such.) Bouncing or otherwise diffusing the light of the flash will give you much more natural shots.


Will do! I am vaguely familiar with something like the Gary Fong LightSphere and other home-made diffusers. My simple goal is nothing more than better indoor shot.

Thanks everybody for the advice! I may just spring for the 430EX II because I know it used to be the defacto model that real photographers used before it's successor(s) arrived.


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## kps

Forget that rigid bulky lightsphere thing affectionately known as the Fong Dong. 

Get a decent bounce card or even make your own. I shoot a lot with nothing more than the built in bounce card in my Nikon SB800. Don't know if the Canon flash has it.

The secret...bounce, bounce, bounce.

Here are two options Demb Flash Products and Honl Photo Vistek carries some of the Honl line.


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## mikef

I told ya I'm an amateur


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## Guest

The 430ex is a worthy upgrade if you're willing to spend a bit more for sure. It's a whole better class of device. Also I agree, bounce is where it's at which you'll be able to do much better with the 430 ex as it's more adjustable.


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## eMacMan

*IF* you have white ceilings excellent results can sometimes be obtained using the ceiling as a bounce surface.


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## hayesk

Metz, Vivitar are two low cost alternatives.

Also, read Strobist
Especially the Lighting 101 section - any amateur photographer (and pros) should read this site regularly for information on using external flashes.


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## mikef

hayesk said:


> Metz, Vivitar are two low cost alternatives.


Are these worthwhile, though? Does either something in the ~$200 price range that would be somewhere between the Canon 270 and 430?



> Also, read Strobist
> Especially the Lighting 101 section - any amateur photographer (and pros) should read this site regularly for information on using external flashes.


I haven't read through all of it, but that looks useful. Bookmarked!


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## eMacMan

Do not know about the digital era but my old Vivitar 283 was a workhorse for many years.

Not only that but it was powerful enough to stun geese in flight.

With a slave peanut I could probably still use it with any digital camera that has a built in flash and aperture control.


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## Guest

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think the other flashes are going to support the E-TTL-II stuff in communicating back and forth with our camera like the Canon ones do -- or at least not the the degree that the canon's do. If you're looking for simplicity and you're not an experienced flash user the Canon ones are very "plug and play" but still provide lots of features for when you start to learn more about it all ...


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## WCraig

eMacMan said:


> Do not know about the digital era but my old Vivitar 283 was a workhorse for many years. ...
> 
> With a slave peanut I could probably still use it with any digital camera that has a built in flash and aperture control.


Not sure what a "slave peanut" is, mixing old strobes with new digital cameras can be FATAL (to the camera). Some new cameras can only tolerate 10 volts across the pins that trigger the flash when you depress the shutter. Some old flashes put out 600 volts! Different cameras have different tolerances and old flashes are all over the map on trigger voltages. More info here:

Photo Strobe Trigger Voltages

eMacMan's Vivitar 283 is a good example. Over the years, they seem to have been manufactured in at least 3 countries and measured trigger voltages range from over 600 to 5 volts!! You need to check before sliding one of these into the hotshoe of you new camera.

Craig


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## eMacMan

WCraig said:


> Not sure what a "slave peanut" is, mixing old strobes with new digital cameras can be FATAL (to the camera). Some new cameras can only tolerate 10 volts across the pins that trigger the flash when you depress the shutter. Some old flashes put out 600 volts! Different cameras have different tolerances and old flashes are all over the map on trigger voltages. More info here:
> 
> Photo Strobe Trigger Voltages
> 
> eMacMan's Vivitar 283 is a good example. Over the years, they seem to have been manufactured in at least 3 countries and measured trigger voltages range from over 600 to 5 volts!! You need to check before sliding one of these into the hotshoe of you new camera.
> 
> Craig


The external flash is plugged into the peanut. When the peanut detects the camera's flash it triggers the external, thus no voltage at all across the pins. The external flash shuts itself off when a certain amount of light has returned to the flash hence the need to be able to set the aperture on the camera.

Not a solution I would suggest unless someone already owned one of these power houses. Metz also made a great line of flashes with similar features.

Under no circumstances should any these older flashes be used in a digital camera's hotshoe but with a peanut trigger they could still be used as an auxiliary flash to extend the range of a flash built into the camera. Could also be used with smaller cameras that do not have any way to connect an external flash.


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## mikef

I'm looking for something simple... I'll stick with the Canon models.


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## boukman2

doesn't the xt have a built in flash? if you are just taking holiday snappy pics, it is probably fine. no need to go through the learning curve while you are busy taking pics...


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## mikef

Maybe there's a better way of harnessing the built-in flash through bouncing, but has proven to be insufficient for many indoor shots I've taken over the years.


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## kps

mikef said:


> Maybe there's a better way of harnessing the built-in flash through bouncing, but has proven to be insufficient for many indoor shots I've taken over the years.


I was out of town and perhaps too late with this, but here goes:

There's no way to bounce the built in popup flash, but there are ways to make your shots with it look like you didn't even use a flash and that's with no add-ons or diffusers. With this technique, the flash is used as gentle fill-in flash and not the primary light source.

At times when I'm stuck using it or too lazy to get the big flash I'll set the shutter to rear curtain sync and dial down the FV (flash value) by 1-2 stops. The results will be less harsh and balance the ambient light with the flash in a way where the flash does not overpower the scene. Just remember that the flash will fire at the very end of the shutter curtain travel and if you're on aperture priority without setting the minimum shutter speed for flash, the camera may choose a very low shutter speed resulting in motion blur or camera shake. On my Nikon I can preset the slowest shutter speed when using flash, so I'd imagine Canon will have the same feature. I set it to 1/30sec as the minimum. Two other things that help with getting good results are a fast lens (your 50mm) and good high ISO capability. I do not go over 800 ISO for this kind of shooting and generally shoot at 400.

Have fun!


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## mikef

I did not buy a flash yet but sure could've used it over the past few days.

Thanks for the tip! I'll be sure to give that a try.


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