Is a 430EXII powerful enough?

lmyamen

Ok so I am a second shooter with a local photogrphaer. We use his equipment for the most part, he uses 580EXII flashes. I really would like to get a 580EXII but that is just not in my budget right now. I found a 430EXII locally for $220. Would that be to weak for wedding photography? Should i just pick up a promaster 7500edf?

tenoverthenose

To me, no. In fact a 580exII is not powerful enough. Recently I have been using 4 550ex's at the same time to get me the power I need.

But that's just how I use my lights... how do you use yours?

lmyamen

I use mine as a clip in bounce flash.

WillCAD

I've been second shooter for a friend of mine several times. Each time, I've used his 580EXII.

I have a 420EXII myself, and the only reason he wants me to use his 580EXII is that the 420 doesn't have built-in flash compensation controls. You can do it on the camera, but he feels that it's better to do it on the flash itself.

As far as raw power, I would feel perfectly comfortable using my 420EXII when I'm acting as second shooter, so long as I play to its strengths and understand its weaknesses. Mainly, the recycle time for LIon rechargables will drop significantly as they approach empty, so you need to have a couple of sets of spares, and change the darn things BEFORE you start noticing the drop-off, or you'll miss some shots. I learned that the hard way.

I also believe that a good diffuser/softbox of some kind is a must when using a speedlight style flash, or you'll get hot spots all over everyone's face.

Aside from that, you'll be fine using a 420EXII or a 580EXII when you're a second shooter.

If you'd prefer a 580EXII, try a used unit, at least as a starter. You might be able to afford a new one later, but at least the used one would get you a good piece of gear for a lot less than you'd pay for a new one. B&H has one for $445
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/486706-USA/Canon_1946B002.html

mmmatt

If you are bouncing, you will want as much juice as you can get. Small room a 420 should be fine but in a big room it may be a challenge.

Matt

Blurmore

I use a 430ex as a backup and a second light, it is pretty powerful for me its lack of external power port makes it a backup but so long as you don't mind the slower recycle and changing batteries on power alone I'd say it is enough for practical application in a wedding.

Matthew Saville

lmyamen wrote: »

Ok so I am a second shooter with a local photogrphaer. We use his equipment for the most part, he uses 580EXII flashes. I really would like to get a 580EXII but that is just not in my budget right now. I found a 430EXII locally for $220. Would that be to weak for wedding photography? Should i just pick up a promaster 7500edf?

It REALLY depends on what you're needing the light to do. What locations do you find yourself usually in? How do you usually use your flash?

At the end of the day, to answer your question- yes the 430 is a fine investment if you need a basic flash to use as an off-camera accent light, (7D with built-in commander?) ...or a quick bit of on-camera TTL.

As far as sheer power is concerned, as others have pointed out it's not like the 580 flashes are amazingly bright, if you really need POWER then you need multiple hotshoe flashes, or a legit strobe pack. That's just the way lighting goes.

Personally I do prefer to just have a couple / few hotshoe flashes placed tactfully around the event venue, I don't like to drag around insanely heavy stuff...

=Matt=