Such a question has probably been beat to death in this forum, but I am new to digital photography, have decided to buy a Canon Rebel XT with the stock lens, realize that some Canon flashes are very expensive, and have no idea if other than Canon flashes would be 100% compatible with the Rebel XT. This camera is designed to work best with E TTL-II flashes. Are there any flashes other than Canon's that would be just as compatible?

I plan to use the camera's flash, but I have read in some of the professional reviews on the Rebel XT that an external (mounted) flash helps greatly with camera focusing (?). What I am trying to do now is to gather all the information I can in relation to flashes, including Canon's, that are 100% compatible with the Rebel XT, and of a fair quality, but not expensive. I will only be using the "mounted" flash every now and then, mostly indoors. I am not a professional photographer, but enjoy taking pictures whenever I can for fun.

I would appreciate any comments or experiences you may have on this subject.

Thanks.

Since haven't gotten a response to my question I decided to replay to myself, hoping that the information (below) could be of use to anybody who may be looking for such a flash.

After searching on the Internet, I found a Sigma flash that's supposed to be fully compatible with the Canon E-TTL-II system. B&H sells this flash for $149.95 (Sigma EF500 flash, Mfr. #159101).

I will buy this flash, since I don't need anything fancier. I just hope that it is fully compatible with E-TTL-II as advertised.

Here is the link:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=352109&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

Ray-
Sorry you didn't get a reply before you ordered. Please let us know how the flash works out. I would have recommended the Canon 420EX. It's a powerful flash and you have some manual control through your camera. Of course, I have the 550EX, which I think is great. It gives me full manual control of all kinds of things right on the flash. But it's a lot more expensive and a lot of people would never need or use all the manual functions.

Sigma makes good stuff but one thing I've noticed in the reviews is some reliability issues with their flashes. Hopefully they've noticed it too and tightened up the quality control process. In any case, I hope the flash works well for you. And please do post a review. Hopefully, next time you ask for help, someone gets back to you in time.

I'm sure I replied to this post before, and advised to get a 580EX flash if you wanted full E-TTL-II capabilities which you should with the camera. I think you might find the one you ordered will work with the camera, but not have the full E-TTL-II functionality of the 580EX which was designed to be used with the newer cameras.

Ray-
Sorry you didn't get a reply before you ordered. Please let us know how the flash works out. I would have recommended the Canon 420EX. It's a powerful flash and you have some manual control through your camera. Of course, I have the 550EX, which I think is great. It gives me full manual control of all kinds of things right on the flash. But it's a lot more expensive and a lot of people would never need or use all the manual functions.

Sigma makes good stuff but one thing I've noticed in the reviews is some reliability issues with their flashes. Hopefully they've noticed it too and tightened up the quality control process. In any case, I hope the flash works well for you. And please do post a review. Hopefully, next time you ask for help, someone gets back to you in time.

I will be ordering one after Christmas, and will post a review in the near future. I will only use the flash occasionally, so I think it should work for me. Canon flashes are a little over my price range, however.

I'm sure I replied to this post before, and advised to get a 580EX flash if you wanted full E-TTL-II capabilities which you should with the camera. I think you might find the one you ordered will work with the camera, but not have the full E-TTL-II functionality of the 580EX which was designed to be used with the newer cameras.

Peter: I believe you are correct about the Sigma flash I posted a link for (below). This is the correct one, which at B&H is more expensive than the one I listed below:

Sigma EF-500 DG Super E-TTL II Shoe Mount Flash (Guide No. 165/50 m at 105mm) for Canon EOS with E-TTL II

Mfr# 149101 • B&H# SIEF500DGSC


Our Price: $ 239.00

Hope it works out. I originally bought a Sunpack 5000AF for my Canon EOS 30, it was OK but didn't give me what I thought it should have. I then bought a Canon 550EX and that was just so much better than the Sunpack.

By the look of the specs you posted it should do the job for you. How much difference was the price of the 580EX over the Sigma.

OK I went and looked it up, $150 more than the Sigma so that is fairly significant.

But the thing is, the Canon has much faster recycle times than the 550EX does and doesn't go through the batteries as much either, so that is something to consider as well over say the course of a year. How many batteries you need to buy compared between the two cameras and factor that into the equation as well.

Peter: Perhaps I rushed a bit. I will have to think about my options for a few weeks, or months. Also, I hope that Canon comes-up with a lower-priced E TTL-II flash. Not all Canon flashes are E TTL-II, and the recent ones are too expensive (at least for me).

I received the Rebel XT from B&H this week, and have been playing with it on full-auto mode using the built-in flash indoors, and even though the flash bursts are a little annoying, I believe that at the moment it's sufficient for my needs. It's mostly dark in Alaska at this time of the year, but from April to September we have quite a few hours of daylight. I probably won't need a flash during the summer, since I will mostly take photos outdoors. Right now Canon flashes are holding their price quite high, even at eBay, but maybe by summer some will cost a little less.

Ray,

I totally understand about the lighting etc and the seasons in Alaska, being 1/3 of the way up the east coast of Australia, we sort of have slightly near days and nights chaning with the seasons, but certainly not the extent of daylight you get in summer and nightime in winter, but we do have fairly lengthy days in December to January, often dusk at 9.30 ish.

As I said, maybe the Sunpak 5000AF might surfice for you, it is E TTL, similar to the Canon 550EX and even can have master/slave capabilities as well which the Canon 550EX has too.

I do think that you are better off though with a flash that is full E-TTL II capable with the newer Canon Cameras and as you said, you have just gotten the camera, you are in current mostly dark period of time and you have the opportunity to see how the on board flash handles things and then maybe post some images and see what people think. From that you might get a better idea of what you need to purchase.

I only mention this as you are in Alaska, buy from B&H (as I do as well, even though I am in Australia) so paying for things is a huge decision from such distances as well, although you are atleast on the same continent as B&H.

I agree that eBay is holding prices, but there are silly people on eBay that will just pay anythng to just get what they want and often over pay for things.

Have fun with the camera and ease into the expense of digital photography in general. One important thing to do is make sure your monitor is colour profiled correctly it does make a big difference in what you see is not always what you get.