Does anyone recommend the 430ex?

[MeetMeHalfway]

I don't know if I can justify spending near $250 for a flash. I'm going to mostly be shooting skateboarding photos. Would you recommend it?

[almo]

I good flash is always a good investment. The thing you really need to figure out is which flash for how much suits you best. If the 430EX is a bit high for you then you can look into the 420. Either way a TTL flash is an invaluable tool.

[MeetMeHalfway]

What's the difference in say this speedlight and the 70-100 dollar flashes I saw at the photo store?

[Glen A Ford]

i'm no expert in non-manufacturer flashes v own brand. my understanding is that own brand is fully controlled by the camera but non-brand flashes are controlled partly by the camera but not to the same degree. the difference comes down to the accuracy of the exposure and the power of the flash.

with canon, they use a pre-flash to set the exposure. you hardly see the pre-flash but it gives the camera a very good measure of the amount of flash required for the main picture.

other makes vary how they work. most use ttl (through the lens), which means the flash is controlled by the camera measuring the light as it comes through the lens, but this is not as good as with a pre-flash. some also have ettl, which stands for evaluative ttl - this means the camera adjusts the flash for the amount of ambient light to get a more balanced exposure between natural light and flash.

i have no experience with non-branded flashes but find the 420 ex (i don't have 430ex) works very well. sounds like it would be worth getting views or searching previous posts for the same subject.

[azonicbruce]

I've had my 420EX for over a year now and I would definitlely recommend it. Worth the money. It will give you alot more creative possibilities,and will do a MUCH better job at exposure compared to the built-in flash.

Don't know how they compare to the non-name-brand flashes, but I've been happy with mine.

[readingr]

I just got a 430 for christmas and love it already - taken people over christmas and I just posted a portrait of a soft toy on the Critique forum. I haven't really got to grips with what this thing can do yet, but so far the flash photos have improved 200%.

Roger