Looking at buying the Canon 430EX II... quesitons

I have a Canon 7D (lenses are listed in my profile) that I love, the popup flash works well for some situations but am wanting to get more into basic portrait shots and am wondering if this flash will work well for me? I don't want to spend more money than what this is selling for. Also, is there a newer version coming out anytime soon?

I'm also wondering how well this would work with my 70-300 @ 300mm? I've read through Bryan's review and am looking for more input. I've never used an external flash so I'm starting my research here. Thanks in advance.

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Originally Posted by Photog82

I'm also wondering how well this would work with my 70-300 @ 300mm? I've read through Brian's review and am looking for more input. I've never used an external flash so I'm starting my research here. Thanks in advance.

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James, For family portraits and other household shots the 430 should work fine---especially off camera. -- or bounced. But what do you want to shoot that neccessitates 300mm and a flash? If you are shooting Birds, Wildlife, Pets etc, Then the Better beamer+430ex should you serve you well.

Hi Bob- I in the woods yesterday afternoon, the light was so-so due to tree coverage. I came across some fox kits and had to use my flash in a couple of instances which serverd its purpose, but I'm wondering if this flash would produce any better light in a situation like this. At first I was concerned about scarring them however they are 3 generations of living next to a highschool and busy road so they aren't as afraid of humans as they would normally be.

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Originally Posted by Photog82

Hi Bob- I in the woods yesterday afternoon, the light was so-so due to tree coverage. I came across some fox kits and had to use my flash in a couple of instances which serverd its purpose, but I'm wondering if this flash would produce any better light in a situation like this. At first I was concerned about scarring them however they are 3 generations of living next to a highschool and busy road so they aren't as afraid of humans as they would normally be.

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In this case, Definately yes---The 430 would be much better that the onboard flash. If you add another 20 bucks and get the better beamer, it should really help you out.

Bob

I got one recently and for indoor family shots it is much better, just bounce off the ceiling. With the included stand and teiggering it remotely (not sure if the 7D does that out of the box) it is also a fun tool/toy for your creativity.
It definitely has more power than the built-in flash. The AF assist beam comes in handy in low light, even if you shoot without flash
Arnt

I don't use flash much, but my 430EX II has worked perfectly for the few instances when I needed it. Bouncing off a ceiling works very well indoors. And Cowboy Studios make a great little remote kit that's very inexpensive. I've never used it outside, though.

Looks like the 7D has the speedlite transmitter built in

The 430EX II is a great choice, IMO. I started with one, now have two (and a new 600EX-RT).

It seems likely that Canon will come out with an RF version of the 'one step down' flash, a 440EX II or similar. Unless you plan to go the RF route down the line (Canon's system, that is - I use PocketWizards for remote triggering), the 430EX II will serve well, and cost less than the replacement.

There is little comparison between the output of your built-in flash and the 430 EX II.

The 430 is a great little flash if you don't want (or can't afford) a 600 EX RT and want the piece of mind of having a flash that works perfectly with your canon body. Obviously it isn't as powerful as Canon's pro flashes but it really performs quite respectably for a flash of its class as measured by the Seedlights.net Power Index. Other drawbacks compared to the pro flashes is that it can't rotate 180-degrees to the right, isn't as durable and weatherproof, and can't act as an optical trigger master. However it makes a great wireless TTL slave. And it costs a lot less. If you upgrade to a pro flash in the future, the 430 makes a great backup unit.

I don't know what kind of distances you are trying to achieve with your flash, but one thing to consider is that you can place your 430 on a stand or tripod 45-45 feet ahead of your camera (unobstructed and slightly to the side), with the flash body facing back toward you, and use the 430 as a slave triggered by your built-in flash. That will get you a bit more effective working range.

I read in the review that this flash only supports up to 9 AF points, will this be a problem on the 7D?