Photographer are now a few models to choose from. As would be obvious Canons own lightning that made in Germany Metz (e), some models of Nissin and Sigma. Since I did not know about me, I grabbed at random for Canon 430EX II, according to the motto: use and learning. Then also is not hard.
The Speedlite ensures you - compared to the wheels of the competition - with a quick release. Very convenient. To adjust the viewing angle, a button must be pressed to the side of the flash, then it can be turned to one side by 180 °, the other by 90 °. Alignment perpendicular to the ceiling is also possible.
The flash has a guide number of 43, which simply means that it can illuminate the image f1.0 up to a distance of 43 meters at ISO 100 and reflector position 105 mm (internal zoom) and theoretical panel. At aperture f4.0 that would be just under 11m, while ISO 1600 again the 43m. For wide-angle lenses, this value decreases naturally fast because a much larger image section has to be illuminated. For extreme wide-angle shots, you can use the built-in wide-flash adapter, which can also be conditionally converted as a diffuser replacement.
The flash works fine on the Eos 700D, as you would expect that. The control is possible via the buttons on the flash, as well as via the camera menu. This also works when the flash is mounted on the camera, and this is used as a slave. The camera built-in flash functions here as Master (an advantage over the miniature cameras) and are for humans imperceptible pre-flashes from to transmit settings to the Speedlite. The camera can then be adjusted if the internal flash is mitbelichten the picture or not. However, the 430EX II itself can not be used as a master to control other flashes.
Can be flashed to a shutter speed of 1 / 200sec, shorter times are not at first because of the focal plane shutter of the camera possible. If you want to use the flash as a fill day or even for sports, of course, is not enough. However, the Speedlite has an ingenious feature HSS (high-speed synchronization), in which several short flashes are emitted during the exposure and the entire image can be exposed. Now possible to the 700D, the full 1 / 4000s.
Now the processing of the flash. Starting with the choice of materials you can certainly not complain. Canon used a stable plastics which makes the lightning appear very valuable. That's it now, unfortunately, with the advantages, the Speedlite has namely two distinct disadvantages:
The flash has clear game. On the one hand he wobbles around on the hot shoe, which you quite well noted when you back the camera swings back and forth. Nothing can happen because a metal pin securely connects the camera and flash, but it feels strange at all. On the other hand there is a clear game at all joints, a few degrees it can be moved into an engaged state. This need not necessarily interfere, but now times available. Metz has not this game to the joints.
A further disadvantage are the buttons on the back of the camera. These are far too small and can be pressed hard. I have small fingers and still am not so clear. The top row consists of rubberized buttons with spongy pressure point, the plus and minus buttons are even more narrow and most still operate with a fingernail. I was about to return the flash and have only refrained because I can most (but not all) adjusted via the camera menu albeit time-consuming.
Then again all pros and cons at a glance:
++ Function properly
++ HSS
++ High-quality plastic (much better than Metz flashes acting stable but cheap)
++ Totally silent operation
+ Quick release
- Not Master Capable
- Rattling by game to the hot shoe and at the joints
- Very bad to use, tiny buttons, which are sunk too deep in housing
I give the Canon still 4 stars, because in his capacity as an additional light source it can convince fully.
Another tip for all newcomers Blitz: concern yourself with the bounce flash. It works wonders!
Addendum 09.29.2014:
I have now bought two flashes of Yongnuo. From a processing perspective, these are impeccable and the Canon Speedlite superior because nothing wobbles. The buttons have a clearly defined pressure point, it is a real pleasure. They are available in various designs, from very cheap manual models with a few functions over more expensive, the Canon completely evenly matched models. Clear the Canon has continued its raison d'être (Unpack and get started), who wants to employ a bit more with the technology, but it can save a lot of money when Yongnuo and gets the better processing and very good control knobs.
