Canon Speedlite 430EX II

Canon are a leading light in the world of photography for the more serious photographer, who utilizes the more modern digital technology but still wants to do more with his work than just the normal point and shoot. One of their leading lights (pun fully intended here folks!) is the Canon Speedlite 430EX II. But what does it do, and is this the flash you have been looking for?

Design

There is no denying that the Canon Speedlite 430EX II looks good. However, for the price, which certainly isn’t cheap, you would expect excellence! The top half is the flash light, and the red indicator light is positioned neatly at the bottom. It is classic black, so will go well with most of the cameras that can use it, and has been made to be solid and durable, with a good chunky feel. An added bonus, although a feature that is not unique to the Speedlite 430EX II, is the swiveling head feature, which means that the flash can be angled to get the light in just the right place.

Actual user review:
“The Speedlite 430EX II flash is a solid unit. It contains most of the upgrades that its big brother received. A metal foot finally, with a twist-lock that holds it totally securely to the top of the camera, yet removes in less than a second when you want to take it off, are true values and make a excellent flash unit even better. Canon quality is demonstrated in every aspect. I actually purchased this unit as a slave to my 580EX II, but don’t under estimate this unit. It is somewhat smaller but is still a powerful flash to have. It can be used as a standalone flash or a slave to its bigger brother. The guide number for the 430ex is 43. The unit can be rotated both vertically and horizontal, and can be operated fully ETTL automatically or manually. It supports High-Speed sync which allows you to shoot using all shutter camera speeds and has built in wide panel. This is a great unit that is built for reliability and will be a work horse in anyone’s bag. You will not go wrong with it purchase. It’s a great investment. Later, if you decide to move up, you can add the 580EX as a master and use your 430EX as a slave.” – C.Calder (SC,USA)

Performance

Canon say that the Speedlite 430EX II has a guide number of 141 ft. /43m at ISO 100′ which is certainly impressive, and we were more than happy with the recovery time on the unit, making taking multiple shots quick and easy, with no long waiting times while the flash resets. Again, an important feature especially if this is for professional use when continuous shooting is key to your work. The unit features a fixed condenser lens with inner zoom that allows for Auto Zoom, Manual Zoom and the ever-useful Wide Panel for lighting that fuller shot.

When used with compatible cameras, the flash controls can be accessed via the LCD screen of the camera, which is certainly handy, and gives the overall camera usage a much more fluid and professional feel as you do not have to spend ages setting up the camera and then longer still while you fiddle with the back of the flash unit. When in use the unit is delightfully quiet, and if the locking clip for attachment to the camera is smooth, easy and quick to fit and remove, it also boasts a fantastic battery life (using a standard AA size battery, either disposable or rechargeable), better than some of their early units and highly comparable with other market leaders.

Bottom Line

The Speedlite 430EX II is certainly a professional level flash unit. The price tag certainly confirms this as it will put all but the real home amateur off. However, for the professional photographer you are certainly looking at a top rate unit that offers excellent all round performance and is guaranteed to be a durable unit that will cope with the odd knock or drop. Critics have given it the seal of approval and we found nothing untoward that would have made us disagree. This flash unit certainly gets the thumbs up for the high end of the flash market.

Average User Rating:

• “Wow. The 430 EX II exceeded my expectations! What a great flash. I use it with an XSI and it is absolutely awesome. I keep it aimed up at the ceiling and it produces great results. It is so bright! When you use it in conjunction with the zoom, it performs awesome too. It really lights up a long way. I use it with rechargeable battteries and it cycles almost instantly. I can pretty much snap 5 shots in a row and it keeps up, then needs about 2 seconds to give me another 5 shots. Use good rechargeable batteries, like 2650 milliamps. They work best. Hats off to the folks at Canon, they did it again!” – T.Martino (NY,USA)
• “Excellent flash with lots of features. The metal base is a nice upgrade over previous models and adds a measure of durability. Also has a long battery life (with lithium batteries). I take a lot of pictures in dark nightclubs and bars. Most of these pics require a room-illuminating flash with lots of coverage. This flash works great in those environments.” – S.Hermiz (IL,USA)

Click Here for Latest Offer on Canon Speedlite 430EX II
Enjoy Free Shipping & Secure Shopping