I have a Canon EOS Elan and a Canon EF 70-200 f4 lens. I would like to buy a flash for it. I had thought about buying the 550 EX, but I am afraid I couldn't use many of its features. Which is the flash that has the highest compatibility with my camera? What would you recommend?

Thanks!

-- simona (Simona.Briganti@tc.pci.uni-heidelberg.de), June 05, 2002

Answers

The 550EX has a bunch of features your Elan (assuming this is the original Elan) can't use, true. But there's only one flash feature of the Elan that the 550EX won't do but some other flashes will, and that's A-TTL (no big deal for most people). So essentially, the 550EX on the Elan will do pretty much everything that any other flash will do, and may be more compatible with future bodies you might use - upgrade to an E-TTL body and you'll get to use more of the 550EX' features, and if you upgrade to a digital body, you'll need an EX-series flash.

That said, if you don't see yourself upgrading any time soon, a 540EZ will work just as well on the Elan, and cost you less. Consider also a used 540EZ, 430EZ, or 420EZ.

-- Steve Dunn (steved@ussinc.com), June 05, 2002.

The 420EX would be the obvious choice. Little more than half the price, less power, size and weight, and fewer features compared to the 550EX. The other choice would be the Sigma EF-500 Super that is much more like the 550EX but priced like the 420EX. These are all E- TTL capable flash units that work especially well with E-TTL capable camera bodies like the Elan II or Elan 7. However, the original Elan can't take advantage of E-TTL or it's advanced features.

So if you have an original Elan (not II or 7) the choices expand considerably. The best flash for it would be the 540EZ, but also good would be a used 430EZ, or a Sunpak AF5000, Sigma EF-500 ST, or any other flash that is dedicated to the EOS system and that tilts and swivels it's head. Just remember that you will probably get what you pay for. Usually, the cheaper the flash, the fewer features it has, along with less power and/or durability.

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), June 05, 2002.

Why is Steve always faster than me? :~)

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), June 05, 2002.

If you want to spend as little as possible yet get a decent flash you could go for a used 430EZ (not 420EZ, which lacks flash exposure compensation so you can't adjust its power output).

This assumes you have no plans on upgrading to a newer camera which supports E-TTL. If, however, you think you'll probably get a new camera soon maybe a high end EX flash is in order.

That's what should govern your choices, in my opinion.

-- NK Guy (tela@tela.bc.ca), June 05, 2002.

I use a 420EZ on my IIe and I use the body's flash exposure control for fill-in, etc. Works great.....

-- Victor K. (Catmanman@aol.com), June 06, 2002.

Victor K. said, "I use a 420EZ on my IIe and I use the body's flash exposure control for fill-in, etc. Works great....."

Yeah, but unlike the Elan II, the original Elan doesn't have a flash exposure control that effects an external flash, and the 420EZ doesn't have those controls either. That's why the 430EZ and 540EZ are better matched to the Elan.

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), June 07, 2002.

Yes, it does. However, it is a manual setting that is adjusted with the "Manu" button on the back of 420EZ. It can be set to 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 or 1/32 if I understand correctly.

-- Victor K. (Catmanman@aol.com), June 07, 2002.

Manual settings are not the same thing as flash exposure compensation, though. Manual means you have to figure out the necessary flash output yourself. FEC means you let the camera figure it out and then dial the output up or down a bit.

-- NK Guy (tela@tela.bc.ca), June 08, 2002.