| Customer Reviews Collected from usa.canon.com |
Canon - Speedlite 430 EX II External Flash
Average Customer Rating:
4.6
Rating breakdown 33 reviews
5 Stars
23
4 Stars
7
3 Stars
2
2 Stars
1
1 Star
0
87%of customers recommend this product.
(
26 out of
30)
Customer Reviews for Canon - Speedlite 430 EX II External Flash
Customer Rating
5
Nice speedlite
on March 29, 2011
Posted by: JIN
from new york, Brooklyn
very nice speedlite, no complain. but this speedlite can upgrade to weather sealing like the 580 ex ii.
it is very good as a slave flash too.
Pros: Good Exposure performance, Fast recycling time
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
4
Good flash
on January 6, 2009
Posted by: Jim
from Regina, Sk
I was planning on buying Canon's Speedlite 430EX II for myself as a post Christmas present. To my surprise and delight I received it as a gift. It worked flawlessly through the holiday season. The resulting images where significantly better than shots taken with the built-in flash.
The Speedlite 430EX II was able easily fill the room/area with sufficient light to produce some impressive shots. I even feel that the built in assisted metering of the flash allow more successful shots: Fully in focus on the intended target, richer colors, excellent lighting.
The Speedlite 430EX II was able easily fill the room/area with sufficient light to produce some impressive shots. I even feel that the built in assisted metering of the flash allow more successful shots: Fully in focus on the intended target, richer colors, excellent lighting.
I take lots of photos - Christmas morning with kids results in nearly 200+ photos in less than 1.5 hours. I had typically used the camera's built in flash on my Digital Rebel and I often found that after about 5 or 6 quick successive pictures the built-in xenon flash would overheat/overloaded and takes astronomically long to cooldown. This external flash held up extremely well and was able to keep up with my shooting and I did not need to replace the batteries at all.
The Speedlite 430EX II offers all the features that I find useful. The one thing is that it can not act as a master when using more than one flash but to me that is just fine. When/if I get around to requiring a second flash this unit with still be perfect.
The size is great and fits perfectly in my camera bag - a Lowepro SlingShot 200 AW. The 580EX II is just a tad to big to fit nicely and felt a bit awkward on my camera.
I think the Speedlite 430EX II is a perfect fit for me.
Pros: Fast recycling time, Good Exposure performance, perfect size
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
I Love This Flash!
on October 4, 2011
Posted by: Michele
from Denver, CO
I consider myself a "natural light" photographer. I have always avoided flash photography because most of my photos turn out too bright with an unnatural look and feel to them. One of my friends has hired me to shoot her son's birthday party which will be in the evening in November. In Colorado, this translates to an indoor party. I was horrified, but accepted the job even though I knew I would have to swallow my pride and begin exploring flash photography. I attached the flash to my 7D and started shooting. The results are unbelievable! My photos turned out beautiful and I am now a flash convert! I am so excited to explore the 430EX II and I can tell you right now, I am going to have so much fun with this flash. I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone in the market for a high quality, sturdy and versatile flash.
Pros: quiet, Good Exposure performance, Superior build quality, Fast recycling time, outstanding results
Cons: no battery level indicator
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
plenty for me
on January 23, 2014
Posted by: AlexOK
from Oklahoma
I have used the 430 EX for a few years now, and have never found myself in a situation where I would need the much more expensive 580 or 600. I only use this indoors when shooting portraits, and even with my 135mm, I get plenty of light from this flash. The recycle rate works just fine, and this unit really stretches battery life. If you cannot justify spending the extra money for the larger flash, then don't. It is likely this will cover most of your wants and needs. In addition, the size makes for stuffing it in your day bag much easier and practical.
Pros: size, power, refresh rate, battery life
Cons: build
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Cool flash
on May 1, 2015
Posted by: Abbey
from West Palm Beach, Florida
Just purchased Canon 430 EX flash. Did some initial tests and found it perfect for my needs. It's compact and light and throws enough light to light a room at an ISC 400.
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Very Nice
on April 30, 2009
Posted by: Psuedocode
from Denver, Co
I am impressed with the flash, it complements my camera nicely and provides good light in darker areas. The contious shooting is great. It was a litlle pricey but friends who bought less have been disapointed.
Pros: Superior build quality, Good Exposure performance, quiet, looks nice
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Overall a great flash, with minor cons
on September 15, 2011
Posted by: Greengecko
from Ashburn, VA
This flash performs extremely well, recycles fast and lasts for hundreds of shots on good rechargeable batteries (those nice white ones). E-TTL works very well and usually exposes adequately, though I often have to compensate +1 or +2 when using bounce in larger spaces. I'm sure others have commented on the wide diffuser, which works nicely. Make sure you READ THE MANUAL, because there are features you will miss otherwise. The only obvious flaw on this flash is the center "Set" button, which is not so user-friendly because it is too recessed and hard to press if you have large hands. I often have to use a fingernail to get it to work. An easy solution would be to just make it bigger. One features they should have added, given its price tag, is a BATTERY INDICATOR.
Pros: quiet, Good Exposure performance, Superior build quality, Fast recycling time
Cons: buttons recessed to deep, battery level indicator, no catchlight card
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
For the love of light
on November 14, 2012
Posted by: Still miss my Ftb
from Milwaukee, WI
I discovered years ago that in order to improve my pictures, artificial lighting was essential, Most shots do not turn out as you envision them without the proper lighting. You can achieve excellent lighting in a studio atmosphere but when taking shots on the fly indoors/outdoors the natural light in a scene doesn't always cut it. The 430 EX II is easy to use for a beginner and has the features someone with more experience would like. It has great bounce capabilities at shorter ranges and it is quiet. It doesn't flash multiple times like some units to set the exposure. I find those types extremely annoying. And if you ever want to upgrade your lighting system or use it in a studio it makes a great slave unit. Nice unit for the price.
Pros: quiet, Good Exposure performance, Superior build quality, good bounce at close range
Cons: Slow recycling time, buttons a little hard to use.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com