| 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
Amazing Flash
on May 2, 2010
Posted by: Redglide
from Richland, WA
I purchased the 430EX ll after researching several other Canon flashes as well as some other brands. I take alot of food prep and and final presentation photos for several food specialty books I'm composing. This flash gives me a multitude of options for lighting effects. Absolutely perfect shots every time with little or no PS editing. I would highly recommend this flash for amature or professional use.
Pros: quiet, Good Exposure performance, Superior build quality, Fast recycling time, versatility
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Incredible Lighting Capabilities!
on January 9, 2010
Posted by: Lou
from Chicago, IL
This flash is absolutely amazing! That's all I have to say about it. The flash is also great with an off-camera sync cord and gives amazingly dramatic lighting capabilities. I would definitely recommend this flash to amateurs and profession photographers alike! I plan on buying another 430ex ii with the wireless IR transmitter while using color gels to expand the photographic possibilities.
Pros: quiet, Good Exposure performance, Superior build quality, Fast recycling time, great metering, increases auto focusing
Cons: i only have one...
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
4
Great flash - suspect mount
on February 8, 2011
Posted by: Anonymous
from Northern lower Michigan
I purchased a Rebel T2i and Speedlite 430 EX II last year. The flash is powerful and easy to use - the bounce flash feature is very flexible and produces outstanding, soft illumination. My one complaint is that the flash does not stay locked into the camera shoe securely - there is a slight amount of fore-aft free play in the mount when "locked". The locking pin on the flash goes into a chamfered hole in the camera's hot shoe, and I believe that the locking pin may be too short and is riding up the tapered surface of the chamfer, allowing the flash to move rearward. I have had several instances where it had backed out slightly, which resulted in highly overexposed images due to contact misalignment and resulting interrupted communication between the camera and flash. I thought that the metal mounting components on both the flash and camera were supposed to be an improvement, but I NEVER had this happen with my old EOS Elan and Speedlite 430 EZ with its plastic mount and wheel lock.
Pros: quiet, Good Exposure performance, Superior build quality, Fast recycling time
Cons: unreliable mount lock
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Great!
on February 20, 2009
Posted by: ssk
from Eugene, OR
Great improvement over the 430EX, much faster cycle time, even longer battery life. The in-camera controls are great too. Well worth it!
Pros: Fast recycling time, Good Exposure performance
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
A flash for everyone
on November 26, 2010
Posted by: Melo
I bought this a week ago for my Christmas vacation and as a wireless slave. The excellent 580 II that I have used for several months is too big for my travel bag. It is powerful enough even for bouncing off the ceiling, although not much lighter than the 580 its length is more practical for travel. Its great for just about any application.
If I must say something negative about it the tilt head and battery door built quality would be its only drawback. Somehow I feel these two parts aren't as robust as the 580 II that I'm so used to. I would certainly recommend this feature-packed flash for amateurs and professionals.
If I must say something negative about it the tilt head and battery door built quality would be its only drawback. Somehow I feel these two parts aren't as robust as the 580 II that I'm so used to. I would certainly recommend this feature-packed flash for amateurs and professionals.
Pros: wireless slave, quick-lock metal foot, lots of useful features, small but powerful
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
3
Rotation Problem
on November 29, 2010
Posted by: Madeline
For an $100 difference, it's so worth getting the 550. If it weren't for one particular problem (which I explain below), I'd say just get the 430 (unless you need to be in massive rooms and need the full power of the 550). Anyway, because of the problem, I absolutely recommend getting the 550.
The entire purpose of having an external flash is to have the control to bounce it diagonally backwards at the white walls and ceilings so that you get a diffused light coming from that desired diagonal angle. But the 430 doesn't go backwards to the right, it only goes backwards to the left! You have to either rotate it straight back or to the right. Neither of which are useful for creating that desired modeling along the face. Straight back gives you head-on lighting and to the right doesn't really reach the subject if you're not right up against it. And if it does reach the subject, then you're getting very intense side-lighting, which is a very specific effect that shouldn't be the only option.
In addition to the backwards to the right problem, there's more about the rotation problem--there are not many options as to where to point it, just a few, and that feels so limiting when trying to shoot an event and bounce the flash at the correct spot--whereas the 550 has many nuanced options.
I regret not getting the 550.
The entire purpose of having an external flash is to have the control to bounce it diagonally backwards at the white walls and ceilings so that you get a diffused light coming from that desired diagonal angle. But the 430 doesn't go backwards to the right, it only goes backwards to the left! You have to either rotate it straight back or to the right. Neither of which are useful for creating that desired modeling along the face. Straight back gives you head-on lighting and to the right doesn't really reach the subject if you're not right up against it. And if it does reach the subject, then you're getting very intense side-lighting, which is a very specific effect that shouldn't be the only option.
In addition to the backwards to the right problem, there's more about the rotation problem--there are not many options as to where to point it, just a few, and that feels so limiting when trying to shoot an event and bounce the flash at the correct spot--whereas the 550 has many nuanced options.
I regret not getting the 550.
Pros: good besides the one con
Cons: rotation problem
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
4
Worth it !
on May 26, 2010
Posted by: Peterthethinker
from Iowa cali
I was in the market for a replacement for my old dead 420 . I wanted a swivel head and a decent set of features but not the Over kill the 580 has..
I use a 1D mk 2 so I NEED a flash as i have no built in backup . so I got the 430.
the layout was a tad confusing at first so I had to Read the book on this one .
so At first I was over and under EXP but after I put in in ETTL AUTO I was good to go . the FULL METAL shoe is Awesome!!! No more flash falling off . BUT I am worried tho .. I shoot Basket ball . and I have a few close calls with my old one nearly being knocked off by a stay ball .. with a plastic base the flash will be broke but the SLR and its Hot Shoe will be OKk . I fear the SLR might be ripped to shreds if I ever get a direct hit .. I would rather replace a flash then a Whole Unit .
so At first I was over and under EXP but after I put in in ETTL AUTO I was good to go . the FULL METAL shoe is Awesome!!! No more flash falling off . BUT I am worried tho .. I shoot Basket ball . and I have a few close calls with my old one nearly being knocked off by a stay ball .. with a plastic base the flash will be broke but the SLR and its Hot Shoe will be OKk . I fear the SLR might be ripped to shreds if I ever get a direct hit .. I would rather replace a flash then a Whole Unit .
Right now I only use it right on the cam . but I want to tinker with slaves and masters so this unit has RX on it so I can use it later for just that ..
Pros: Superior build quality, Fast recycling time, slave, metal shoe!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
perfect
on December 16, 2009
Posted by: Jen
from Charleston, wv
I just purchased the canon speedlite 430EX II today. I've played with it for a couple hours and I love it already. I havn't had a chance to use it for portraits yet but I did try it out on my two cats and I was amazed at the results. I was always annoyed at indoor photos of pets because without a flash it they moved one little bit it would blur plus bad lighting it was grainy. With the pop up flash I have on my canon it made my cats look different. I had to photoshop alot with the color. I used this flash and I made the flash bounce off the wall and ceiling. The shots were unbelieveable! They had so much detail they were perfect.
Took about 30 photos and didn't have to edit any. They actually looked better then when I do edit.
Took about 30 photos and didn't have to edit any. They actually looked better then when I do edit.
I did notice you have to switch settings alot to get the right photo with different things. Some may turn out completely white and come may be dark. Takes some time to learn all the settings with your camera and the flash but it's well worth it to get great photos.
I'm not sure about everything but I do know I'm super excited to learn more and have better photos.
Pros: quiet, Good Exposure performance, Superior build quality, Fast recycling time
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com