I was planning on getting a decent flash to use with my 30D. As of now I can see two options: Canon 580ES II or Metz 58AF-1 I don't think I'll go for one with lower power. The price difference isn't that big anyway, and I don't want to run out of light an know that there is something more powerful out there. The Metz is about 20% cheaper than Canon, buts seems to have more functionality. Is the Canon able to do something Metz can't or is it just a build quality/branding thing? I'm pretty much a n00b when it come to flashes. I'm tryig to get my head around it, but i just need a pointer in the right direction. Any help/tips/hints appreciated!
I have no personal experience with either, but my advice is to get the most powerful flash you can possibly get, and not because you need to take images at night a long way away... it's so you can use flash during the day with small apertures for fill-in and fast speed sync for special effects.
I have no experience with the Metz but I borrowed the 580II off a friend the other week and I was blown away. Now I need to get myself a flash Hehe
I have the 480 ex and swear by it. I highly recommend the canon one, based off of even the lower end 480 specs.
I own a 580EXII and it's a great flash. Depending on what you're planning to do, however, you may want to consider doing some sort of two-light Strobist kit or something like an AlienBees studio strobe and a stand - all of those options will run in roughly the same price range. The 580EXII is a great all-around unit, but like any other on-camera flash there's only so much you can do by simply adding light to a scene. I use it on-camera in ETTL mode when I really have no time or ability to be crafting the light to be how I really want it (any sort of run-and-gun situation) but most of the time it lives on a lightstand with my other lights in full manual mode.
