[EnglishBob]

Any of you Rebel owners out there with a recommendation for a decent flash? Can't stretch to the canon ones right now, is the sigma any good?

[adam]

I've got the Sigma EF-500DG Super for my 300D.
It's supposed to be similar to the Canon Speedlight 550EX, but a lot cheaper
I haven't tried other flashes apart from the on camera one, but I use this one, and happy with it, so I'll recommend it to you.
Search it up and compare and see if you like
I found some pages comparing it to the 550EX, will try and get those links again.

[adam]

a concern to some people is that the Sigma only uses the centre focus point, while the Canon Speedlights use all

[adam]

Photonotes has a good article, which has a list mentioning some different flash units:
Flash Photography with Canon EOS Cameras

and on that page, you'll find a link to Sigma EF-500 Super flash unit
On that page, you'll find some comparisons with the 550EX

[EnglishBob]

Thanks for all the information.

[shuttertalk]

Awesome find, adam.

I've only used the 550EX, and that worked really well... unfortunately, haven't had experience with other brands.

[StudioJ]

Even using the 550 EX isn't very reliable on the DRebel or 10D. Its supposed to be fixed on the 20D. Even shooting in manual with the same manual power setting it is really picky.

[shuttertalk]

Is that right? Can you explain more of what you mean by "not very reliable"?

[StudioJ]

The E-TTL isn't reliable at all, I can take a dozen shots from the same distance, same lighting conditions and will sometimes be on the money for all of them but at times it under and overexposes the images dramatically. It has nothing to do with the recharge time.

I'm sure part of it has to do with the flash not recognising the multiplier of the digital cameras (something sorted out with E-TTL II and the 580EX). From what I've read no-one really has much of an idea as to why it happens though.

I have taken a few thousand shots using the 550EX and I'm happy with it but not ecstatic, it has plenty of power and if you meter it and set it up manually 90% of the time it comes out pretty close.

[StudioJ]

I somehow managed to post twice, double the fun so this post is just .. well nothing ..