Good Canon Speedlite alternatives?

[SAWYER]

I used to have a 580 exii but it was overkill for what I used it for and skill. I see a ton of these other brands on ebay but not sure what is junk and what is good. Oh and for mount, not as a slave

 

[996GT2]

Nothing really works as well as a Canon EX series flash if you want ETTL. If I were you I'd try to look for a 430EX used, or a 420EX used if money is really a concern.

The Sigma EF 500 DG Super and EF 530 DG Super are good alternatives that cost a lot less than 430 or 580EX. However, they tend to expose a bit inconsistently at times.

 

[BigSmooth]

I have this one: http://jakeoconnell.blogspot.com/2009/08/vivitar-df-383-review.html
You can usually find it on websites such as Amazon or Overstock branded as an Opteka EF-600 DG or Rokinon D980AFZ-C (and other names as well) for less than $100.

If you read user reviews they are all pretty similar. The build quality is generally OK although the switches and particularly the battery door feel flimsy. The mount is plastic so don't expect it to take a lot of abuse. Battery life is pretty good and the built in diffuser is nice. The AF-assist beam functions as expected on my XSi.

The flash itself works very well and I have never had an issue with it (I usually use it as a bounce flash).
As far as I can tell, TTL functions as expected when using the camera in "P" mode. For some reason I have to go into the External Flash settings on my camera to actually get the ETTL light to illuminate on the flash, but once I do that it I generally get the desired exposure. I have not tried to use it as a slave.

Recycle time is not super fast but for my purposes it's fine. The only other issue I have is that it does make the distinctive high pitched "flash charging" noise intermittently while using it. I think many flashes do this, but it seems far more noticeable on my flash than it does on a Canon flash.

Bottom line: if you just need a basic flash on a budget you can't beat it for $100.