If I use my flash in manual mode, am I OK not getting an E-TTL flash?

[996GT2]

I've put up my 380EX for sale because I need a flash that swivels as well as tilts.

So now I'm trying to decide whether to go with an EX flash (either the 420 or 430 EX) or get an older EZ flash like a 540EZ.

When I use flash on my 40D, I find that most of the time I'm using the flash in manual mode, adjusting the exposure by changing flash exposure compensation and the aperture/ISO. I've tried using the flash in E-TTL mode (for example, Aperture priority), but I find that the shutter speeds are always pretty low in darker situations. I presume this is to let more ambient light in, but it's not exactly practical when the camera meters 1/30 of a sec and you have a lens set at 100mm. In manual mode, I can just lock the shutter speed and adjust the ISO, FEC, and aperture to get the exposure I want.

If I was to get a 430EZ or 540EZ, would they still work the same way in manual mode? The only thing I'm really worried about is whether the AF assist light will still work with newer EOS digital bodies...does anyone know?

 

[Deadtrees]

The simple answer is NO. Go for anything that says EX.

 

[randomlinh]

I don't think the 420EX has full manual controls. It's why I got a sigma 500 super dg at first. I sold it a long while back, but got into needing flash again (and the fact I needed to embrace it and not shun it =P). I have a pair of 550EX's now I bought from a friend, and a sunpak 383 for backup.

 

[soydios]

in my experience, having a flash that fully integrates with your camera's metering (i.e. an OEM flash) is worth the added expense. <3 my SB-800.

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: soydios
in my experience, having a flash that fully integrates with your camera's metering (i.e. an OEM flash) is worth the added expense. <3 my SB-800.

yeah, if you want to use E-TTL, definitely. but like 996GT2, I struggle with it. I get far better results working in full manual. Of course, this only works when I have time to test settings, and more importantly, ambient lighting doesn't change.

 

[Maximus96]

Av mode together with E-TTL will always expose for ambient light and output the flash as fill. you'd need to be in M mode to override it. Camera in M and flash in E-TTL works pretty well together and with easy FEC adjustments.

the EZ flashes will work in manual and focus assist beam will also work, just no E-TTL but you already know that.

I originally had a 580ex II but sold it to pick up 4 nikon SB flashes for the same price (3 SB-26, 1 SB-28). I find it to be a very good "trade", a 4-for-1 deal. The SB's work well on camera, automatic mode on the flash(not TTL) works fine as well as manual. They gave *almost* the same exposure as the 580 did in E-TTL. But the one thing missing was focus assist light, it doesn't work on the canon bodies. It makes no difference tho since I trigger the flashes with radio controls anways.

 

[Madwand1]

Custom Function I - 7 in the 40D will lock flash sync at 1/250 for AV mode. This feature goes back at least as far as the 300D (the sync speed varies as per the camera).

The 50D and 5D II add an option to go down to 1/60. I don't know about other models -- other Rebels or the pro series.

As E-TTL flash exposure is used even when the camera is in manual mode with EX flashes, I think an EX-generation flash is good to have.

 

[lsman]

"but it's not exactly practical when the camera meters 1/30 of a sec and you have a lens set at 100mm."

what problem it has?
a bit outdated...
http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/#faq10