Canon Speedlite 420EX Flash for Canon EOS SLR Cameras - Older Version Reviews

Average Customer Rating - 4.5 out of 5 stars

46 customer reviews

Excellent product overall, May 2, 2003
I have used this product for over a year. I bought it because the on-camera flash on my EOS D30 was too small for lasting situations. I have been particularly happy with the results within all conditions. The flash is very flowing to use and does its job without the inevitability for any great technical expertise. I decided against the 550EX because it seem too complicated and I wanted a 'point and shoot' type product to use without any fuss. One bugbear - at hand is no battery indicator, so there is method of knowing how fresh your batteries are so you only realise that they are running down when your recycle time slows down.

Amazing Color next to the Bounce Flash Feature., July 1, 2004
I was thinking of using this higher power flash than the built-in flash (on my Canon Digital Rebel) because it seem that people keep recounting me too. I never paid much attention to it because I rather spend my money on another lens or complement.

Fortuneately, I ran out of things I thought I needed. In a nutshell, this flash is amazing and I wished I get it a long time ago.

Everything is automatic, and it takes out all of the guesswork for my amateur wishes. When I tried the bounce flash (by adjusting the flash 75 degrees-up to bounce light sour of the ceiling in a 10 ft high room), the pictures come out with more vibrant colors than I expected. In contrast, all of my historic pictures became dimmer the instant I saw the new results.

Colors surrounded by objects that you don't pay attention to become visible and vibrant (the house plants contained by the corner, color of carpet, furniture, background fine art and decor, etc). The bounce flash made my evening pictures as brillant as pictures taken in the afternoon.

In addition, since I bounced the flash from the ceiling, my pictures didn't own the dark and glooming shadows behind ancestors. I have tried a side bounce to produce better results than a direct flash when I cannot bounce off of a ceiling.

I individual wished that there be some emphasis and tips on using the bounce flash in the manual. I guess it is a simple-enough method, but it produces amazing results. I was fortuneate to be reading a book about digital photograph (40 Digital Photography Techniques) that have 2-3 tips on trying a bounce flash.

I also purchased this flash for my loreo 3d lens attachment. Although it produces better and brighter picture than the buit-in flash, my picture with the loreo lens are still too dark. My best results are from pictures underneath the afternoon light. (I will continue to use software resembling photoshop to adjust the brightness and contrast in my loreo pictures when a flash is needed--which afterwards can become amazing.)

Big, bulky and essential, February 22, 2002
If you have a Canon G1 or G2 digital camera, you've probably notice the limitations of the built-in flash. It's way too close to the lens, which causes imagery to look flat and lifeless, and the color of the light tend to wash out colors as well.

The Canon Speedlite 420 is a pretty big device; it's essentially the same size as the camera, and about impossible to tell apart weight w/ batteries. For that secondary bulk, however, you get a powerful flash that can bounce light rotten walls and ceilings, creating much more professional-looking results. The improvement over the built-in is really similar to night and day.

Great Flash for use next to EOS/Canon digital, December 16, 2000
Bought this flash about two weeks ago for use with my Canon Powershot G1 digital camera, and enjoy been nothing but impressed next to it. it mates beautifully to the Canon, although it does brand it somewhat bulky. The bounce flash photography is beautiful, and the E-TTL system just make you look like a total pro. I also look forward to using it for wireless flash photography.

There are SOME things missing, however. Compared to my Canon 430 EZ flash, there is no LCD display. No flash compensation (but this isn't a big business deal, since that's controlled from my G1). No strobe. If these are important to you, step up to the 550 EX. Otherwise, the 420 is a beautiful workhorse.

A must enjoy for amator with ambitions, good for professional, March 9, 2004
I will not be recounting too much about this device - it is so good it simply works. I think this is how it is suppose to be with definite good things.

I got this flash surrounded by addition to G3, which followed C2040 without hot shoe and I hold been always glad with it. Photography is all give or take a few light and this device provides it very in good health.

The reason I picked this one is because this is cheapest in Canon stripe with swivel head so I could bounce insubstantial from ceiling and walls while shooting indoor. To get decent lighting outdoors on close distances use Omni-bounce (I use Sto-fen), scotch tape (with less effect) or white grocery sack (better and easily adjustable). Onmi-bounce greatly reduces working field so you don't want to use for large distances.

It has nice indicator whether flash provided ample light or not so you can correct you scene or remove bouncer. It is also good if you planning to extend you inventory contained by future - it can serve as slave for upper level models. Neat characteristic is the ability to zoom in and out automatically so you hold larger range on tele. Little bit annoying absence of external power source or at lowest connector but handy man can solve that easily (loosing warranty unfortunately). Also Canon could make AF assist standard lamp to work with G-line.

Battery lasts moderately long, with brand new set of AA I be able to get at lowest 300 shots indoors. Set of NiMH makes it charge faster and cheaper in long run but it is annoying to recharge them after 2-4 weeks of shelf life span. Set of Lithium batteries is absolutely important when you are planning on shooting around freezing (don't forget to put lens cap on when you go vertebrae to building ;))

This is must if you want you photos to look different from huge crowd being printed by one hour services every day.

This ones only just right..., December 23, 2003
This is the middle of Canon's E-TTL flashes. Looking at the lineup, the small 220EX is easy to transport and a good meeting for the Canon G series of digicam, but its not powerful enough for larger indoor situations (and it does not rotate to allow you to bounce the output). The 550EX is huge and offers lots of booklet controls, but IMHO its better suited to professionals and super-enthusists who want to diddle with an additional set of controls. This model, the 420EX is merely right to meet my needs.

Size sagacious the 420EX is right in the middle. It does not offer any guide controls, although it does support wireless operation. In terms of light output, it is vastly powerful. I have used it from well more than 100 foot away from my subject with very polite results. And it supports bounce flash, which I prefer over straight on light output. I tend to use the 75 degree bounce, and I've also used a street lamp diffuser to softer the light from time to time (check out the Stoffen diffuser that is a custom fit for the 420ex).

I catch more than 200 flashes on a set of AA batteries (it uses 4), and the flash unit does a nice charge of managing power by shutting down. The flash cycles pretty quickly, so I can frequently get sour a quick series of 2 or 3 flash shots.

And the 420EX supports E-TTL, where the camera manage the level of flash output based on what the camera meters (as challenging what the flash meters independent of the camera). As a result, I believe that it does not make sense to get this flash unless you are using a Canon camera that supports E-TTL (you are paying a solid premium to get the E-TTL feature).

Overall, this is a fantastic flash, manageable contained by size and very powerful in jargon of light output. Now smile!

Superb power for the money, July 10, 2004
An external flash is one of those things many those think only a "pro" have a need for -- like a tripod. Once you grasp one, though, you realize how essential it is and couldn't imagine going into the field lacking one.

I recently purchased this as part of my Digital Rebel roll and am quite impressed with its features. The E-TTL -- the wherewithal to adjust to the scene according to the camera's metering results -- is really amazing.

On the back of the unit is an LED display showing your approximate focal length (24 - 105mm), which also determines how powerful the flash will be. Additionally, near is a pilot button/light (for a test flash), exposure confirmation light, high-speed sync switch, "slave" setting buttons and the power switch.

After its flash flexibility, the 420EX's most dazzling feature is its physical flexibility. You can move the flashhead within 90� vertically and horizontally, and it will lock at several angles. This enable the bounce-flash -- assuming you have a reflective surface nearby. Bounce-flash softens and distributes the street lamp so you don't have overexposed, stiff looking subjects.

Speaking of which, I'd like to articulate that I bought a Sto-Fen Omni-Bounce diffuser when I bought the 420EX because it seemed like a appropriate accessory. I have found that I collectively don't need it because the 420EX is able to fine-tune itself to respectively shot.

I can't comment on its functionality as a slave because I have not used it within that capacity.

Ultimately, the 420EX is a great tool, whether you're shooting your kid's birthday party or a macro of a flower. It will allow you to steal much better photos than you can with the built-in flash. And at its current price it is absolutely unassailable.

Can never have enough feathery!, May 17, 2005
The greatest shortcoming of the Canon Digital Rebel Camera is its built in, pop-up flash. The pop-up flash produces inadequate restrained and greatly underexposes many situations - and often is not spaced elevated enough from the camera body to avoid red-eye, lens hood or telephoto lens body shadow. I purchased the 420EX to improve on these situations.

After a year of use - I LIKE my purchase of the 420EX.

Things I wallow in with my 420EX:

1. More powerful than the built in flash of the Digital Rebel
2. Swivel/Bounce principal offers great flexability for many different situations.
3. Synchs without fault to the Digital Rebel's exposure computer through the hot-shoe or hot shoe extender cord. Measures zoom level of standard zoom camera lens - and gives a upright overall automatic exposure.
4. Light enough to mount on an L/U aluminum bracket without throwing the camera out of go together. Use of a BGE-1 battery grip is highly recommended beside a portrait photographers U bracket.
5. Not a power hog. Can get up to 150-200 photos out of a set of four 2300 amp/hr Ni-Mh AA rechargables. (Always have a second set organized to go if on assignment - with a charger for the expended battery.)
6. Works well in slave mode. This is where on earth it earns its money for me!
7. Works well next to a bounce light diffuser hood for portrait work.
8. Height above lens eliminates most red-eye situations.
9. GREAT VALUE for the money!
10. Hot shoe mount eliminate all but the longest telephoto lens shadows.

Things I 'd like to see add to:

1. Not powerful enough. You can NEVER have satisfactory light. The 580EX gains almost two full F-stops over the 420EX - though you recompense a price almost double in cost.
2. Battery door is flimsy - and sometimes fails to latch safe and sound. (This is embarassing when you're shooting for a client and batteries are rolling all over the place - I know... I inevitability to be more careful!)
3. Tends toward underexposure in huge or high ceilinged rooms. (You can never have plenty light!)
4. Lacks strobe, LCD display functions of the more expensive 580EX.

A good solid product for most occasion. A great value for the money. Improves on the Digital Rebel's anemic pop-up flash. Eliminates most red-eye situations. Still not powerful enough for the discriminating photographer.

Great Flash for EOS type-A cameras, July 20, 2001
I bought this flash to move about with my Elan 7E and it has worked great. It have all the features that most EOS users would ever need (vertical and horizontal bounce, brisk sync, and E-TTL control). It isn't as good as the 550EX, but if you aren't planning on using mutliple flashes slaved together this is the better deal at almost partially the cost (though the 420EX can be used as a wireless slave flash with the 550EX as the master). If you are shopping for an external flash for your EOS camera, you can't go wrong beside this one.

Got a Canon SLR? Shoot Inside? Get a 420EX., January 22, 2005
It doesn't matter if you shoot film or digital. It doesn't situation if you have an old Rebel XS motion picture SLR or even a PowerShot Pro1 digicam (Not even an slr)!, if your canon camera has a hotshoe, This will work on it. And not just "yeah, it works", it'll be a "HOLY COW, look at that shot!" Bounce Flash is so unproblematic it made me want to cry. And I use a 1986 manual focus T90 side by side with an Elan 7n. All you do is point the the flash commander at SOMETHING white, and shoot. You'll never go back to direct flash. Care for wireless flash? the 420EX is the PERFECT slave, and near a 550/580EX or a ST-E2, you can control the light output without even departing your camera.
Stop using the built in flash. Treat yourself to something nice.

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