Best flash for a 6D

[DonnaRichmond]

Hi guys,

I have just bought a 6D. I'll use it for portraits and occasional weddings. What would be the best flash for this model please? (I don't want to spend mega bucks, but want to buy Canon!)

A photographer and friend recommended the Canon Speedlight 430 EXIII. I have not seen so many for sale online, I am mostly seeing the EXII. I appreciate any advice you can give please.

Many thanks!

[ebiggs1]

"...are you referring to just the ceremony (where it can be difficult to get permission) and not the reception?"

I consider a wedding to be the ceremony.  The reception is a 'party' so to speak.  In 40+ years I have meet every conceivable type of priest or preacher or rabbi or reverend possible.  Some say you can do whatever you want.  Some say if I can tell you are here, I will throw you out. That is usually a priest.  Obviously a flash is impossible.  Some are somewhere in between.

For the reception all kinds of light is possible.  If I can avoid a flash I make every possible adjustment to do so.

[TCampbell]

In all my years doing weddings, generally the officiant (priest/minister/rabbi/etc.) says no photography during the "ceremony" but they're fine with it both before & after the official ceremony.

I use flash outside during the day for fill-in of dark shadows and to balance back-lit shots.

Certainly also at the reception (most tend to be indoors at a hall/club/etc.) 

If you just use flash as a key light, then you get that bright subject, nearly black background (no ambience) and rapid light "fall off".  

I use Av mode and set the camera to to use auto-shutter speed with the restriction that it must be within the 1/60th to (whatever the flash-sync speed is... 1/200th, 1/250th, etc.)  This results in the camera metering for ambient light but supplementing with flash and you get a much more balanced result.  (BTW, this is not the default mode for the flash... you have to go into the camera menu to enable this behavior.  But I find it produces a much better result.)

[ebiggs1]

A word about lenses as I mentioned spend the flash money on this trio of lenses.

EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM Lens, EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens, and EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens.

That is probably all the glass you will ever need.  You'll never miss that flash.