What is the best Speedlite for ease of use/control?

[dmc_photography]

I am currently using the Canon 6D and have a selection of decent lenses. i have been doing photography for some time but only using ambient light. I am looking to begin shooting some events for free with a view to building upon my portfolio and I'm well aware that a flash will most likely be needed. 

I am really looking for the best flash for ease of use and preferably one that can be controlled on camera so that I dont have to continually move back and fourth, changing the settings of the flash/flashes.

I know that there are some decent flashes from Canon and from a lot of the reviews I ave read, you seem to get what you pay for but I'd like to hear some honest opinions about whether or not I need to just bite the bullet and go for the high end, or, if there are any cheaper alternatives that will still get the job done.

Any help would be appreciated.

[kvbarkley]

The 320EX is the simplest and can be an (optical) wireless slave, but it is a bit weaker than the proffesional 430, 580 and 600 flashes.

[dmc_photography]

Firstly, thanks for taking the time to respond!  

I have been a little strapped for time but I have to say I really appreciate your views on this.

When I really sit and think about it, I know I am most likely going to bite the bullet an opt for the 600EX-RT. I just get the feeling that this is what is going to make my learning more enjoyable, less time consuming and more importantly, more reliable in the future when I may be doing things like weddings and other events where I can't afford to have things fail. I can see that I could probably afford a number of 3rd party speedlights for the same price but I think that investing in quality for the long term is the better option for me right now.

I'm probably looking to get one 600 EX-RT and the radio trigger to start with until I have a bigger budget to add more lights. I'm going to just have to be as creative as I can with just the one for now.

Sorry not to leave you all an individual response and again, I really appreciate the time you took to respond to my question.

Cheers Guys!

[Waddizzle]

Before you purchase a flash, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with flash units.  Learn about guide numbers, doing a search on the web.  Here's a link that is not associated with any vendor, many of whom have much better explanations.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guide_number

Learn about TTL, Through-The-Lens, metering, too.  Learn about the relative strengths and merits of different flash units.  My recommendation is get yourself the 600EX-RT.  It has the reach to do a lot.  You can always dial down the intensity of a flash.  It is much harder to dial the intensity UP, though, especially when the flash lacks the output.

[RobertTheFat]

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@Waddizzle wrote:

Before you purchase a flash, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with flash units.  Learn about guide numbers, doing a search on the web.  Here's a link that is not associated with any vendor, many of whom have much better explanations.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guide_number

Learn about TTL, Through-The-Lens, metering, too.  Learn about the relative strengths and merits of different flash units.  My recommendation is get yourself the 600EX-RT.  It has the reach to do a lot.  You can always dial down the intensity of a flash.  It is much harder to dial the intensity UP, though, especially when the flash lacks the output.

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I think I agree with that recommendation. The OP says he wants to learn to use flash for events. Event photography is very demanding on equipment, and that includes flash units. It's not just brightness either; recycle time is at least as important. So it's really not a good place to scrimp.

Another point: You're more likely to need a backup flash than a backup camera or lens. If a flash unit overheats, it can take upwards of 15 minutes to recover. At almost any event worth photographing, much can happen in 15 minutes.

[diverhank]

In terms of ease of use/control, all Canon flashes are pretty much the same - very easy to use.  What is important would be the light output and consistency.  For event shooting, you would want the highest output so I'd recommend the 600EX-RT flash.  If budget is a concern, you can get the 600EX-RT version I instead of II - there is very little discernible difference between the two.  If radio control is not important, you can get a used 580 EX II.  I have all 3 versions and I can tell you they work equally well.  I also had the 430EXII and besides having less light output, I find that its ETTL measuring is  inconsistent compared to the 3 I mentioned.  That probably explains why it only costs about half of its bigger cousin.

There are a few non-Canon products out there that receive good rating, but in general, they don't measure up to the real thing.  I have a few of those too.