GROUP TEST
FAB FLASHGUNS
We shine a light on the latest and greatest options for on- and off-camera flash
With flashguns, a little light can go a long way. The adjustable, directional light from a flashgun can do anything from filling in the shadows for sunny-day portraiture to delivering a complete lighting solution for indoor or late-night photography.
All of the flashguns we’ve chosen for this group test are powerful models that are rich in features. As such, they have impressive ‘guide numbers’ (a measure of their maximum light output); bounce, swivel and zoom heads to enable greater versatility and control over lighting; and full dedication for various camera systems. The latter enables automatic TTL (through the lens) flash metering, and the ability to control flash parameters directly from your camera.
Other fancy features include wireless slave and possibly ‘master’ modes, for linking two or more flashguns when you want a more complex lighting setup, and advanced flash modes. These can typically comprise high-speed sync, rear curtain, red-eye reduction and perhaps even a programmable strobe mode, for firing a series of flashes within one long exposure.
Matthew Richards
Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT
£299/$300
The Mk III edition of Canon’s 430EX inherits a respectable maximum power rating of Gn (guide number) 43, and a motorised 24-105mm zoom head with 150/180 degrees of swivel to the left and right, respectively. On-board controls are redesigned to be more intuitive, and are quick and easy to navigate.
Along with simplified controls and a cleaner layout, the Mk III adds RF (Radio Frequency) connectivity, which was lacking in the Mk II flashgun, and can work as an RF master or slave.