Canon 550D Flashguns

Expand your photography by adding a flashgun to your Canon 550D. A flashgun works by not only providing a more powerful flash but also a directional flash. Many photographs can look washed out when the built in flash is used as it is directed directly at the subject. A flashgun allows you to bounce the light off another surface creating a softer and therefore better lighting effect.

Which Flashgun is Best for the Canon 550D?

When it comes to your choice of flashgun there is a wide selection avaialble. Do you want to stick with Canon products and purchase one of the two Canon Speedlite flashguns available or perhaps get additional features or better value for your money by choosing a third party flashgun from the likes of Metz or Sigma?

Canon Speedlite Flashguns

If your preference is to stick with Canon products then you have the choice of two flashguns, the Canon Speedlite 430EX II and the Canon Speedlite 580EX II. There's alot to be said for sticking with a Canon Speedlite flashgun. For example you have guaranteed compatibility with the Canon 550D and the controls are seamless so the flashgun feels like a natural extension to the camera. You can buy the 430EX II for just over half the price of the 580EX II however you do give up some of the more advanced features in doing so.

Canon Speedlite flashguns are, as you would expect, 100% compatible with the Canon EOS 550D. This allows for features such as the flashgun automatically detecting the EOS model it's connected to and adjusting the motorised zoom operation and distance automatically to ensure complete accuracy. The 580EX II adds additional facilities such as a master/slave configuration for multiple flashguns, greater flash power, stroboscopic flash, plus a wide range of custom functions.

If you're on a tight budget then the Speedlite 430EX II offers great value for money. You'll be unlikely to ever need the master/slave configuration of multiple flashguns and if you do then you can always buy a Speedlite 580EX II next. One downside of the 430EX II however is the flash is slightly underpowered however it will vastly outperform the built in flash of your 550D. If your budget isn't a problem then the 580EX II seems the ideal choice. The flash is powerful and the host of features offered stands up against any competitors. Again however it's not all good news, some features are unintuitive and if you're not blessed with a great memory you may struggle to remember what some of them actually do.

Sigma Flash Guns

Sigma are well known for making dSLR camera lenses and have a good reputation for such so it seems only natural that they also manufacture Canon 550D compatible flash guns. There are two models available, the basic Sigma EF-530 DG ST flashgun and the more advanced version of the same model the Sigma EF-530 DG Super flash gun.

On reviewing the Sigma 530 DG ST I have to say that it's probably too basic. Yes it's cheaper than most other flash guns available for the Canon EOS 550D but the Sigma 530 DG is missing what I consider essential features like an LCD info screen. The motor on the basic model is also too loud and unlike other flash guns you can't switch to manual zoom settings. The Sigma EF 530 DG also takes longer than most competitors ro recycle so shooting will be slower. With all this in mind what does it say about the prospects of the Sigma EF 530 DG Super?

Fortunately Sigma seem to have got things right with the more advanced model. Yes you'll have to part with more money but this Sigma flash gun gets things right that the EF 530 ST fails to. A large LCD screen gives you plenty of info and lots of control buttons work well in conjunction with the camera. You also get full wireless master/slave control of multiple flash guns with this Sigma flash gun at half the price of the Canon Speedlite 580EX II.

Metz Flash Guns

The Metz Mecablitz 58 AF-1 is certainly a match for the powerful Speedlite 580EX II. This flash gun actually has two flashes positioned below the main swivel head which adds extra fill when bouncing the main flash off the ceiling or wall. Further features add high speed sync, rear curtain and strobe flash modes. You have full master/slave wireless compatibility which works equally well with other Metz or Canon flashguns. Recycling isn't as fast as the 580EX II however you do at least have silent recharging. The Metz flash has an impressive array of functions but this does require a bit of a learning curve as the controls aren't the most intuitive of the differing models.

Nissin Flash Guns

As a relative newcomer the Nissin Speedlite Di866 Pro is packed with features. Unlike many other flashguns available for your Canon 550D the Nissin Di866 Pro has a color LCD screen. Whilst this may seem like a bit of a gimmick it's actually alot easier to read than the mono screens of other models. The interface is very simple to use but still packs alot of powerful functions into it from a wealth of flash modes available in both manual and automatic modes. There's also a spare battery caddy which makes changing the battery a quick and easy task. The Nissin Speedlite Pro has full master/slave wireless control and the multi flash gun compatibility extends to Canon flash guns as well. This model also has the most powerful flash of the different models available and also has an additional small sub unit flash available. The one downside you'd have to say with this Nissin flash gun is the noisy motorised zoom which makes the unit very noisy in comparison to other models.