Canon 300D + 420EX(flash lamp) not work together?

[scchu]

I purchased 300D since it first date sell and use it for a short time. I discovered Canon 300D + 420EX(flash lamp) cannot take good photos in a dark environment. Therefore, I prepared a set of photo for compare when 420EX work together with Canon 300D and Canon G2. I would like to know is there any other user having same problem and what is the way to solve this problem?

[hk_traveller]

I purchased 300D since it first date sell and use it for a short time. I discovered Canon 300D + 420EX(flash lamp) cannot take good photos in a dark environment. Therefore, I prepared a set of photo for compare when 420EX work together with Canon 300D and Canon G2. I would like to know is there any other user having same problem and what is the way to solve this problem?

300D does not have flash exposure compensation and it works with 550ex better.

[bcromwell]

Can you explain why the 550ex is a better choice for this camera? I to have the 420ex and was planning on using it when I get my drebel in the mail... Is the 420ex completly unusable or just causes problems in certin situations.??

I purchased 300D since it first date sell and use it for a short time. I discovered Canon 300D + 420EX(flash lamp) cannot take good photos in a dark environment. Therefore, I prepared a set of photo for compare when 420EX work together with Canon 300D and Canon G2. I would like to know is there any other user having same problem and what is the way to solve this problem?

300D does not have flash exposure compensation and it works with 550ex better.

[alex_p_l]

I'm sure the 420ex isn't completely unusable. It's just that the 550ex is better with its manual control's etc.

You have got to look at the practical side of things, the 550ex is a LOT bigger than the 420ex and could look very top heavy on the 300D.

[castledude]

I played with a friends Digital Rebel and after getting some disappointing results (with a flash) I did some web searches and found the following:

1) By default flash and Rebel give results that most people don't like. The Rebel optimizes so it won't saturate and this gives an underexposure of 1 to 1 1/2 stops.

2) Shooting in RAW allows you to compensate using the +/- EV and the extra bits are useful in post processing recovery.

3) Shooting with flash gives you a warm looking picture, shooting with RAW also allows you to compensate for this. It is advised that you profile the camera with a white/black/grey card for each ASA setting.

4) The underexposure problem is reduced if you select center averaging (spot meter) rather than the scene averaging mode.

5) You can make a better picture if you preselect a dark spot in the picture (at about the same distance as your subject) focus on it then hold the exposure lock button then recompose the picture while maintaining the exposure lock.

6) If you want to use a manual flash (like a studio setup). You need to turn off AWB and put it in flash or sunlight otherwise it will try and preflash the lights for white balance and you won't get a picture.

My friend ended up returning his 420ex and getting a 550.

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Don't get me wrong I liked the Rebel it had a great feel, fast focus, and the "cheap" included lense was great in my opinion. I'm in the decision mode for what DSLR camera I want and probably won't decide for another few months since I am waiting for the other guys to react to the Rebel.

[brennan]

I basically agree with the sad internal flash issues. Mine now lives inside a hood made of black film, used only as an IR trigger for slave flashes.
There is a third party patch for the rebel that gives it FEC. Since it was stripped out of the basic Canon Digital body along with the max of 3 speed shots rather than the 9 it could handle (the 300d does 3 small jpeg or 3 RAW shot so it isn't a hardware limitation).I expect there will be other patches out to cover other issues. You can find it at http://revolution.cx/rcx/fecset.htm
Before you plunk down the bucks for the 550 look at the sigma ef-500 dg super. For the price of the 550 you could buy two of the sigmas. They are about the same size (clunky big) and the 550 has a better, more solid build and about 5 % more features, but for the price.... well if I were you I would get the sigma and keep the 420 as a slave.