Small, light, fits with EOS E-TTL and wireless systems, reasonably powerful. You only want this flash if you have EOS cameras and lenses. It's a great match with the Elan 7.

No rear LCD display, no on-flash compensation, no easy external power source

After lugging around EOS 1N's and 1V's and 3's, an Elan 7E plus this little flash is a perfect lightweight travel rig: they fit into a small Tamrac Model 603 bag with room for two lenses and film etc...it's great!. Also perfect wireless fill light with a 550EX and/or ST-E1. Carry some spare AA NiMH's because you can't use a Canon outboard battery pack, and I don't like using the Quantum cords that go in through the battery compartment. I would give this flash a perfect rating if it had an external power connector.

Plut it's cheap!!!!!

Customer Service

I use Canon's Irvine service office which has never been anything but great.

Similar Products Used:

Canon 550EX, 430EZ

Works great with Elan 7E. Seems to expose better than internal flash. Strong enough to shoot night pictures of a band or football team 50 feet away. Less red-eye than internal flash in my situations.

Don't have to fuss at all with exposure like my old Vivitar 283.

Looking forward to using it with a 550EX for wireless use.

To eliminate red-eye more effectively, I had to mount on Stroboframe flash bracket. E-TTL flash cord for bracket pricey. $55.00.

Could use battery pack.

Works great for my Elan 7E

Customer Service

Have not used.

Similar Products Used:

Used Vivitar 283 for a long time.

Nice flash and features for the money, wireless a big plus! Works great with Elan IIE, much better lighting effects with bounce flash versus on camera flash.

None by me

Although I don't have the Elan 7 yet, this flash works flawlessly with the Elan IIE. I feel it's well worth the money.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Canon Speedlite 133, 166

Good size and weight. EOS E-TTL works great, so does the FE lock. A perfect mate for the Elan 7/7e. The wireless flash system and swivel capabiltiy offer a lot creative possibilities for location shoots. Decent power for most of my needs.
Great price too.

Lack of on-flash compensation (must be done through the body)

I'm very happy with it, a great buy for the price over all, not only b/c of its features and ease of use but also b/c of great results from 20 rolls of perfectly exposed shots from a friend's wedding (the flash gun fitted with Lumiquest Ultrabounce).

Customer Service

Never needed as of yet

Similar Products Used:

Canon 380EX, Sunpak 4000AF

Quality built, tilt & swivel capacity, good power, flash zoom, slave option, modeling flash option.

None for the price.

For the money it's a great flash. Easy to use, but also gives you creative options if so desired. Enough power for almost all occasions, neat options such as; high-speed sync, second-curtain sync, modeling flash to check shadow effects before you take the picture, FE lock and flash exposure compensation.
It is more powerfull than the 380EX and has more features to. I'm very pleased with the performance of the 420EX, I highly recommend it.

Customer Service

Very good.

Similar Products Used:

380EX

easy to use
can bounce when taking vertical shots
AF assist light beam
slave option

a bit unbalance with EOS 33 without vertical grip

A perfect match of my EOS 33. Very easy to use, all you need is plug and switch it on.
Took some pics with it at both day/night time. The outputs are very good. I'm very happy and pleased with it. I highly recommand it esp. the owners of EOS 30/33 who worry about the scary AF assist light!

Customer Service

don't know

Similar Products Used:

540EZ

Good value for money.
Batteries seem to last.

Uneven flash coverage at 28mm.
No lock on battery compartment door.

Bought the 420EX with my Canon Eos 30. So far very happy with it but when I take flash pictures of groups of people indoors with my 28mm lens I noticed light falloff at the corners. Seems the 28mm coverage of the flash is not spread evenly across the picture. Edges of the pictures look dark but center seems well illuminated but not as good as my old Metz flash.

While pulling the flash from the hotshoe (it can be quite tight) I grip the flash by the side. However by doing this you can accidentally open the battery compartment door and spilling the batteries. A lock for the door would be nice.

Overall pretty good but I personally like the low-profile body of my old Metz 32 flash.

If you want to purchase the Elan7e/Eos 30 then seriously consider buying this flash because they are made for each other.

Customer Service

Have not sought it yet.

Similar Products Used:

Metz

E-TTL, Wireless, etc...

The most god awful sound I ever heard coming from a flash

No 2nd curtain sync with type B bodies!

Swivel goes 180 deg CCW, but 90 deg CW. It should be the other way around for better bouncing when shooting vertically.

No manual power or zoom.

No strobe.

If you have a newer body, this is a good flash. If you have an older body though, look elsewhere. I'm amazed that Canon decided not to allow 2nd curtain sync for Type B bodies. These marketing features are getting very annoying.

Similar Products Used:

540EZ, SB-28, 340EZ

(1) almost 1/2 price of 550EX (2) smaller size and weight than 550EX (3) good enough for many situations that don't require the better 550EX (4) wireless slave function that can be controlled by ST-E2 or 550EX (5) zoom head can tilt in many directions like 550EX

(1) No wireless master facility (2) No built in 17mm wide diffuser (3) No close-up 7 deg downward tilting (4) no LCD control panel (5) too simple

Wow! it is great to use and light to hold. Easier and lighter to carry around than the famed 550EX. At 1/2 price, this baby is good enough for many situations not requiring the many features of the 550EX.

Customer Service

not required

Similar Products Used:

Canon 550EX, offbrand flash

Good Design, swirl base.
Cheap price compare with 550EX. Zoomed head.

Only Auto Exp. no other choice.

I still thinking to get a 550EX, as main flash, and use 420EX as slave will be better choice. A Manual mode should be given if Canon consider an update model. Strongly suggest use 420EX as a slave unit.

Customer Service

Never used

Similar Products Used:

220EX