Targus Digital TG-DL80C Pro Zoom Auto TTL Electronic Flash for Canon DSLR Cameras
From Targus
Pro Zoom Auto TTL Electronic Flash for DSLR Cameras - Canon
Brand: Targus Model: TG-DL80C Dimensions: 5.10" h x 8.00" w x 3.90" l, .85 pounds
Great for the price The flash that I was going to put on my camera was a Canon 430 or 580. As these are the starting at over $300, I shopped around. This Targus is a very inexpensive alternative to the Canons. It seems to do pretty much what I bought it for, which was to significantly improve the light for shots that need it. The auto flash on my xti is good only for under 10' and can't be aimed. This brings me to the major shortfall of this Targus. I bends straight up and straight forward, but does not pivot left or right, as the Canons do. So, if you turned your camera sideways to take a shot, you could not twist the flash to bounce your light off the ceiling. Yes, it is a great value, if you are not a pro. I'm glad I saved the $250 difference. This is E-TTL 2 Compatible, but not a replacement for Speedlite I just purchased this flash from Amazon and it definitely has more power and versatility (angle-wise) than my Rebel XS built-in flash. However, there is not a lot of info out there about it on the Internet, so I wanted to clear some stuff up. The Canon recognizes this as an E-TTL 2 flash, which is good, and the metering and whatnot appears to work just fine with the flash. When the camera is adjusting it automatically, it doesn't overpower the photo, etc. (I am a newbie to digital SLR so that is critical for me.) However, two important things to note are 1. if you are using the flash on an angle (not straight forward) the camera does not know that and doesn't compensate for the different level needed, so you will have to adjust the camera manually. 2. While this is E-TTL 2 compatible, that does not mean you can control the flash settings from the camera like a normal Speedlite. Speedlites have an LCD and controls on the back for flash settings. This Targus TG-DL80C did not, so I thought, hey, maybe the camera will do it, and I will get the functionality of the display for free! Well, that is unfortunately not the case, and there is no real way to adjust the flash manually. Still, it's reasonably usable and as I learn more about photography I think I will do just fine with it. Maybe it's not the greatest for beginners but it will impel me to learn more about photography, so overall, not a bad purchase for the far lower price, and frankly, the Speedlites (even used) are pretty expensive if you decide photography is not going to be your hobby. Just as expected Great value for the money. The flash works great for what I use it for.
