i own a EOS-300 and i am considering to have a flash. i have 2 choices:sunpak pz5000af with Gn54,horizontal swivel and high speed sychro;380ex.They have similar price.But the sunpak has more function,i dunno if ETTL worth the price thanks

-- legnum (legnum212@email.com), November 13, 2001

Answers

Of the two you mention (Canon 380EX and Sunpak PZ5000AF), I wouldn't get either. I'd get the Sigma EF500 Super.

You give up too much without E-TTL; better metering, flash exposure lock and high speed sync. But the 380EX has no manual mode, no flash exposure compensation (FEC) and no swiveling head so it's of limited value with a EOS 300 which also lacks FEC controls. The 420EX adds a swiveling head, but still lacks the other features. The Sunpak has the swiveling head but has none of the other stuff.

The Sigma is too good a deal to pass up. It offers nearly all the features of the 550EX, more power than the 420EX and it's priced less than either. It isn't that much more than the 380EX.

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), November 14, 2001.