I am thinking of purchasing a canon Rebel X. This camera doesn't have a flash built in, so what kind of flash do I buy, and where can I get one? how much will it cost?

thanks, Mack

-- Mack McNeely (bootninja@mac.com), October 12, 2001

Answers

There are a number of third party flash units that will work well on your Rebel X (also known as an EOS 500). Basically anything that's dedicated to the Canon EOS system will work. Sigma, Sunpak, Metz, Promaster, and others all have units that will do the job.

Canon's own E, EG and EZ series Speedlites are designed for the Rebel X. They might cost a bit more than the equivilent third party flash, but are usually worth it because of the higher quality build, and you would not have to worry about the odd incompatability prblems that sometimes occur with third party units. The Canon EX series will work as well, but they have a number of extra features that won't work for the Rebel X. So unless you think you might upgrade your camera body any time soon, they are probably more money than they are worth to you.

The only EZ series Speedlite that is still being manufactured is the 540EZ and that probably cost more than you paid for the Rebel X. I'd look for a used 200E (small & lightweight - $40???) or a 420/430EZ (larger but with a lot more power & features - $170???) The new 420EX is also a choice but is kind of expensive for what it is when attached to a Rebel X.

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), October 13, 2001.