It doesn't matter if you shoot film or digital. It doesn't matter if you have an old Rebel XS film SLR or even a PowerShot Pro1 digicam (Not even an slr)!, if your canon camera has a hotshoe, This will work on it. And not just "yeah, it works", it'll be a "HOLY COW, look at that shot!" Bounce Flash is so easy it made me want to cry. And I use a 1986 manual focus T90 side by side with an Elan 7n. All you do is point the the flash head at SOMETHING white, and shoot. You'll never go back to direct flash. Care for wireless flash? the 420EX is the PERFECT slave, and with a 550/580EX or a ST-E2, you can control the light output without even leaving your camera.
Stop using the built in flash. Treat yourself to something nice.

I bought 420EX flash for use with Canon's G3 camera, which is one step less than conventional SLRs. For long my indoor photography has suffered. But now with this great accessory, I can bounce light to create brilliant and vivid images. The flash utilizes E-TTL and also adjusts to the camera's zoom.

The only reason I rated the flash 4 stars is that the auto-fucos assist beam function is not working with my camera. I probably will get in touch with Canon and find out if this feature is compatible with G series camera or not.

An external flash is one of those things many people think only a "pro" has a need for -- like a tripod. Once you get one, though, you realize how essential it is and couldn't imagine going into the field without one.

I recently purchased this as part of my Digital Rebel package and am quite impressed with its features. The E-TTL -- the ability to adjust to the scene according to the camera's metering results -- is really amazing.

On the back of the unit is an LED display showing your approximate focal length (24 - 105mm), which also determines how powerful the flash will be. Additionally, there is a pilot button/light (for a test flash), exposure confirmation light, high-speed sync switch, "slave" setting buttons and the power switch.

After its flash flexibility, the 420EX's most impressive feature is its physical flexibility. You can move the flashhead within 90° vertically and horizontally, and it will lock at several angles. This enables the bounce-flash -- assuming you have a reflective surface nearby. Bounce-flash softens and distributes the light so you don't have overexposed, stiff looking subjects.

Speaking of which, I'd like to say that I bought a Sto-Fen Omni-Bounce diffuser when I bought the 420EX because it seemed like a good accessory. I have found that I generally don't need it because the 420EX is able to fine-tune itself to each shot.

I can't comment on its functionality as a slave because I have not used it in that capacity.

Ultimately, the 420EX is a great tool, whether you're shooting your kid's birthday party or a macro of a flower. It will allow you to take much better photos than you can with the built-in flash. And at its current price it is absolutely unbeatable.

I purchased this flash for my Canon EOS digital rebel and am well pleased with the results. I highly recommend it!!!

I was thinking of using this higher power flash than the built-in flash (on my Canon Digital Rebel) because it seems that people keep telling me too. I never paid much attention to it because I rather spend my money on another lens or accessory.

Fortuneately, I ran out of things I thought I needed. In a nutshell, this flash is amazing and I wished I got it a long time ago.

Everything is automatic, and it takes out all of the guesswork for my amateur needs. When I tried the bounce flash (by adjusting the flash 75 degrees-up to bounce light off of the ceiling in a 10 ft high room), the pictures came out with more vibrant colors than I expected. In contrast, all of my past pictures became dimmer the instant I saw the new results.

Colors in objects that you don't pay attention to become visible and vibrant (the house plants in the corner, color of carpet, furniture, background painting and decor, etc). The bounce flash made my evening pictures as brillant as pictures taken in the afternoon.

In addition, since I bounced the flash from the ceiling, my pictures didn't have the dark and glooming shadows behind people. I have tried a side bounce to produce better results than a direct flash when I cannot bounce off of a ceiling.

I only wished that there were some emphasis and tips on using the bounce flash in the manuals. I guess it is a simple-enough method, but it produces amazing results. I was fortuneate to be reading a book about digital photograph (40 Digital Photography Techniques) that had 2-3 tips on trying a bounce flash.

I also purchased this flash for my loreo 3d lens attachment. Although it produces better and brighter picture than the buit-in flash, my picture with the loreo lens are still too dark. My best results are from pictures under the afternoon light. (I will continue to use software like photoshop to adjust the brightness and contrast in my loreo pictures when a flash is needed--which afterwards can become amazing.)