Canon Flash Unit Recommendaitons for travel

I am heading to Ecuador (Sacha Lodge) in August and would appreciate a reco on a flash unit. I have a 50D and generally use a 100-400IS lens with a monopod w/ ball head. I am ramping up on the gear side, so I am looking for something that will help in most trail situations, but is still easy enough to carry around. I am not at the multiple flash unit stage, so more of a get your feet wet and really help most common situations.

Also if anyone has been to Sacha and has any advice for trip prep for gear would love it too. THis is the first real photo heavy trip I am taking so all advice welcome!


Cal

Hi Cal- With the 100-400 you going to need some power to put the light where the 400 is looking. Therefore I would recommend the Canon 580 EXII and I'd also suggest getting a flash extender or "better beamer". This flash adds relatively little weight to your pack and you would not save much weight by going to a smaller, less powerful flash.

Buy whatever (I would agree with John's recommendation) soon and get out and use it so you are familar with any adjustments before you take off. You don't have much time to complete your learning curve before flight time. You won't regret the preparation and afterall, digital images are free.

I agree the 580 EX II with Better Beamer.

Great advice from from John .... Would go for the 580 EXII Weight savings with others is not much but large output difference. Good suggestions recommending a Better Beamer since it will extent the flash range just over two times (set the flash head for a 50mm lens)

The flash is user friendly but do read instructions a couple of times and practicing before you go is a must !!!

thanks all for the advice - my guess is Al's comment on setting the flash head for a 50mm lens will be evident with the unit in hand, but what's the function of the comment? Does it cast the light differently or to a different location?

Hi Cal The better beamer is set up so you need to manually set the head for 50mm Setting it to 105 will throw out a wide beam and at 28 a very narrow beam !!! Just perfect at 50
.... and the BB starts being useful at 300mm !!!

Settings wise you can use the ETTL at -1 and get great results !!! One thing to consider ... with soft light early/late in the day you don't want to over power it with your flash and turn it to mid day light !!!

Cal,

If you are under 300mm on the zoom the beamer may not cover the whole image area so best to take it off.

This is great advice - I feel already well down the road on pulling off great pics with this new equipment - and it is not even in my hands yet! thanks.

I was at Sacha Lodge in 1999. At that time many trips out from the lodge were on foot, or in very narrow dugout canoes. You go in there by crossing a lagoon in a dugout. It rains there a lot, and humidity is high. I carried film equipment back then, but if I were to return with digital equipment, I'd make sure I carried a watertight bag and a supply of desiccant to remove moisture. Sometimes you will need the flash, even at noon in the dark rain forest, and have as much use for a macro lens as for your 100 - 400 IS. I found that I used a more normal lens much of the time.
Enjoy your stay there, I did.