I am a complete flash noobie looking at buying a Speedlite 430EX II or 580EX II for my 50D. I am mostly expecting to use it for fill flash for outdoor/low light portraits, I've always preferred natural light photography and I am unlikely to want to do huge amounts of studio work.
I'm cautious about shelling out for a 580EXII which I potentially might only use a couple of times a year...but I also know that I should never say I will 'never' do something so don't want to regret getting just a 430EX II and need to upgrade equipment after a few months
I was asked to do the photos for my daughters graduation ball in a few weeks but declined as I don't have the equipment/experience. However I live in a small town and could get the gig - and potentially other similar things - every year if I decide to go down that track.
So after reading through speedlights.net I am wondering if Yongnuo YN-560 is a viable and logical option for me to test the water? I would probably buy a second one as a backup (couldn't afford to buy two genuine speedlites). Seems like I could get a few extra things for a cost of a genuine canon, which I could always upgrade to later if I enjoy it and decide to pursue that market.
Do others have any experiences with Yongnuo (or other third party brands) good or bad?