Last Updated on February 3, 2023
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Are you looking for the best flash for your Canon 70d?
I first started using my 70d back in 2013 when Canon released it and have tested the best flashes available for it over the years and after reading this article you will know the best model to get to get great lighting and improve your Canon 70d image quality.
External Flash Benefits
Power: An external flash will provide more lighting power than your built in camera flash.
Distance: The illumination distance you get with an external flash is up to 10 meters where your built in flash only reaches about three meters.
Flash Angle: While your built in flash offers an an angle of coverage equal to the focal length of a standard zoom lens, a high performing speedlite will give you a much wider coverage area.
Directional Lighting: An external flash allows you far more creativity and light direction options than your built in flash. This will open up many more creative lighting setups.
Recycle Time: The flashes below offer a much faster recycle time than your built in flash.
Recommended Canon 70D Speedlites
Canon Speedlite 580EX II
The 580 EX II is a great performing flash for the Canon 70d. It offers exceptional performance and a great feature set at a reasonable price. This flash offers water and dust resistance making it great for indoor and outdoor photo sessions. It offers a fast recycle time and runs nearly silent. You get a powerful guide number of 58′ at ISO 105mm. It has built in white balance communication and allows bounce lighting with rotation and tilt. Add in the AF assist beam and you have one awesome flash.
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- Pro level flash performance
- Fast recycle time
- Water and dust resistance
- Offers AF assist beam
- Bounce light with tilt and rotation
- Guide number of 58′ at ISO 105mm
Canon Speedlite 430EX II Camera Flash
Here is another excellent compact Speedlite for the 70d. Coming in with even more features and powerful performance this flash is ideal for the serious photographer. You get a powerful guide number of 141′ at ISO 100. The recycling time is snappy and it performs consistently in tests. The design is very well done and it’s compact and lightweight size makes it ideal for the traveling photographer. The controls are easy to use and LCD screen is an excellent touch. This flash also runs very quiet making it great for portrait photography.
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- Lightweight and compact design
- Powerful guide number of 141′ at ISO 100
- Easy to use with LCD screen
- Fast and quiet recycle time
- Bounce lighting with tilt and rotation
Godox V860II-C E-TTL
This is my favorite third party flash for the Canon 70d. It offers great performance at a lower price than a Canon made flash. This TTL flash is feature rich and comes with flash exposure compensation, modeling flash, 2nd curtain sync, flash exposure lock and more. This model can be used on camera or off with the built in wireless system. The wireless range is up to 100 meters. It has a fast recycle time, an LCD screen and a long battery life.
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- Fully compatible with the 70d
- High speed and 2nd curtain sync
- Wireless system with long range
- Offers auto and manual zoom
- Long battery life
Godox Thinklite TT685N TTL Flash For Canon
This is another top third party TTL flash for the Canon 70d. It offers surprisingly good performance while still coming in at a very budget friendly price. You get high speed sync and 1st and 2nd curtain sync along with a guide number of 60′ at ISO 100 at 1200mm. It provides soft consistent lighting that is flattering on your subject. The built in wireless system allows you to use this flash on camera and off. It has both slave and master modes. The LCD panel allows for easy operation and it supports Nikon’s i-TTL systems.
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- Great performance at a budget friendly price
- Offer high speed and 1st and 2nd curtain sync
- Flattering and consistent lighting
- Easy to use LCD display screen
- Guide number of 60′ at ISO 100 at 200mm
- Built in wireless functionality
- Master and slave mode
YONGNUO YN685 ETTL Speedlite For Canon
If you are looking for the lowest cost speedlite that still provides solid performance the Yongnuo YN685 is the flash for you. It has a built in wireless trigger system that is compatible with RF-603 transmitters. It is compatible with receiving numerous other trigger signals as well. It can be used to trigger up to two additional flashes for added versatility. It offers a guide number of 60′ at ISO 100 and 200mm. You also get high speed sync, 2nd curtain sync, exposure bracketing, flash exposure compensation and more.
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- Solid performance at a very low price
- TTL mode, multi mode and focal length synchronization
- Guide number of 60′ at ISO 100 and 200mm
- Built in wireless transmission
- High speed sync and 2nd curtain sync
Conclusion
If you are looking for a great flash for your Canon 70d you have a number of solid options. Whether you are looking for a beginner level flash that offers great performance without breaking the bank or a true professional quality TTL flash you will find the right option for you on this list.
For more photography tips and guides check out these articles