Ob1 Loc: Utah

Godox enough said!

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

The Yongnuo 568 EX III, Mike - is identical in every way - B&H $97.00.

Similar is the Godox TT685C - B&H $110.00.

Slightly better is the Phottix Mitros+ TTL - B&H - $259.99.

Then, there's the Bolt VX 760 Wireless - B&H $259.00.

And, lastly - similar to those two - is the Nissin Di 700A - B&H - $259.00.

OR, Mike … you could get the eminently superior newer and later Canon Speedlite 600EX II RT!!!!

JUST $579.00 - also, at B&H … the choice is yours, Mike …

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

And a genuine and superior 580EX II runs $175 to $200 used at KEH ....

leftj Loc: Texas

I would go for Godox over Youngnuo. Seems like much better build quality.

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

It's pronounced "YONG" … "NOW" … just forget the "U" is there …

It's your best deal on 3rd Party Flash Units …

You CAN spend MORE, if you want to … but why? … Just because you can't pronounce it, Mike?

Well … NOW - you CAN!!!!

DesignOrc

I have the Altura AP-C1001. It is similar to the 430ex. Comes with a remote flash trigger set (transmitter and receiver). Has worked well for me. Gets 4.1 stars on Amazon from >1400 reviews. Would I use it if I were a pro? no, but if I were a pro, I probably wouldn't be looking at a 430ex.

ballsafire Loc: Lafayette, Louisiana

Go to: Canon 550 EX Speedlite Flash [GN138] {Bounce, Swivel, Zoom} only fifty dollars!

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Where's that, Balls? … Got a link?

ballsafire Loc: Lafayette, Louisiana

Smyrna, Georgia at KEH!

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I agree with some other suggestions.... You might want to look for an older, used Canon flash. I've got three 550EX I've used for almost 20 years. They've worked fine first with EOS film cameras and then with a series of DSLRs, most recently EOS 7D Mark II. I also have three newer 580EX II.

One reason I use the top-of-line models is because they have a socket that allows me to connect them with Canon's compact battery packs, which increase the number of batteries from 4 per flash to 12 per flash, allowing a lot more shots and giving faster recycling. Only the 500-series and 600-series flashes have that socket. It is possible to use third party battery packs with some of the other flashes, but requires modification of the flash to do so. You have to cut a hole in the battery compartment door to allow a power cord to pass through. (Doesn't effect using the flash without the battery pack, with a normal load of batteries.)

Another reason I use the top-of-line models is that (with one exception) they're the only ones that can act as a master, controlling other flashes in multi-flash setups. The 500-series and 600-series models can serve as either a master or a slave unit, selected by a switch near the base. An exception is the tiny 90EX, which can act as a master, too. There are also the ST-E2 (optical) and ST-E3 (radio) controller modules that can be used instead.

420EX are the predecessors to the 430EX series.

All that said...

If I were buying flashes today and if I had any plan to use them multi-flash setups, I would DEFINITELY get the radio triggered models. That includes the various "RT" models by Canon, as well as similar from third party manufacturers. Radio control and triggering is vastly superior to the optical method used by the earlier models. Radio has longer range, but probably more importantly, doesn't require a line-of-sight setup the way the optically controlled flashes do, which gives you a lot more flexibility about placement of the off-camera flashes. Radio is also more reliable too... It's not effected by ambient light conditions, the way the optical can be. Using them in bright ambient light further limits the range of the optically controlled flashes.

There are limited models with "RT" radio control and triggering. They've only been available a few years and initially only were the top-of-the-line (600-series) models. An alternative is radio "controller/triggering" devices that can be fitted to the optically controlled flashes... but that's a lot of added cost and more complexity with more opportunity for problems to occur.

As a side note, Canon's flash model designations roughly reflect the flash's guide number in meters. For example, a 600-series flash has approx. 60 meter guide number. It's not exact, but 550EX will be around 55 meter and a 580EX model approx. 58 meter GN. 420EX and 430EX will be 42 meter and 43 meter, respectively. 320EX... 32 meter. 270EX... 27 meter. Etc.

ChristianHJensen

You left out the line of Metz flashes. Better quality than Canon, slightly lower price. Built in Germany by a company that just makes high end flashes - another one left out is Profoto - very high quality and performance - but a good deal more expensive than the Canon flash'es

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Mike Holmes is looking for a flash equal to his Canon Speedlite 430 EX III … I could not find anything in the Metz line equal to that, AND comparable - price-wise to the others I'd suggested. I used the B&H catalogue to find those suggestions, and the few Metz flash units listed, are quite meager, compared to the others. Funny you should say that, tho', Christian - as I have a Metz, along with various Sunpak, Rollei and Vivitars.
And, the Metz - bought some 50-odd years ago - is the ONLY one, which has, finally, given up the ghost!!!



There are NO LISTINGS for Profoto in the B&H catalogue. But, I am aware they do have a very fine product line. Again, though - I was looking for something comparable. The 430 EX III, however, is rated for 43 meters. The ones I suggested were all in the range of 180' to 197' feet - which are all a higher tier than the OP's flash unit. The next tier up - which would include the Bolt, Nissin and Metz grip flash units, as well as others - are in a whole different league, and - at a quite different price point ($600 on up.)
The best Canon Speedlites are in that area, price-wise, but they're all hot-shoe designs.

The Metz 64 AF-1 is rated at 210' but its recycle time is listed as long as 4.4 seconds, whereas all the others are listed in the 1-2 second range. PLUS, it costs $435. If you're going to spend that on a flash unit, you may as well get the OEM product. I'd been looking for best deal Third-Party alternatives.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

Check out Godox, period.

ChristianHJensen

Whatever dude. It is really hard to find info on the Metz speedlites - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1253800-REG/metz_mz_44321c_mecablitz_44_af_2_digital.html - which has a similar power rating as the Canon and almost impossible to find the Profoto range as well https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/browse/Profoto/ci/7757/N/4232859328


The Metz 64 (which is in about double the power output compared to a GN 43/44)) recycle time is about 1.5-1.8 seconds from a full power shot when using good quality NiMh and about half that if you use an external power pack

BTW - Bolt is just rebranded old model Godox flashes - ok but not in any way in Metz territory. Nissin is sort off OK.
If you really want to compare speedlites you have to get past just looking at numbers and compare even-ness of the light spread, how stable the color temp of the light is both flash to flash and across the power range, Consistency in power output flash to flash, precision in power levels, etc - this is where the high end products like metz and Profoto really stands out. Most hobbyists probably do not need this level of equipment and will be pretty happy with the cheap china products.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Metz is a very old company with high quality products, founded in 1938. Almost went under, but was saved by the Daum group and is alive and well and still producing flashes in Germany. Not cheap, but excellent quality from my experience.