If your camera has a hotshoe, this should be your first accessory

The 420EX is an external flash for the Canon EOS digital and film camera. It is a very compact flash that packs a powerful punch. I purchased the 420EX a year and a half ago for my Canon G2 digital camera. I can not believe how much the indoor photos improved with the 420EX in bounce mode. Bouncing means pointing the flash head upward at an angle. By bouncing the flash, you can get a much more natural and softer lighting. If you want to see some sample, check out my gallery at http://www.pbase.com/steveyau The only limitation is that bounce work in low ceiling and white or neutral color walls. One trick I learned is to rubberband a white index card if the ceiling is dark or too high. The battery life is extremely good. I only use rechargeable AA (1600mAh) and I can get around 250 shots before changing. I also have an Elan 7 and the 420EX works well with it too. I estimate I took over 10,000 flash photo without any problem. This speaks well for the 420EX's durability.