So I went through this exact same struggle with my 90D last year! Honestly, the pop-up flash is basically useless for anything professional. When I started shooting indoor events, I realy worried about that AF assist beam too. In my experience, the red grid on third-party units can be a bit wonky depending on which focus point you use, but it was usually fine for my workflow! My journey led me to try a few different setups that gave me great results: * Godox V1-C Flash for Canon - I fell in love with the round head cuz the light falloff is soooo much smoother for portraits. The lithium battery is a life saver!
* Godox TT685II-C Flash for Canon - I used this when I wanted to save cash; it's highkey a beast for E-TTL and HSS performance. Honestly, switching to the Godox system was a total game changer for me!! gl!

Yo, just found this thread! Honestly, I feel u on the pop-up flash struggle—it’s basically just there for emergencies lol. Over the years, I’ve tried so many different setups, and I actually remember a night shoot years ago where my old third-party flash’s AF assist beam was so off-center that I missed half the shots during a reception. It was a huge lesson learned about trusting gear without testing the alignment first. If you’re torn between the Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT and a Godox, you might find this useful—check out the website "FlashHavoc". It’s an incredible resource for comparing strobe specs and seeing how different triggers interact with the Canon E-TTL II system. I’ve used it for years to double-check compatibility before buying. Since you're on a $250 budget, I’d actually point you toward the Godox V1-C Flash for Canon. It’s right at the top of your price range (sometimes on sale for less), and that round head makes the light falloff look so much smoother for indoor portraits compared to the traditional rectangular heads. If you want to save even more cash, look at the Godox TT685II-C Flash for Canon. It’s basically the same as the Godox V860III-C Flash for Canon mentioned earlier, but takes AA batteries instead of a proprietary lithium pack. I actually prefer AAs sometimes cuz you can just swap 'em out if you forget to charge. Regarding the AF assist... ngl, Canon's own units are still the gold standard for that red grid accuracy, but the newer Godox firmware has fixed a lot of the older issues with the 90D sensor. Just make sure whatever you buy is the "C" (Canon) version!! gl!

In my experience, you should definitely go with the Godox V860III-C Flash for Canon. I've used both on my 90D, and while the Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT is decent, it's kinda underpowered with a GN43 guide number rating. The Godox gives you GN60, which is huge for bouncing light in big rooms. Actually, about that AF assist beam... it works totally fine on the 90D cuz it's a DSLR with a dedicated AF sensor. The compatibility issues people talk about are usually with the mirrorless R-series bodies. Honestly, the Li-ion battery is the real reason to buy it—I can shoot a whole event on one charge and the 1.5s recycle time is literally life-saving. It handles E-TTL II and HSS perfectly. If u want to save cash, the Godox TT685II-C Flash for Canon is basically the same thing but uses AA batteries. gl!

> I’m looking for a reliable speedlite that fully supports E-TTL II and ideally has High-Speed Sync (HSS) for some outdoor fill light. I’ve spent about fifteen years shooting events, and honestly, the most reliable thing I’ve found lately for the 90D isn’t even the 430EX series. If you want consistency without breaking the bank, check out the Godox V1-C Flash for Canon. I remember doing a corporate gala a few years back with an older speedlite that kept overheating during the group shots, and it was a total nightmare. Switched to the V1 later and the li-ion battery life is just a game changer... you dont realize how much you miss not carrying 20 AA batteries until you make the swap. The round head on that unit gives a much softer fall-off than the rectangular ones too. If the V1 is pushing the budget too much, the Godox TT685II-C Flash for Canon is basically the same performance but uses AAs. I’ve found the E-TTL on these newer Godox units to be pretty spot on with the 90D’s metering system, and the HSS has never failed me for mid-day fill light. Just make sure the firmware is updated and you’re good to go. It works solid for me.

To add to the point above: be really careful about those dirt-cheap generic flashes you find on budget sites! They might say they support E-TTL and HSS, but honestly, the consistency is usually a total nightmare. I learned that the hard way during a shoot where the exposure was jumping all over the place. I love my 90D but it deserves gear that can actually keep up! Here are a few things to watch out for:

• Avoid any flash that doesn't have a metal hot shoe. The plastic ones on budget third-party gear snap way too easily if you accidentally bump your camera against something!
• Be cautious with brands that dont have a solid firmware update system. Canon updates their tech constantly and you dont want your flash to become a brick after a camera update.
• Check the recycle times! If you're shooting events, anything slower than 1.5 seconds is gonna drive you crazy. I've found that sticking to the big reputable third-party names is way better than the generic clones, even if they look identical on paper. The build quality difference is just huge!