Sooo, I just saw this thread and honestly, I've been in your exact shoes with the 6D Mark II. It's an amazing body, but yeah, that missing pop-up flash is a literal pain when you're starting out with events. Before you stress about the "gold standard," keep in mind that TTL (Through-The-Lens) metering is what makes or breaks your speed during a fast-paced party. If the flash and camera don't talk well, you're gonna end up with blown-out faces or dark shadows every time. In my experience, you don't actually have to spend $500+ to get professional results. I've been rocking the Yongnuo YN600EX-RT II Speedlite for Canon for a few years now. It’s basically a carbon copy of the Canon flagship. The HSS works perfectly for those outdoor portraits you mentioned, and the AF assist beam is a lifesaver because the 6DII's outer focus points can be a bit finicky in the dark. Plus, it's way under your budget!! If you want something a bit more modern, check out the Westcott FJ80 II Speedlight for Canon. It has a super sleek touch screen and the color consistency is literally insane for the price. It recycles super fast, so you won't miss those candid laughs while waiting for a "beep." Ngl, I've used both and while the Canon 600EX II-RT (which someone already mentioned) is a tank, these alternatives give you 95% of the performance for half the cash. Hope that helps you decide... good luck with the engagement shoots! 👍

Tbh, you dont need the pricey Canon stuff. Choosing between Godox V1-C Flash for Canon vs Godox V860III-C Speedlite for Canon basically comes down to head shape. The V1’s round head gives way better falloff for portraits. Both use li-ion batteries, so recycle times are super fast... literally game-changing for events. TTL and HSS work perfectly with the 6D Mark II metering!! gl

Yeah, I totally agree that the third-party route is the way to go right now. I’ve been doing a ton of digging into the market since I’m also a bit of a newbie with my 6D Mark II, and it's crazy how much the gap has closed!!! One brand that keeps popping up in my research as a super budget alternative is Yongnuo. Have you looked at the Yongnuo YN600EX-RT II for Canon? It’s basically a clone of the expensive Canon one but for like, a third of the price? I’m honestly considering it because you could literally buy three of them for the price of one Canon. I also saw some people talking about the Nissin i60A Flash for Canon which is really compact, though maybe not as 'pro' looking? From what I can tell, the third-party market is just way more aggressive with features lately. My only worry is if the AF assist beam actually lines up perfectly with the 6DII sensor points... like, is that a thing to worry about? I’m still learning, but if you want to save your cash for some new glass, maybe check out those other brands too?

Sooo, I get the struggle with the 6D Mark II and no pop-up flash. Honestly, I've used both the "gold standard" and the alternatives extensively. Here is how they stack up for ur needs: The Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT is basically a tank. It’s got a guide number of 60m at ISO 100 and the weather sealing is top-tier. But yeah, it eats AA batteries like crazy which is a total pain for long events. Plus, it's pretty pricey. On the flip side, the Godox V1-C Flash for Canon is what I usually recommend now. It has a 76Ws output and that round head actually helps with a smoother light falloff for those indoor family shots. The 2600mAh Li-ion battery is the real MVP tho—basically a 1.5s recycle time at full power. If you want something more traditional, the Godox V860III-C Flash for Canon is a beast too. Both play nice with Canons E-TTL II metering and HSS works flawlessly up to 1/8000s. I havent had major issues with the AF assist beam on my 6DII. IMO, save ur cash and go Godox... you wont regret it. Cheers!

Same boat, watching this

I've been thinking about this a lot since I went through the same thing with my 6D Mark II. Honestly, I started out strictly using the high-end Canon speedlites because I was so paranoid about third-party gear failing on me during a gig. I figured the price was worth the peace of mind, you know? But then I did a long event where I went through like twelve AA batteries and missed a few key shots because of the recycle time... it was super frustrating. Eventually I tried out one of those popular alternative brands everyone talks about these days. Tbh, the jump to lithium-ion batteries was the real game changer for me. Not having to carry a bag of AAs and getting that instant recycle time made the camera feel totally different. I was worried about the exposure metering being off, but it actually nailed it just as well as my expensive gear did. It's kinda crazy how much the gap has closed over the last few years... I mostly just use my current setup now and keep the name brand one as a backup.