Ive had my Rebel T7 for about a year now and honestly I feel like Ive finally got the hang of shooting in manual mode. I understand the exposure triangle and all that but Ive hit a wall when it comes to indoor lighting. The built-in pop-up flash is just... well its terrible. I was at my cousins baby shower last weekend and every single shot had those nasty harsh shadows and everyones skin looked all washed out and oily. I tried that trick where you hold a white card in front of the flash to bounce it but it just looked janky and didnt really work that well.

Im looking to buy my first real external flash but Im getting super overwhelmed with the options out there. I did some reading and I know the T7 is kinda weird because Canon removed the center pin on the hot shoe for this model? Or at least some versions of it? Im worried about buying something that wont actually talk to my camera correctly. I really want something that has TTL because I dont think Im ready to be fiddling with manual flash power settings while Im trying to catch candid moments at a party.

Here is what I am looking for:

• Budget is around 150 to 200 dollars max because I still need to save for a better lens later this year.
• Needs to have a tilting and swiveling head so I can bounce light off the ceiling or walls.
• TTL is a must-have for me right now.
• Good recycle time would be nice so Im not waiting forever between shots.
• Not too heavy since the T7 is already a bit bulky with my 18-135mm lens on it.

Ive seen some stuff about Godox and obviously the official Canon Speedlites but the Canon ones seem so expensive for what they are. Has anyone used a specific 3rd party flash with the T7 that actually works with that missing pin issue? I just want something reliable for indoor family stuff and maybe some amateur portrait work in the backyard...