I love flash discussions-they crack me up!
A beginner to flash needs --three--exactly three--only three-- flash characteristics:
1) the trigger voltage must be compatible with the camera. This is why manufacturers make flash and the camera manual is the best source of
compatible flash data. There are web sources, but...
2) the flash needs to be step adjustable across at least five stops: full, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, thirty-secondth (sp) well, thats six; oops.
3) the user must be able to fire the flash off the camera-it's the only
intelligent way.
Ttl/p-ttl/rear curtain sync, high-speed sync, multi-burst, focus assist, red-eye guaranteed, doggy-don't blink, granny squint, no floating spots after-effect, etc, ad nauseam----
all are more pain than gain for the novice!
You can get around the trigger voltage problem with an isolating hot-shoe to PC device. A simple pc tipped flash cord in the 2 meter/6 foot length and a new or recent vintage used Vivitar 283/285 with the varipower adapter will do.
The user must bring certain skills to the process: how to read, how to multiply & divide and how to memorize a short list of guide numbers.
But experience is the best teacher. Ring me up when you get frustrated with poor results from the
do-it-all flash; when I stop laughing we can talk.