Sigma 530 DG super (wireless)

[ST87]

Hey everyone! This is my first post here ^ ^
I know that most professionals or enthusiasts will go for 580 EX setups, but being cheapo and still a kid with a very limited budget, I opted for a nearly-half-the-cost setup with (still starting here, ok?) two sigma 530 supers.
The reason I only bought two was to minimize the flashes I need to buy whilst gaining some experiences with wireless flash.

Does anyone here use the 530s and can offer some help? Firstly, I don't understand why my slave will fire at every second flash from my master (as though it was some preflash thing). I couldn't get sigma to reply my email and I'm not sure if I should be expecting high either.

Thanks guys!

[Halcyon]

Is the flash recharged in time for the first shot?
They do take an age...

[ST87]

Yes... I noticed that once the charge is depleted (or if it is the initial charge), it won't fire unless it's fully charged, in which case it is indicated by the aux light. That said, the aux light never goes OFF (indicating that it never uses full power) even if it needs to.

[Curtis N]

I have two Sigma EF-500 DG Supers and could never get the wireless E-TTL system to work reliably.

On the other hand, the built-in optical slave on those units works very well. So if you just put the on-camera flash in manual mode and the slave in optical slave mode, you'll get consistent performance. Manual flash metering is a different approach, but one worth learning.

[JDMist3hFastar]

Wow that flash seems like a great deal. Would you buy it over a used 580EXII?

[ShotByTom]

I have two Sigma EF-500 DG Supers and could never get the wireless E-TTL system to work reliably.

On the other hand, the built-in optical slave on those units works very well. So if you just put the on-camera flash in manual mode and the slave in optical slave mode, you'll get consistent performance. Manual flash metering is a different approach, but one worth learning.

This is the best way to use 2 Sigma flashes, I had a heck-of-a-time using the wireless features!

[ShotByTom]

Wow that flash seems like a great deal. Would you buy it over a used 580EXII?

If money were no issue I would buy the Canon flashes, just depends on how deep your pockets are! The Sigmas are very good flashes though.

[T_I]

Hi,

I'm a first time poster too and I'm looking to buy the same flash. The main reason for this for me is that I've never used an external flash before with a digital body. (ok, since I've switched to cannon from praktica camera's) The internal flash sufficed... till now.

I'm looking to compensate for the insufficient internal flash in external pictures of non-moving cars, macro setup's and pictures of zoo animals. I think I want to experiment with master/slave setups, but I'm not sure.

Previously I was looking at the Metz 48 instead of the Canon EX 430II, but when I look at the sigma it's a nice deal... on paper. When I look at th epictures made with the 580II tho, I'm very impressed, but I'm not sure if I would use all features when I ditch the master/slave option and stay with just 1 flash.

When you look at my site you'll see the moment I've found the flash limiting, but the best examples are these pictures:

Internal volvo meeting with TL lighting

http://bekijk.mijn.volvos.nu/gif/Volvo/780-86/volvo-780-86.08.06.jpg

Internal with light background

http://jan.huijsmans.nu/Trip/VROM-2005/vrom-2005.00.27-0.jpg

External at a distance

http://bekijk.mijn.volvos.nu/gif/Volvo/780-86/volvo-780-86.04.13.jpg

I'm still learning how to use the camera at it's full potential, so an expensive flash can be added, but I want to know that the biggest difference is between the sigma and the canon when you compare the results. Could the canon help me in these situations when the sigma would fail of are these situations to much or no problem for both?

Oh, and one more question. When I get the sigma, will it be able to work with the 580 when I would like to add it lateron? (or is the 430II a better choise for this)

The budget is limited to the 430II and Sigma, unless the 580II has very big advantages for someone who's starting with external flashes.

Oh, when this should be in a seperate thread, I'm sorry and hereby ask the oderators to split....

[gaveeno]

Yeh I'm also still a kid and I dont really want to buy a 580ex II because of the tight bugdet but I do want another speedlite to trigger my 430EX. I was thinking of buying 2 sigma 530 super DGs because they're cheap but will a set up like this work?

530dg super as a master
430EX and the other 530dg super as a slave

Because theres 1 canon and 2 sigma speedlite will the canon take
longer to respond?

[ST87]

Yes, granted that they make great optical slaves, but in comes with the issue that the slaves will trigger off everytime someone else is taking a picture. I particularly hate it when I'm relocating the slave (so that it is in my hand, most likely pointing at me) and someone suddenly uses "red-eye" flash, and ending it up firing at me several times.
On the other hand, that "cEL" feature (optical slave with channel selection) won't allow the master to flash as well (you can't control output of master).
Also, the slave only triggers every second time the master sends out a signal.

PS: how the heck do you quote in this forum? =P

[gaveeno]

"the slave only triggers every second time the master sends out a signal"
Does this mean the slaves will trigger slower ?

[ST87]

"the slave only triggers every second time the master sends out a signal"
Does this mean the slaves will trigger slower ?

Um... well apparently the sync speed for optical slave with channel setting is 1/30, which is damn slow. what do you mean by slaves triggering slowly?

[gaveeno]

I ment if your master triggers it takes longer for the slaves to respond and flash, thats what I thought triggers every second time ment.

[T_I]

When I look at the replies, the Sigma flash has some disadvantages over the canon. I've made my decision and am going to order the 430 II from canon. I'm curious how the pictures will be when I'm using an external flash.

Thanks for the info.