Using a Sigma EF-500 DG Super to trigger a 420EX

[lmelendez]

Hi there

Can I trigger a 420EX using a Sigma EF-500 DG Super? I've read the specs, and it seems possible, but I would like somebody that have done it just to confirm it.

The reason why is because I already have a 420EX and I want to be able to trigger it from a master flash. I know the 550EX and 580EX can do it, but need to confirm that the sigma can do it too.

How about FEC? I assume it can be done in the flash and in the camera.... same way as the 550EX??

Thanks in advance...

Leo.

[PacAce]

I had the Sigma EF 500 DG Super but I ended up returning it because it wouldn't play nicely with my 550EX and 420EX flashes. I couldn't get the EF 500 to perform consistantly, whether it was in master mode or slave mode. Most of the time, it either fired in full power or caused the slaves to fire in full power and blowing out the pictures.

I don't know if it was a defective unit on my part or if the EF 500 just wasn't designed to work with the Canon EX flashes but in either case, I just opted to replace it with another 550EX or maybe the 580EX (I'm still waiting for the credit on the EF500).

Other than the EF 500 not working for me in wireless mode, it did work "as advertised" in normal flash mode.

[lmelendez]

I had the Sigma EF 500 DG Super but I ended up returning it because it wouldn't play nicely with my 550EX and 420EX flashes. I couldn't get the EF 500 to perform consistantly, whether it was in master mode or slave mode. Most of the time, it either fired in full power or caused the slaves to fire in full power and blowing out the pictures.

I don't know if it was a defective unit on my part or if the EF 500 just wasn't designed to work with the Canon EX flashes but in either case, I just opted to replace it with another 550EX or maybe the 580EX (I'm still waiting for the credit on the EF500).

Other than the EF 500 not working for me in wireless mode, it did work "as advertised" in normal flash mode.

Thanks, that's what I needed to know....

I have found a few references that it works, and a few that it doesn't... that's why I need somebody with some experience...

Thanks again,
Leo.

[DNHayashida]

Thanks, that's what I needed to know....

I have found a few references that it works, and a few that it doesn't... that's why I need somebody with some experience...

Thanks again,
Leo.

You have to be careful which flash you get. There are two EF-500 DG models. The EF-500 DG SUPER is the one that works with the other Canon flashes as slaves. The other model is the EF-500 DG ST which will not fire the Canon flashes as slaves. Be sure you get the EF-500 DG Super _for Canon_. The flash is made for other brand cameras also, and if you get the wrong one some of the other cameras have similar looking hotshoe connections, but the flash will only fire at full power.
Darryl Hayashida

[PacAce]

You have to be careful which flash you get. There are two EF-500 DG models. The EF-500 DG SUPER is the one that works with the other Canon flashes as slaves. The other model is the EF-500 DG ST which will not fire the Canon flashes as slaves. Be sure you get the EF-500 DG Super _for Canon_. The flash is made for other brand cameras also, and if you get the wrong one some of the other cameras have similar looking hotshoe connections, but the flash will only fire at full power.
Darryl Hayashida
I think that if you reread all the previous posts, you'll see that they were all about the DG Super. ;)

[PacAce]

A week or two ago, I opened a problem ticket with Sigma complaining about the fact that the Sigma EF 500 DG Super was not working right with my Canon EX flashes. I sent them a detailed description of what I was doing and the results I was getting. This is the response I got from Sigma customer service today:

I apologize for the total delay in responding to your
inquiry. I was told by
the
engineer that wireless flash function worked properly in
combination of two
or more of Sigma EF-500 DG Super. Therefore, we do not
guarantee the full
function of wireless flash mode in combination of Sigma
flash and Canon
flash.

Best Regards

Sigma Corporation
Denju Matsumoto

So, straight from the horse's mouth, the Sigma flash is not guaranteed to function in wireless mode with the Canon flashes.

[eljustino]

I've found wireless ETTL very unpredictable and indeed doesn't work as the manual says it should with my two Sigma 500 DG supers - bought for the purpose :-(

I agree with the earlier post about blowing out pictures (2 x 500 dg super with slave + master both "on") and I had to mess with the settings to get "master off slave on" to work at all - which is the main thing I wanted to do anyway. And it was still unreliable!

[Harry Settle]

I just bought a Sigma 500 DG super and it triggers my 420. Haven't field tested it though.

[lmelendez]

I just bought a Sigma 500 DG super and it triggers my 420. Haven't field tested it though.

Hi Harry,
Well, I am very interested to find out how it went. I was very close to buy that flash but decided to hold it for a bit. I'm thinking on getting a used 550EX .. but still like the sigma price !!!

Leo.

[Harry Settle]

If you want to compare it to the 550, it's very comparable. It has ettl, manual, master, slave and some other stuff that I don't understand yet. When I got it I didn't expect it to trigger my 420, due to some posts, but it does. It seems to work at a distance between the two flashes of about 10-15 ft. Not sure about angles or anything like that.

[Reminisce]

Not sure if this has been noted, but the Sigma 500DG Super can be triggered optically by another strobe, be that your onboard flash or another external flash. I thought this wouldnt work well but i just started playing with it in full yesterday and have been amazed at the results. I have my onboard flash down to near minimum and manually dial in the power I want on the Sigma, put the cam in M mode and just work from there. It responds very well for me, maybe you can try doing it that way, using your 420 as fill to trigger the Sigma as the main light?

[lmelendez]

Not sure if this has been noted, but the Sigma 500DG Super can be triggered optically by another strobe, be that your onboard flash or another external flash. I thought this wouldnt work well but i just started playing with it in full yesterday and have been amazed at the results. I have my onboard flash down to near minimum and manually dial in the power I want on the Sigma, put the cam in M mode and just work from there. It responds very well for me, maybe you can try doing it that way, using your 420 as fill to trigger the Sigma as the main light?

That's an interesting idea...

There is a store in a city close from where I live, and I think they have the sigma one. I might drive down there and give it a try.

Thanks for the info

Leo.

[swatcop169]

Not sure if this has been noted, but the Sigma 500DG Super can be triggered optically by another strobe, be that your onboard flash or another external flash. I thought this wouldnt work well but i just started playing with it in full yesterday and have been amazed at the results. I have my onboard flash down to near minimum and manually dial in the power I want on the Sigma, put the cam in M mode and just work from there. It responds very well for me, maybe you can try doing it that way, using your 420 as fill to trigger the Sigma as the main light?

After reading this I went back to the manual and sure enough it works. I used my on camera flash for the 20D to trigger my Super 500 ETTL II flash. Worked great.

[Reminisce]

Excellent! I've been using it nonstop since the other day now, it works great. Glad I could be of help :)

[alan sh]

Just as an aside, my 580EX will wirelessly trigger both my 420EX and my Sigma 500 (Minolta mount, so its got to go...)

Alan

[DavidEB]

I also have both a 420EX and a Sigma 500 Super, on my d-rebel. When I use the Sigma as master and the 420EX as slave, the sigma will trigger the 420EX every time, but sometimes the 420EX fires at full power and the picture is a white-out.

after trial-and-error, I figured out that it depends on whether I set flash ratios. If I dial in a ratio (even 1:1 will work) then the sigma adjusts the flash output of the 420EX just fine but if I use the basic master-slave setting then the 420EX puts out full power.

I've also tried triggering the sigma just from the internal flash, and it does work, but it takes some fiddling to get the exposure right.

Also, it took several passes through the manual for me (you may be quicker) to understand channels & groups. Basically in canon-speak there are channels 1-2-3-4 and groups ABC, and in sigma-speak the channels are the same but the groups are 1-2-3. Set your 420EX to group B and set the sigma to control the slave as group 2.

If I were doing it over, I'd buy two sigmas. If I were doing it over and had more money, maybe I'd buy two 580EX's, or maybe I'd still buy two sigmas and take my wife on a nice trip. Having two flashes does give good control of shadows in photos, though.

good luck,

David

[Steve M]

Thanks, Reminisce! The 500 DG Super works great as a slave to the onboard flash. The manual while complete, leaves a bit to be desired, so it took me a short time to get it to work. Not having had a chance to try it against a 580EX, I can't say if there is much of a difference...but I am quite happy with the results (and the savings) with the Sigma.

Steve

EOS 20D, 17-85 IS_USM, Sigma 70-300 APO Macro and EF-500 DG Super

[Headcase650]

I have a 500 dg super and it works great as a slave to my on camera 550Ex. I havent tried using the sigma as a master yet and probably dont need to as the 550ex will always be on camera.

One thing I notice is I get much better results out of the slave master setup with my 20D (E-TTL II) than I do my 300D (E-TTL)

[photoguynorth]

I have a 420EX and the Sigms 500DG Super, and I did notice one thing that is very important. If you use the 420EX as a slave, and the Sigma is NOT set to auto zoom, it will blow the shot out every time. When set to auto zoom, I had great results.