Canon 550ex or Sigma 500DG Super?

Ok....time to invest in a decent flash. The 580ex is out of the question (can't justify the price) so I am trying to decide between the 550ex or the Sigma 500DG Super. Opinions, suggestions? Plan on using it for macros and for fill.

Thanks in advance.

do a search on 500 Sigma, theres been alot of the same discussions. You spend twice as much in batteries with the 550 over the 580. I an shoot all day on 12-AA's with my 580, Id go thru at least 24 to 28 - AA's using the 550. Most people dont realize this if they havent used both.

whats wrong with the 430ex? do you need the extra power?

As I said above, I'm not interested in the 580ex. Battery's are not really a concern as I certainly will not be flash shooting for an entire day. This will not be a HEAVILY used flash.

No, but a new 500 Super or a lightly used 550ex is cheaper than a new 430ex. I'd prefer to buy the better unit.

I've not read the Canon's instruction manual, but the Sigma's manual was written by a baboon with poor command of English.

If you are going to primarily use the 550 on a Canon 30D, the 430 will give almost the same power. I think the 430 has the feature that considers the 1.6 crop factor of your camera when it zooms (as does the 580).

The 550 zooms, but not in this manner optimized for your cameras particular sensor size. The Sigma 500 also zooms, but not optimized for your 1.6 crop digital.

So, if you are sticking with on camera flash (or even on a bracket near the camera with a Canon dedicated cord), the 430 is likely to provide just as much useable light as the 550, or the Sigma 500.

For your applications you do need to avoid the Canon 420.

Enjoy! Lon

They're both good units with similar capabilities. This forum has many satisfied owners of both. Your decision may rest on future plans to get another unit or two to use as E-TTL slaves. Either way, you'll want to stick with one brand in a master/slave arrangement.

What does this mean exactly? And do you mean the EF 500 DG Super or the EF-500 DG ST?

The Canon 550 zooms with regard to just the focal length of the lens. This gives you optimized coverage with a Canon EOS 35mm camera, or a Canon EOS full frame digital.

On a Canon EOS cropped digitals (1.6 or 1.3 crop) it works the same way, but because of the cropped sensor, light is not focused as tightly as it could be. So, you have light that spills outside the field of view that really does not help with the exposure.

The Canon 580 and I think the 430, takes the crop of the camera into consideration in the head zoom, and focus the light that would have spilled out with the 550 to afford greater range.

Regarding the Sigmas, I know that they zoom, and the older models did not zoom in this manner optimized for the sensor. I am unsure if the latest model has been updated with this enhanced feature. So, I cannot pin down this particular future, or lack of this feature, to a particular Sigma model (as I did with the Canons).

Possibly other on the list will have "focused" info about the Sigmas.

Enjoy! Lon

The Sigma flash units do not account for the crop factor with autozoom. The only disadvantages of this are wasted battery power and reduced range at a given focal length. The autozoom doesn't affect the metering.

Keep in mind:
1) This has no value if you're bouncing or using a diffuser.
2) Beyond 105mm it doesn't matter since it won't zoom any further.
3) Manual zoom is always an option, and certainly an easy solution with a prime lens.

I have the 550ex and would get it over the 500Super...

I also have the 580ex and have used the 430ex. I am very imoressed with the improvements on these two new models,.

I'd get the 430ex over the 550ex at this point for a few reasosn.. size, weight, and performance go in the 430ex's favor.

Keep in mind of all the flashes being discussed, only the 430ex and 550ex were DESIGNED for use with Canon Digital SLRs. This becomes obvious when used side by side.

Thanks all. Looks like I should reconsider the 430ex.

Even if you factor in cost and that it is for occasional use by a beginner? [which is my situation]

With these constraints in mind, I bought a used Sigma. I am very happy with it. I am sure that the Canon 550ex is a better flash for a Canon camera in terms of compatibility, but you do pay a premium. If I made a living as a wedding photographer, I have no doubt I would have bought the 580ex.

If I showed you two pictures side by side, one taken with a Sigma flash and the other taken with a Canon Speedlite, could you tell the difference?