What is the difference betweeen . . .

these two items:

Sigma EF-500 DG ST EO-ETTL II Flash for Canon EOS

&

Sigma EF-500 ST EO for Canon

Same thing.

Some web retailers use a more descriptive title, probably to help search engines find it.

Actually, they both are just as crappy.

jr_senator wrote in post #2694965
Actually, they both are just as crappy.

To each his own, I suppose. The Sigma EF-500 DG ST is a fairly powerful unit with limited manual controls and lacks some features of the high end Canon Speedlites. But those features are only useful to some people.

In order to get a Canon Speedlite with as much power as the $150 Sigma ST model, you would need to spend about $370.

The EF-500 DG Super is an excellent flash unit akin to the Canon 550EX. Not built as well and slightly clunky to use but an excellent flash with lots of features. Well worth the asking price if cash is tight. I still have one but rarely use it. the 580EX is my preferred option now.

EOS_JD wrote in post #2695212
The EF-500 DG Super is an excellent flash unit akin to the Canon 550EX. Not built as well and slightly clunky to use but an excellent flash with lots of features. Well worth the asking price if cash is tight. I still have one but rarely use it. the 580EX is my preferred option now.

The Super, yeah. But the ST is pretty crippled, IMHO.

I appreciate your answers guys, My exposure (no pun intended) to flashes is very limited to the built in on the 350 or to a 220 speedlight i have which limits me to straight on. For me money is always a concern and though I realize that some people say it is best to spend high money for the best my philosophy is to spend less initially until I am ready to move to the high end models. The reason I was asking is because I asked someone that is selling one of these and this was his response:

Sigma EF-500 ST EO Flash for Canon

Being an amateur photographer, I can't say with any precision whether or not it will work with your Rebel XT. What I can tell you is that the flash uses (is compatible with) TTL metering (i.e. not E-TTL or E-TTL II).

Of course all of this is greek to me, but from what I have seen in these responses other the person who thinks its crappy, is that it will work for me. Thank you all for your help as always.

The Sigmas (both Super and baby brother ST) are compatible with E-TTL II. Either would work on your XT. It's only a matter of deciding which features you want and are willing to pay for, or whether you can live without them to save money.

KonTiki wrote in post #2696314
Sigma EF-500 ST EO Flash for Canon

Being an amateur photographer, I can't say with any precision whether or not it will work with your Rebel XT. What I can tell you is that the flash uses (is compatible with) TTL metering (i.e. not E-TTL or E-TTL II).

Hang on a minute.

I initially overlooked the fact that the letters "DG" are not in the model designation.

If the seller says that it's not compatible with E-TTL or E-TTL II, it's probably an earlier version, made for film cameras. If there is no "DG" (designation for digital) in the model name, it won't work with your RebelXT or any other Canon Digital SLR.

Sorry for the initial oversight.

Curtis N wrote in post #2696490
Hang on a minute.

I initially overlooked the fact that the letters "DG" are not in the model designation.

If the seller says that it's not compatible with E-TTL or E-TTL II, it's probably an earlier version, made for film cameras. If there is no "DG" (designation for digital) in the model name, it won't work with your RebelXT or any other Canon Digital SLR.

Sorry for the initial oversight.

I was just about to point that out but it looks like you caught yourself and beat me to it. Although, I thought that the non-DG version did work with the digital EOS camera but very problematically. The DG version came out to get the bugs out to work much better with the ditial EOS cameras.

But at any rate, the version you want is the DG version, not the non-DG version.

Hmm. I didn't notice the lack of "DG" in the title either. Saw it in the first (longer one) and guess took it for granted that it'd be in the second as well.

Wow, now I am real glad I asked. I almost bought it too. Thanks guys.

OEM is pricier but a lot less confusing.

Well I passed on it and I know maybe this was not the best move in terms of features (as I said before this area is all new to me), but I bought instead from a member here a 430 EX that came today. I have played with it a bit obviously not knowing much about it but I am happy with it so far.