Used sigma 500 super or 550ex?

Not to hijack you thread but it is relative.

I am thinking of building a lighting kit comprising of 4 strobes. They will be powered by Quantum Batteries for power. I have three different systems in mind. I will be buying used equipment and money is a factor. I am equally favorable of the Sigma 500 Super. Canon 550/580 and the Quantum QFlash T models.

My understanding is the all are ttl models, all can be used wirelessly, and setup ratios. Most of the time it will be used in manual mode except for a couple of uses when I would need the ttl ratio setup.

by my research the Canon is defentily the most expensive units, the Sigma are the cheapest new and I have found several Qflashes sselling on ebay for less than the other two used. I already have a couple of the QB1(+)'s and will need to get the turbo batteries and they do run more than the used QB1's but that isn't that big of a deal as this will be piced together at funds are available and the irtems can be had at the right price. Either way I will need a ttl off camera cord for the sigma and canon and a qttl cable for the qflash.

I feel the qflashes woudl be the best way to go. the Sigma woudl be the cheapest if I can find the used ones for sell. ANd most prefer the Canon flashes. I want these lights to douple as location Portrait lights and still think the qflash lights would be the best.

Am I correct or what do I not know?

An optical slave is an electronic device with a sensor that "sees" a flash from another source and closes a circuit to fire the flash it's attached to. Optical slave attachments are available in various forms for attachment to portable or studio flash units. Nowadays, most studio strobes have built-in slave sensors, as does the Sigma Super flash unit. They are quite handy for simultaneously triggering multiple flash units without connecting wires.

One limitation of Canon EX flash units is that they don't work well with most optical slave attachments.

i just bought a 430ex for pretty cheap so i will be using that, and will probably buy a 550ex later on in life if i try to get that crazy off camera stuff a try. But i really needed my focus points due to Sports (skating) and concert photography.

Curtis N wrote in post #2914470
I find the built-in optical slave to be pretty valuable.

Why? Because one can use it as a slave to multi-brand flashes? This would not be a point for me to consider, especially with the quality build and reliability that is sacificed.

jr_senator wrote in post #2916639
Why? Because one can use it as a slave to multi-brand flashes? This would not be a point for me to consider, especially with the quality build and reliability that is sacificed.

So?
Some people happen to like the built in optical trigger. I wish my 550 had one, and to get around its inability to work with the bulk of hot shoe triggers Iv actually purchased a collection of old fashion thyristor flashes as well.

Its quite possible that turbodude might have also considered the optical trigger a handy feature to have.
(You remember turbodude don't you, he's the thread starter who asked for advice).

As for reliability, I have yet to see a single thread anywhere on the net reporting a failure of a Sigma 500 flash, but I know there are several around here about broken shoes on EX series flashes.
Build quality is largely subjective, but have you ever tried to open the battery door on a 550 or 580ex and change the batteries in a hurry, then close the door with out snapping it off?
Or had the bounce card pull out of a 580ex, when your only trying to get to the diffuser panel?
Better yet, have you ever held a 550ex in one hand, and a sigma 500 in the other? I have, and considered the Sigma better built.


Fortunately this is all null and void now turbodude has found a 430ex, which I'm sure he will be more than happy with

Moppie wrote in post #2916690
...have you ever held a 550ex in one hand, and a sigma 500 in the other?

Oh, yeah! I do try to save a few bucks here and there. I could tell the difference in build quality, fit and finish right away. I bought Canon.

The only problem I have had with my Sigma 500 so far - just about every time, I put the batteries in wrong. I mean every time. I am constantly getting the polarities wrong because I look at the stupid picture instead of just looking at the contacts. It's a nice flash.
I'd love to have optical slave on any flash. Never know when it might come in handy.