Metz or Sigma Flash.....?

I want an external flashgun for my *ist DL2.
I've narrowed my choice down to two. I'm having trouble to decide which one. Has anyone used either of the following and what do you think of them.

Metz Mecablitz 48 AF-1 Digital
Sigma EF-530 DG Super

Reading other posts it seems if the Metz will get the vote as most comments appear very positive. But has anyone used the Sigma and how does it compare to the Metz?
Many thanks.

Well I don't know anything about Sigma flashes, but I would expect the quality to be high from Sigma. I do know that I have the Metz 48 and am delighted with it. Plenty of power and good value for money.

I opted for Metz over Sigma as I kept coming across posts suggesting a lack of robustness with the latter's offerings. Having not handled a Sigma myself though these suggestions are of course being transmitted second hand, thus can't be taken as being reliable. Hopefully somebody whom has handled both brands will be along to comment in good time but using a Metz 58 myself I'm especially pleased with how sturdy and responsive to manipulation it is (it feels more reassuring in the hand than my previous Pentax AF360FGZ did, and that unit handled more than well enough as it was). I assume fully the 48 is built to the same specification quality wise.

I'm using a Sigma EF500DG Super (the ancestor of the 530) with no problems at all. BUT the door to the battery compartment tends to come off easily if you handle it too roughly. Beside that, it's a very good flash.

Wouldn't happen with a Pentax!

Hollow laugh.

G
(AF360FTG owner)

For half the price of the Pentax unit, I can fiddle with the battery compartment door. Beside, this one will never stay stuck on the camera like the Pentax units when the locking pin release lever breaks!!!!!

Slight deviation on topic:
I don't have any of these fancy P-TTL flash guns (yet!), but is it right that they flash guns can be used in tandem - ie wirelessly as master and slave etc?
And can one mix the makes - so put a metz with a sigma or with a pentax? And up to how many at one time?

Thanks
Andy

I have the Metz and it's superb.

In terms of mixing makes - if you're using a gun that has wireless optical slave mode, where it will fire when it sees another gun fire, yes, it doesn't matter what the manufacturer is - as long as either the master flash doesn't have a preflash (the Pentax P-TTL system, used by all fully-compatible modern Pentax flashes including the onboard flash, uses preflashes for metering), or the slave is clever and can account for the preflash.

(In manual mode, there will be no preflash - except for the onboard flash, which has no manual mode.)

If it's the kind of wireless radio slave system that the Metz 48 and 58 use, then I'm afraid you'll need a flash like the Metz 58 on the camera, which is of the same make and has wireless master capabilities.

Hi,
I'm just looking into buying a Metz MZ 52317PS mecablitz 52 AF-1 digital flash,to go on my Pentax K-30.

The lens that I have is a Sigma 18-250mm f3.5-6.3

I will be using the flash only for general use about the home and at family gatherings, although I might just have a go at the odd portrait.

Would appreciate any comments both good and shall I say not so good.

I can pick it up from my local Australian eBay supplier for $283.00 AUD.

Cheers Barry