SIGMA EF 500 DG ST/Super

SIGMA EF 500 DG ST/Super

Can anyone confirm whether these guns are really K10D compatible?

At http://www.sigmaphoto.com/flashes/flashes_flashes.asp, both of them have the K100D listed in their compatibility section, but not the K10D. However, they both claim PTTL capability.

At £90 and £145 respectively at Bristol Cameras, they're very reasonably priced in comparison with the Pentax PTTL guns.

I'd probably incline towards the Super, if I went this way, since it appears that the ST doesn't have a wireless facility. Not that I'm likely to use it all that soon, but you never know...

Any views would be appreciated.

It's only the Super that's compatible... and the AF360 is available at around (or cheaper) than £145 anyway.

Maybe someone has first hand experience of the Sigmas??
Matt

Could you elaborate on why the ST isn't?

The thing that attracts me to the Sigma (the Super, I suppose, if it's the only one that's compatible) is that it's way more powerful than the AF360, and has a swivel head, which is a must for me, really.

And it's not 300 quid plus, like the AF540

Whoops! I had always thought the non Super was TTL only.
(Perhaps it used to be... and they've updated it)

With wireless K10D flash control you don't really need swivel It's MUCH more flexible than that.
Personally, I'd stick with the Pentax AF360 (but I would say that as I have the 360 and the 540 ).

The other option was to get the Samsung equivalent to the AF360...

Matt

I bought a 360 (in part on matt's advice)


and then I tried it out, made my own mind up, and bought a second one because the first one was so good!

In terms of power - just how much power do you need? I use mine on tripods as studio lighting for modelling shoots (with brollies mostly) and have never had to use them on full power - mostly use them on HS sync

Thought I'd hop on this thread since I'm interested in the same flash unit...

Has anyone actually used the new version of the Sigma EF-500?

And my main question, from anyone whether you've used it or not... if the new Sigma now has P-TTL functionality, and costs the same as the AF-360, is there a good reason to go for the Pentax?
(Apart from that it looks nicer and says Pentax )

Thanks in advance!

I was ferreting about on the Sigma website, and downloaded the manual for the SIGMA EF 500 DG ST/Super.

I kind of freaked out a bit when I read that to use the wireless slave feature, you have to do all this stuff like putting the unit on the camera first, then taking it off again, before you can tell it to be fired by the on-camera flash.

I thought (obviously wrongly) that sounded ludicrously complex, and gave up on flash units altogether.

Then I plucked up courage to visit the Pentax site, and discovered that the AF540 manual describes a very similar procedure.

I was a bit shocked to discover that the Pentax unit needs the same kind of admin.

But it left me thinking that the Sigma might be Ok after all.

I suspect that the only reason for that is to ensure that both camera and gun are using the same channel. It's perhaps a little easier to let the camera handle that than doing it manually.

G

Sure, like my wireless mouse and its receiver (or transmitter, or whichever way round it is).

If you only have to do it once, fair enough, or if you use it with a different camera. But not every time you set up, I hope???

I confess I didn't go into it in enough detail to really understand. I still have this old-fashioned idea that hardware ought to be easy.

It sounds like operationally it's not that different from the Pentax then...

To be honest I'm completely ruling out the AF540. I just don't use flash enough to spend that much on one right now. That leaves the AF360 or the Sigma. The Sigma is more powerful, and more to the point... it has swivel. And yes I would use swivel. I would mostly be using the flash in the worst way possible - on the camera. Specifically a K100d.

The Sigma of course looks cheaper, and probably isn't as well made or checked. I'd rather buy Pentax... but again the Sigma is more powerful and, yes, has swivel... come on Pentax, give us a twirl

I think that's a new-fashioned idea. Do you remember when cars had starting handles, manual chokes, windscreen wipers driven by the vacuum in the carburettor, tubes in the tyres, etc.?

What about wind-up gramophones? Or paraffin fridges? Or Primus stoves? Tilley lamps? Butler's sinks and mangles? Soda syphons?

Film?

The list is endless.

G

Chris,

You only have to do it once

Wireless is awesome with the K10D and *ist-D.

(Assuming you don't change the channel on the camera, of course :roll
Matt

Now George, THAT is funny.
Thanx, I needed a laugh.
javascript:emoticon('')
I personally am looking forward to getting senile when I'm older.
Said and done many things in one half of my lifetime that I'll be happy to forget!

Just in case anyone was unsure about compatibility, the Sigma 'non-Super' ST is compatible with all the Pentax digital bodies as it is P-TTL. I know because I just bought one today. At SRS Microsystems - free plug there because as well as good prices and helpful staff they have Pentax gear - in stock...

The ST doesn't have wireless and a couple of other IMO minor benefits of the Super. Not a huge problem for me; I intend to use it mostly on-camera so it should cover most of my needs. The AF360 on the other hand clearly has some advantages, the most important IMO being flash compensation which the Sigma does not have - with the Sigma you either trust P-TTL or go manual with high or low power, and have to adjust exposure in-camera. The Pentax also clearly seems better built - the battery door popped off as I was putting batteries in. On the other hand the Sigma is more powerful and has swivel. So far I'm happy having spent £99 on the Sigma, but again if anyone from Pentax happens to be reading: Make the 360 a 360 by giving it swivel and I will happily pay twice that.

Funnily enough, the battery door is the Achilles heel of the AF 360 too. Mine now has to be stuck on with Selotape.

G