A tale of two Sigmas
J. Clarke
would work together as they are documented to do. Got a Sigma EF-140
EO and a Sigma EF-530 DG Super EO, expecting that they would work as
documented as master and slave under E-TTL II on a 30D.
Well, turned out that the 530 would fire most of the time in that
mode, but it did it before the shutter opened. So called Sigma, did
everything their tech said to do, still the same problem, the tech
told me to send them in. So I sent them back to Sigma.
Well, Sigma LOST THE BLASTED THINGS. Finally after diddling around
for a week and a half they decided to send out replacements. Well,
the replacements DO THE SAME THING.
At this point I feel like sending them back to Sigma again would be
putting good money after bad. The sensible thing to do would be to
just put them up on ebay with a disclaimer about the problem and put
the money toward the Canon equivalents. Anybody have any other
suggestions, practical, impractical, or otherwise?
--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
Colin.D
with a measured output to allow the camera to measure exposure, then
again about 1/100 sec later to make the exposure.
Flash units that are not aware of this dump their flash on the first
firing, and do not flash again for the actual exposure.
Colin D.
J. Clarke
Please tell me what leads you to believe that there was a "Canon
flash" involved here.
Ray Fischer
Colin.D
I was kindly pointing out that while Canon flashes use a preflash,
your junk sigmas probably don't. But, perhaps your comprehension is
wanting a little, since you got my post ass up with care.
Next time you ask a question, don't expect me to respond.
Colin D.
David Kilpatrick
>> Please tell me what leads you to believe that there was a "Canon
>> flash" involved here.
The Sigma flash is fully compatible, but it does have an extra mode
called slave mode, which is a plain slave-cell type triggering. If the
OP had set the second Sigma to this mode, instead of to wireless TTL
operation, it would behave as described.
This additional mode is a bonus - the Sigma flash units are not poor,
they probably come from the same OEM as the Canon units, and they are
not made by Sigma any more than the Canon guns are made by Canon (or
Nikon by Nikon, or Sony by Sony etc - they are all contracted-out,
bought-in, whatever you choose to call it).
It enables 'wireless' Sigma flash configs even on old film cameras from
eras before wireless flash arrived, without extra slave cells.
However, enabling this mode, called Slave by Sigma, will screw up
wireless remote operation which is NOT call Slave mode by Sigma.
Also, the Sigma when mounted on-camera will not, as far as I know, act
as a commander. You must either use built-in flash on those systems
which support control by the pop-up flash (not the 30D, too old for
that) or use a flash unit or commander on camera, which has master
control functions. Sigma guns are fine as remotes.
David
J. Clarke
The fact that you made a comment about "Canon flash" when there is no,
repeat no Canon flash involved. I gave specific brands and models and
described the manner in which they were being used. Canon flash can
emit preflashes, recite the Gettysburg address or do the Fandango and
it has not even the slightest relevance to the issue at hand.
That was much gentler than my initial reaction by the way.
> I was kindly pointing out that while Canon flashes use a
> preflash, your junk sigmas probably don't.
Well that's nice. SO EFFING WHAT?
In any case you clearly have not the slightest familiarity with the
Sigmas.
> But, perhaps your
> comprehension is wanting a little, since you got my post ass up with
> care.
I'm sorry, but I'm not the one who responds to a post about X brand of
product by describing the characteristics of Y brand of product
without making the tiniest effort to explain why those characteristics
are relevant.
> Next time you ask a question, don't expect me to respond.
Goody. Maybe I'll get a USEFUL response from someone else next time.
nospam
<icon...@btconnect.com> wrote:
> the Sigma flash units are not poor,
yes they are. they're unreliable and inconsistent.
> they probably come from the same OEM as the Canon units, and they are
> not made by Sigma any more than the Canon guns are made by Canon (or
> Nikon by Nikon, or Sony by Sony etc - they are all contracted-out,
> bought-in, whatever you choose to call it).
even if that's true, the entire flash is not contracted out. there are
many differences between nikon/canon flashes and third party ones,
namely compatibility.
J. Clarke
The controls for Sigma and Canon are quite different. Unlikely that
they're from the same OEM.
On the other hand the Sigmas appear to not even be compatible with
other Sigmas. They're _documented_ to not be compatible with the 50d
without a firmware update, and the ones that Sigma sent me have serial
numbers prior to the update with no note that it has been applied.
nospam
<jclarke...@cox.net> wrote:
> The controls for Sigma and Canon are quite different. Unlikely that
> they're from the same OEM.
perhaps parts of it are subbed out, such as the flashtube/thyristor
assembly (although i have my doubts), but the rest of it certainly
isn't, notably the firmware and overall design and construction.
> On the other hand the Sigmas appear to not even be compatible with
> other Sigmas. They're _documented_ to not be compatible with the 50d
> without a firmware update, and the ones that Sigma sent me have serial
> numbers prior to the update with no note that it has been applied.
i saw on dpreview that sigma flashes don't always work correctly with
*sigma* cameras, nevermind canon or anyone else.
Colin.D
suggestions, practical, impractical, or otherwise?"
You forgot to add a rider that anyone answering but not hitting your
target would get a hostile response from you.
I know you were talking about Sigma flashes - and how they fired too
soon "before the shutter opened". You gave no hint that you knew about
preflash, despite mentioning e-ttl, and I just tried to point out about
Canon flashes outputting a preflash, in case that was your problem with
the Sigmas.
However, in spite of "Anybody have any other suggestions, practical,
impractical, or otherwise?" you chose to give a sarcastic reply to which
I responded, only to receive another even more vitriolic outburst from
you, in which you say "That was much gentler than my initial reaction by
the way."
Just what was your 'initial reaction'? I seriously think, if that was
the case, that you need to undertake an anger management course, or
maybe see a psychologist. Your outlook on life is in need of repair.
Or, is it that you feel free to display your real personality here on
usenet, unlike in real life where you would mind your manners in case
you got a blood nose?
Colin D.