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Others | Home » » » Sigma EF-530 DG Super Electronic Flash for Pentax and Samsung DSLR | | | | | | | Description: | | The EF-530 DG SUPER is designed to work with both AF 35mm SLR and digital Pentax cameras. The EF-530 DG SUPER is a multifunctional shoe mount type flash that provides a large amount of light, featuring a guide number of 53/m (174/ft) w/ISO 100. Among the diverse features of this flash, are the Autozoom function, which automatically sets the illumination angle in accordance with the focal length of the lens PTTL exposure control, which automatically regulates the amount of light bounce and swivel head functions, which comes in very handy for bounce photography FP flash, which is capable of synchronizing the flash illumination with high shutter speeds and the rear curtain synchro flash mechanism, which makes delayed synchro photography possible. | | | Features: | |
• Type: Shoe Mount Guide No.: 92' (28 m) at 24mm 132' (40 m) at 50mm 174' (53 m) at 105mm Angle of Cov
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Weight:
| 0.74 pounds | | Package Length:
| 8.66 inches | | Package Width:
| 4.49 inches | | Package Height:
| 4.02 inches | | Package Weight:
| 1.59 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 15 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 15 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
30 of 38 found the following review helpful:
 It's okay, but not, in fact, super.Feb 13, 2008
By Matthew Miller
This flash works on my Pentax K10D, but not without some caveats.
First, the strengths:
+ It's certainly more flash power than you can get for the money from the official Pentax line-up.
+ Tilt and swivel head.
+ It does a good job working with the K10D's TTL system -- exposure seems generally to be correct.
+ Wireless P-TTL slave mode works great.
+ Focus assist lamp is nice.
And then, the negatives:
- This is a huge flash. It's almost bigger than my camera body. The comparable Pentax AF540FGZ is big too, but I'd trade off some flash power for the feature set in a more compact size.
- The tilt head has a click-lock point at straight forward and at something like 70°-up and a few more between that and straight up -- but nothing at 30° or 45°, and I'm a bit worried that over time it'll get loose and not hold its position. (The Pentax flash has these midway click points.)
- It feels plasticky. doesn't look bad, but doesn't feel solid.
- High-speed sync only works if you disable AutoISO. You probably want to control ISO in your flash shots anyway, but Pentax tech support tells me their official flashes don't have this shortcoming. (Sigma tech support, by the way, wasn't able to explain this to me -- I had to figure out why it wasn't working on my own.)
- Mounting onto the hotshoe is a bit fussy; I'm not sure if Pentax's own flash is any better, but I kind of think it must be.
- The user interface panel is a confusing mess of barely-comprehensible icons and acronyms and poorly-labeled buttons.
- The manual is even worse, and not just because it was clearly not written by an English speaker.
So, that's a lot of negatives, but I'm still giving three stars because while the list of positives is shorter, they're all very strong positives. I had some initial buyer's remorse and was considering an exchange for the AF540FGZ, but I think I'll keep it in hopes that Pentax adds a swivel feature to the next version of the AF360FGZ, which then would be my use-most-of-the-time flash while this would be a wireless slave or option for when I need more power.
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
 Better than MetzDec 20, 2010
By Kayta PharmD
A year ago, I carefully read the reviews on the Metz, Sigma, and Pentax flashes and finally decided on the Metz 48 AF-1. The decision was made largely on the basis reports of poor build quality of the Pentax AF540 and the ease with which the Metz can be updated (ie, the flash's firmware may be updated for use with future cameras via USB connection, whereas the Sigma has to be sent back to Sigma). The Metz has been a good flash, however it's user interface is hardly intuitive. Occasionally I have had to spend several critical minutes fiddling with the interface only to have to finally dig up the manual to review how to make a particular setting. More recently, I found a great price on the Sigma 530 Super and decided to buy. Using the Sigma flash has been an eye-opening pleasure. It's interface is far superior and more intuitive than the Metz series of flashes and makes using flash all the more pleasurable. The Sigma also entails far less button-pushing in order to get to desired settings. Design of the flash is a bit dated, as it looks as if it were designed in the 1980s. However, build quality is very good and on par with the Metz. I had read reviews saying that the build quality of the Sigma is inferior to the Metz, but in my opinion, both are well built and reports of inferior build quality are probably referring to the slightly more dated design of the Sigma as compared to the sleeker Metz.
10 of 13 found the following review helpful:
Great flash, not the best option for strobistsApr 08, 2008
By Jared M. Holder
I ordered two of these for use in a "strobist" style setup without radio triggers. This was a big mistake because you cannot use the Pentax wireless commander mode with these units in Manual. Only pttl.
The only way to fire them on manual as slaves is with another flash which is contributing to the exposure.
They will work fine on manual with radio triggers such as Pocket Wizards or Skyports but even then they have an 80 second "timeout" where if they are not fired in 80 seconds, they turn off. That can be annoying. There may be a way to get around this though, when I get my radio triggers, if I can figure out a way to get pass that problem I will be sure to update here.
Other than that though they are great! Very powerful with a speedy recycle time (4.5 secs with NiMh batteries), tilt and swivel head, accurate pttl on and off camera.
It doesn't feel too "plasticy" to me but time will only tell how rugged they are.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 Sigma great for lens and filters.... CRAP for flashes!Dec 25, 2010
By ronabong
I have gone though three of these. All have had the same problem. ZOOM stuck. Each one would be fine, then the zoom flash would stop working. One of them was zoom stuck on the first connect to the camera (Yes it is specific to my brand of camera). I think there was another review in here about it with the same problem. Even if it did work I would not rely on it as my main and then having to deal with all the warranty crap when it craps out again. Sigma makes other great products just not their flash products.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Good or Not?Sep 01, 2010
By robmac
I bought this because the Sigma flash was cheap for the features and I am just starting out using flash. The flash has a lot of features and function but are somewhat difficult to access due to the somewhat less than thorough and poorly laid out manual and cryptic display.
After about 6 months of light usage (pun not intended) the zoom stopped zooming. I sent it in for warranty repair and got it back quickly. It was working properly. Actually, I not sure I got the same flash back because the head's vertical adjustment seemed looser than before. It would stay where you put it as long as the camera didn't move abruptly--fine for tripod use.
After about 14 months (again, light service) the flash stopped flashing except intermittently. I sent it back in knowing I would have to pay for repair since it was out of warranty. But, I got it back (again quickly) without charge. It was working properly. Again, however, I think they just sent another flash because now, the battery door was extremely difficult to close. The hinge was tight on one side and the tabs didn't fit right--the door tabs were actually wider than the door and didn't fit in the opening easily. I shaved them done (I didn't really want to send it back again) and they now work easier but the door is till more difficult to close.
When it is working (and I can figure out the settings) it seems to work well. Not completely sure I would by another one but for the price it is still a fairly good deal as long as you don't mind the occasional repairs.
But the service department gave me quick turnaround and, so far, one free repair.
See all 15 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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