For my Canon 50D, can a Sigma DG Super 530 control a Canon 430EX?

<p>Hi all<br>

Before I go hog wild on spending cash, I need some advice. I have a 50D and a 430EX-I. I primarily am looking for an additional wedding flash PLUS the option to have both flashes in a studio setting.<br>

- The primary question is will a Sigma DG Super 530 reliably trigger a 430EX or at all. (there was one reference to this on Fred Miranda but it was a little unclear)<br>

- I assume no ETTL2 on the remote flash head if the 530 is the master and I know the 430 cant be a master.<br>

- I believe the 530 is also an optical slave,... can anyone corroborate.<br>

- Would two 530's be a better studio option (I have the opportunity to buy 2 Sigma's for the price on one Canon 580)<br>

Any help is appreciated<br>

John</p>

<p>I have the 530 super and wanted to use it for a master for a 430EX and a 430EXII. Will it fire the flashes? Most of the time, yes, sometimes no and not with any predictability.<br /> But will it meter properly as an eTTL master? Only if your slave(s) are literally right next to the master. The 530 doesn't meter for the slaves at all. It just tells the slaves to fire at the same power as the master, which if the flash is closer it will be overexposed and if it's further away it probably won't see the master enough to fire reliably. In fact it's so unreliable I gave up trying to get it to work with everything in M mode, so it's not even good as a trigger for that.</p>

<p>I bought mine from a retailer that has someone who frequents Photo.net, and they won't even buy it back for half of what I paid for it (I do not blame them as it took me a few months to determine just how much I loathed the flash). My local used shops don't want to touch it because of all of the unreliable metering that it's prone too as a regular flash, which I can attest to and it adds to the problem of being a poor master for eTTL. In fact it's so bad at metering that one 430EX exposes better than the Sigma with two 430s as slaves.</p>

<p>In the end I have a paperweight. I don't know how it works as a slave to something like a 580EX. You may look into the Metz 58 AF-1 (the one made for Canon). Someone posted a review of the flash a while back http://www.photo.net/photography-lighting-equipment-techniques-forum/00VH6j you'll notice I grilled the OP about the metering thing. As long as Oleg knows what he's talking about I'd either try the Metz, save up for a Canon, or just pass on everything all together. At any rate I'm telling you in plain English to pass on the Sigma flash all together.</p>

<p>Oh and let me add one last thing, the flash <strong>NEEDS</strong> a camera with TTL to talk to it otherwise it will not fire at all (except as an optical slave or an eTTL slave). This means that if you plan on using radio triggers you're out of luck. Just one more reason to pass on this horribly designed flash.</p>

<p>Wow Dan<br>

That is as clear and definitive an answer as I could have hoped. I will save my money. Your input is greatly appreciated. I'm sorry your experience was so rotten.</p>

<p>Thanks again<br>

John</p>

<p>Hey, don't feel too bad for me, I knew that Sigma was a gamble going in, and that it wouldn't fire from my skyports if things didn't work out. But I think I did make it clear how I felt about it. ;-) I'm just glad I saved one poor soul from going through the same thing. And when I do get a decent master I'm relatively sure that it will do alright as a slave.</p>

<p>Dan</p>