Sigma EF-610 DG ST Flashgun

[sacko]

Last year I was looking for a flash for my Nikon D300 (looking to get a D3100 soon), but I never really managed to get round to buying one.

I cam across this earlier, and wondered if anyone had any opinions about it?[url=http://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/p-sigma-ef-610-dg-st-flashgun-nikon-fitting.htm]Sigma EF-610 DG ST Flashgun - Nikon Fitting - Best Price at Bristol Cameras[/url]

Any advice appreciated.

:cheers2:

[Steve]

[QUOTE=sacko;726797]Last year I was looking for a flash for my Nikon D300 (looking to get a D3100 soon), but I never really managed to get round to buying one.

I cam across this earlier, and wondered if anyone had any opinions about it?[URL="http://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/p-sigma-ef-610-dg-st-flashgun-nikon-fitting.htm"]Sigma EF-610 DG ST Flashgun - Nikon Fitting - Best Price at Bristol Cameras[/URL]

Any advice appreciated.

:cheers2:[/QUOTE]

Not much use to you as I use Canon camera equipment, but when I wanted a flash I went for the 430 model here [url=http://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/c-canon-flashguns.htm]Canon Flashguns to Buy Online from UK Digital Cameras Experts[/url] The more expensive 580 model looks almost the same and is housed in the same casing. The extra you pay is basically for more flash power. I also bought four 2700 mAh NiMh rechargeable batteries for it an a fast 1 hour plug-in charger. I have taken over 100 photos before at night with full flash and the batteries have kept going - so long as they are freshly charged at the start of the evening. Bare in mind that NiMh batteries loose charge in storage. Eneloops might be worth considering but they tend to have lower capacities.

Basic flash guns of this type are designed to work in close, almost domestic situations so don't expect miracle light from low light shots from 30m away. Mine is also adjustable power from the flash itself so I can decrease the ooomph and use it just as a light fill flash to lighten up someone's face which is in shadow, or go for the full flash-lit shot. Being fully adjustable angle is dead handy too so you can bounce the flash off the ceiling with a bit if extra power to try and prevent horrible shadows that occur when you fire it straight at the subject. A bit of practice and you get a good feel for getting this right first time. The flash also looks like it has a retractable diffuser built in so no need to buy a seperate one - can be used to again soften harsh shadows by scattering the flash light a little.

[sacko]

Cheers Steve, I have looked at the Nikon SB-600 which is the equivelant to the 430 I would imagine.

Im just wondering if the extra £130 makes that much of a difference.

[Steve]

[QUOTE=sacko;726816]Cheers Steve, I have looked at the Nikon SB-600 which is the equivelant to the 430 I would imagine.

Im just wondering if the extra £130 makes that much of a difference.[/QUOTE]

It will make no difference indoors, at home, in a pub, basically cose up stuff up to maybe 15 metres ish. The more powerfull one will just auto-throttle down to give the 'right' amount of light.

Depends on what you want it for really. If you're trying to zoom in to the front man in a band at the O2 arena from the balcony, then neither will be good enough - simply too far away and not enough oooomph.

[AlastairC]

I have the Sigma EF-500 DG for my D300. It is an older model than the one you are looking at but here are my views on my Sigma flash.
Over the couple of years I have had it never had any problems. Works well and comparable to the Nikon offering. The quality of the casing and buttons is much poorer than the Nikon. So if you do go for it make sure you keep it in a safe place... i.e. not in the bottom of your camera bag with everything bouncing off it (I have 3 sigma EX lenses and same can be said about them compared to the Nikon equivalents.. but I don't have 2-3 times the money to spend). That is normally where the extra £'s go with the Nikon kit. My friends SB-600 looks like it would take a few knocks and does!

[sacko]

I'll go for that then :) cheers..

Seems cheap too as it's £169 from Jessops

[url=http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/80965/show.html]Sigma EF 610 DG ST Flashgun for Sony - Jessops - Flashguns[/url]

[Mart61]

I have two sb-600s. I bought them both used, one from eBay, one from a camera shop. I think I only paid £80 for each of them.

I too have a D300 and what I like is that you can use them both wirelessly using the camera's commander mode. This allows you to use them off camera and you can use the system to send different settings to each gun.

I'm not sure if that's possible with non OEM guns.

Granted you may not want to use the gun off camera, but it's nice to have the option.